Three Things Brides Need to Know About Wedding Planners

1. There is no such thing as a 'day of' planner!

I get so many inquiries from brides who want to plan the wedding themselves, and bring in a 'day of' planner to run the events the day of the wedding. I found out the hard way that this is not beneficial for the planner OR the bride. Having an experienced and knowledgable planner throughout the planning process will ensure that your planner is up to speed on all the details and communication between you and each vendor. This is so important because if and when an issue arises on the wedding day, your 'day of' planner doesn't have to run to you with each issue and clarify anything, they can handle any mishaps and let you enjoy a stress free day! 

2. A venue coordinator is NOT a wedding coordinator.

I hear brides say time and time again "I don't need a wedding planner, my venue includes one." Although it is great to have a venue coordinator on hand who knows the venue and can help the event run smoothly, at the end of the day, the venue coordinator works for the venue, not the bride. Venue coordinators tend to help with planning as it pertains to the venue, so things like timelines- when vendors will arrive, when guests have to leave, etc. However, venue coordinators are not going to attend your cake tasting and help calculate how many servings you will need, or assist you on the right wording for your invitations, or call hotels and reserve room blocks for your out of town guests. An independent wedding coordinator is the only one who will truly handle all aspects of your wedding!

3. A wedding planner is not a luxury, but a NECESSITY.

I could truly go on about the importance of investing in a wedding planner forever, but I will try to keep this concise! Investing in a wedding planner is so important if you want to actually enjoy your wedding planning process and enjoy your wedding day! So many brides believe wedding planning is fun, exciting, and easy. Although it is fun and exciting, it is also STRESSFUL! There are so many little things that go into a wedding, and trying to keep track of all of that, on top of having a full time job or being a full time student can be overwhelming. A wedding planner will keep track of all of those small nitty-gritty details so that you can actually get excited about planning your wedding and focus on the truly fun parts of planning! As for the wedding day, a wedding coordinator is absolutely essential if you are wanting a stress free day. Think of your wedding planner as your shield on your wedding day; they are your first line of defense for any issues that may arise, and will handle anything from timing mishaps to vendor issues without you ever having to know!