Why do I need a wedding planner?

One of the first questions that you may be asking yourself as you begin this journey is, do I really need a wedding planner? While I may be a wedding planner, I am here to tell you that, it depends. Some brides are well organized, know exactly what they want, and perhaps already have everything neatly captured in a 2" binder. However, for most brides, there are several things you may want to consider before you completely ixnay the idea of hiring a wedding planner. Here are 10 questions or thoughts to consider in deciding whether or not hiring a wedding planner is for you.

1. Do you have the time?

I would be lying if I said that planning a wedding isn't A LOT OF WORK. Between the vendor research, scheduling, timeline creation, wedding website development/maintenance, and everything in between you are going to rack up quite a few hours on your computer and phone outside of your day job. For some brides, their full-time job keeps them busy for more than 40 hours a week...for other brides, little kiddos or dependent family members require their care and support outside of a traditional 9-5 schedule. If this is you, or if you simply don't want to give up your precious sleep and weekend activities to plan your wedding, then working with a wedding planner could save you hundreds of hours and your sanity.

2. Do you have the desire?

Even if you do have the time to plan a wedding, do you have the desire? For some brides, the thought of planning a wedding produces something closer to Sunday Scaries than jumping for joy. Planning a wedding requires a high-degree of organizational skills combined with a joy of doing loads of research and also putting your creative cap on. If those skillsets are not your forte, then bringing on a wedding planner to do the heavy-lifting could be the right way to go.

3. Are there any areas where you are unsure or uncomfortable?

This is one area that I think many brides glide over. Often times when considering a wedding, brides think of the "big things": dress, venue, food, photographer, and flowers. However, they may skip over or not recognize some of the smaller details that can really make a difference. Things like: uplighting, card boxes, transportation, a back-up plan (mother nature sometimes has her own plans for your big day!), etc. Brides.com has a great list of some of those "most missed" items, which you can check out here. All that to say, if the small details generally pass you by, hiring a wedding planner will help you make sure that nothing slips through the cracks.

4. Do you know what questions to ask?

One of the biggest mistakes I see brides make is not knowing what questions to ask. Weddings are generally a "one and done" type of event for people, so there is no practice or real-life preparation that can help you understand all of the nuances that come with a wedding. Whether it is asking your photographer for certain photos that you really want (or maybe don't even know you want) or asking vendors to negotiate their services based on your needs, there are A TON of questions that your wedding planner can help bring to light to make sure that you get to your big day with no regrets and no unfortunate assumptions.

5. Do you and your partner have differing ideas on your big day?

Now I know you are getting married to your special someone because you LOOOOVE each other and just absolutely agree on everything (wink wink), but you may find that planning a wedding will bring out some unforeseen differences. Some diversity in opinions is a great way to make sure that you capture the best of both worlds, but for some couples it can be a bit challenging to figure out the best way to combine their styles and visions. A wedding planner will have great insights and be able to present options that bring your two dreams together. By using a wedding planner in this situation, you and your beau become a team making a collective decision (which is a great way to start off your marriage journey together!).

6. Do you generally struggle to stick to a budget?

If sticking to a budget in your "day-to-day" life is a bit of a challenge, then sticking to a wedding budget will definitely prove a bit of a struggle. Although your total wedding budget may feel like a lot of $$$, you will be shocked at how quickly it can begin to disappear. A few of your top costs (venue, photographer, food/beverage, and dress) will add up quite quickly and without a plan in place, you may end up (a) going over budget or (b) missing out on some of the things you really want. In order to avoid ending up between this rock and a hard place, your wedding planner will work with you to create a detailed budget and also help you stick to it by being an accountability buddy.

7. Do you have some "unique" opinions or voices telling you what to do?

I hate to break it to ya sister, but weddings tend to bring out the "less than perfect" versions of some of the closest people in your life. If you have lucked out with a fabulous, no-stress, supportive family (like me..shoutout mom & dad!) YAYYY I am so so happy for you and I hope you know how truly blessed you are. For those of you who may not use "low-maintenance" and "stress-free" to describe your tribe, a wedding planner will act as the perfect buffer and body guard during your journey. As a wedding planner, I have NO problem if you use me as a scapegoat to let Great Aunt Sally know why you cannot invite her 50 closest friends from high-school to your wedding...yep, blame it on me! Weddings are a beautiful, magical time, but if you know that those around you are going to overwhelm you with their "suggestions" of how your big day should go, then hiring a wedding planner may be a great way to deflect some of those ideas and make sure you get exactly what you as a couple want on your big day.

8. Do you get easily overwhelmed or stressed?

If you are the type of guy or gal that gets easily overwhelmed when making decisions or planning (really anything), then you will definitely want to consider hiring a wedding planner. While a ton of fun, weddings can quickly become overwhelming if you are not prepared for the amount of decisions, costs, and research coming your way. And a word to the wise here, there is absolutely no shame in asking for help anytime in your life, especially so when planning your wedding. Wedding planners exist because they want to help you enjoy your big day and be able to look back on this time with fond memories.

9. Does your potential venue require a wedding coordinator?

One of the first elements that couples generally shop for in their wedding journey is the venue. While there are a lot of venues out there with an "all-in-one" package that captures your major necessities (including a coordinator), these venues tend to be more expensive. For venues that do not provide this "all-in-one" deal (which are usually much more affordable), they often require couples to have a day-of coordinator to ensure that everything runs smoothly. If you are leaning in this direction, hiring a wedding planner/coordinator (such as myself!) may be the best "bang for your buck". Not only will you get the help you need finding and managing all of your vendors, but you will also get the day-of expertise of someone who has been with you during your entire journey.

10. Are you planning a destination wedding?

If you are planning a destination wedding, a wedding planner/coordinator is a likely must. Planning for a destination wedding requires a lot more logistics and preparation due to the travel and local expertise required. If this is you, consider hiring a wedding planner local to the area that you want to get married. They will have a wealth of knowledge on where to stay, where to host your rehearsal dinner, and of course some of the top vendors in that area. If you are looking to plan a destination wedding in San Diego, California, then I may be your gal! Feel free to send me an email to set up a consultation appointment!

If any of the above questions provoked a "YASSSS I need a wedding planner" response, feel free to send me an email! I am happy to answer questions and set up a consultation to walk through how I can help you plan and execute the wedding of your dreams on a realistic budget.