Let’s face it… most people either want a wedding planner’s help… or they don’t. However I think those that don’t want a planner’s help just don’t realize yet that they NEED a planner’s help. I truly believe, and not just because of my profession, that EVERY bride and groom greatly benefits from a wedding planner’s help at least on the day of their wedding. (I had one for mine!!)
Still don’t believe me? Well, let’s try a challenge… I’ll name off just a few of the to-do items that are going to come up during the week and day of your wedding and you name who’s going to take care of them.
Make the Calls…
I always suggest calling every one of your vendors the week of your wedding to ensure they have everything they need, know your instructions and you both agree on what time they are to arrive, and where. You would be surprised at how often I find different perceptions between the couple and the vendor.
What time is it?
There’s a lot going on on your wedding day – so have you prepared a timeline? You should always have a plan in place for what is going to happen and when. This will help keep you sane and, just as importantly, help your vendors know how the day is going to run. It will also prevent you from being asked at least 4 different times whether you’re cutting your cake before or after dinner (ah-hem…DJ, Hall, Photographer, Videographer. Etc etc etc).
Wait? Who’s taking that?
Weddings involved a lot of “stuff”. Sure, halls will take most of these items the week of the wedding but what about everything else? Who is going to take your flowers from the ceremony to the reception and ensure they’re setup as you’d like? Probably not your florist, who would mostly likely charge you extra for that… How about the programs, unity candle, marriage license and everything else that needs to make it out of the church or ceremony site in one piece? And we haven’t even started in on the reception yet… or who is going to be responsible for making sure everything makes it OUT of the hall at the end of the night… phew, that’s a lot to move, don’t you think??
Well..that’s probably all there is though, right?
Nope. There’s LOTS more…
Who are your vendors going to call on the wedding day if they have a question or problem?
What if the limo gets lost on the way to pick you up?
Oops! You forgot your veil at home…
Yikes… your dress bustle just broke. Who has thread???
Let’s face it… men can’t pin boutonnières on.
Who is going t lineup everyone for the procession?
You need the family for pictures but every time we send Aunt Ashley to get Grandma, we loose Aunt Ashley!
You need a wedding day emergency kit. Why? (see above..”Who has thread”)
You’d really like someone to review the hall before the reception to make sure all of your requests have been taken care of.
Trust me… all of the above probably account for about 10% of what I usually take care of on a wedding day. Crazy, isn’t it?
But… you have help, right? Your parents, your soon to be in-laws, your family and friends. Why would you need a trained wedding coordinator to take care of these things? Well, that’s easy and comes down to two things… First, to free your family and friends to just enjoy the day. Second, because it will ease your mind tremendously!! Sure, you can name people to take care of all of these things but then you still need to be the one to coordinate to make sure it all happens. You’ll also need to provide instructions on how to take care of these items, because the people you’re asking for help probably haven’t done it before. Instead, why not have a trained professional, someone that has done this countless times, prepare your day for you and ensure things run as smoothly as possible?
Did you realize that the cost of a day-of coordinator usually runs about 1.5% of the average budget for an American wedding? 1.5% for sanity, peace of mind and someone to direct all questions to!
I can’t tell you how many times I hear “Just ask Jennie” or “Give that to Jennie” in a single wedding or event… and every time I hear it, it’s music to my ears because I know I am doing my part to ensure that every one of my clients is happy with my service and happy they made the decision to hire a planner to coordinate their wedding day.
Don’t believe me? Here’s a quote from a recent groom…
“At first I had no idea why we needed a wedding planner and now have no idea how we would have succeeded without you. Invaluable. Essential. Perfect. Thank You.”
…. You’re welcome :)
