I can feel your eyebrows raise in skepticism at the thought of a wedding planner telling you you need their services. This blog is not a sales pitch, it is merely a breakdown of the most demanding elements of planning a wedding and why it may be in your best interest to let someone else take care of the nitty-gritty. There are around 5,000 details that go into planning a wedding. You may be able to reduce that number if you are eloping, or working with a really tight budget. Nonetheless, 5,000 is a darn big number.
Most individuals want to have total control over their once in a lifetime extravaganza. Hiring a wedding planner does not take away your control, we just make it much easier. Your daily life will never be put on hold because you’ve got to scramble last minute to book a new band because yours canceled or find a different yellow flower for your centerpieces because the florist’s shipment won’t arrive on time.
Bear with me; this career was created for good reason.
Budget
Whether its an allotment for eating out or a non-negotiable $3,000 band, budgets dictate a lot of decisions in most of our lives. Working within your wedding budget is the most stressful part. You have this awesome vision and as you start to book vendors and receive quotes, you realize that Pinterest failed to mention that most of the inspiration pins you have are out of your price range. A wedding planner will cost you $1,000-$6,000+. There are 3 tiers of packages to help cushion the cost and planner involvement. With our connections to a wide variety and number of vendors, we can negotiate and get you deals or bring awareness to decisions that are not practical. For example, your bouquet must have dahlias, you want 6 passed hor devours at cocktail hour, and you have a certain expensive DJ in mind. As a planner we suggest that you consider garden roses as they are a less expensive flower option, only having 3 hor devours because you are having a huge dinner buffet and that you check out a DJ that we have a great connection with who will give us a friend’s and family discount on their services. Voila, we can save you $1,500. A wedding is a massive puzzle. Some pieces are more important than others. A wedding planner’s job is to take in all your requests and organize them in such a way that saves you money wherever possible as well as being a voice of reason when it comes to elements that you think are going to be just perfect, but logistically are everything but.
Time
From the moment you get engaged and set a rough date that you want to get married, the clock starts ticking. There are countless wedding timeline books to keep you on track, such as when to order stationery; when to buy your dress; when to book your caterer. From the start to finish, your dream wedding may seem like a marathon, which you have no time to train for. That is where we come in. We are the energizer bunny that works around the clock to make your life continue as it had. We outline everything that needs to be done and by when. All you have to do is open your emails, answer our calls and keep us updated on any changes. We do the rest. Leading up to your wedding day, you should not feel stressed because your wedding planner has kept all the ducks in their rows. Hiring a wedding planner ensures that you get to spend the majority of your engagement focused on the fun parts of the wedding process: the parties, the excitement, and seeing your dream come together with minimal efforts on your end.
Tools
Do you prefer power tools? Or, online tools? Wedding planners have both! The beauty of creation is that it comes in all forms. You explain your vision and we run with it to make it bigger and better than you first thought. This could be through putting together a picture wall for cocktail hour or creating online floorplans and design boards to help you better visualize. We use a planning software and CRM tool called Aisle Planner. If you are one of our couples, you know just how incredible this program is. We can monitor your budget, remind you when to make vendor deposits or sign contracts, forward pricing and information on our favorite vendors, as well as assign you tasks with due dates to keep you on track of the planning process. Each couple gets their own personal portfolio that allows for easy communication without lots of phone calls and real-time progress tracking so if you are ever feeling overwhelmed, log in and feel assured that you’re 75% of the way there! Nowadays, there are countless platforms and DIY content for planning your own wedding, they are all great and helpful, but nothing can compare to having someone around the clock dedicating energy into your big day.
Lingo
The wedding world loves to use abbreviations and funky jargon. From an outsider perspective, deciphering contracts and describing what you want in your bouts might be a head-scratcher. (Bouts=Boutonnieres). Your wedding planner will be well versed in the lingo and can communicate fluidly between vendors and contracts to understand exactly what you are getting for what price, which will alleviate any confusion on the day of because you might not have understood the fine print. It is not a ploy to confuse you, just how the industry has found ways to be more efficient.
On-Site Coordinator
Be careful with this term. An on-site coordinator is not included in your venue contract to be your all-around planner. They are with the venue to ensure those operations on the day of run smoothly: the catering, the bar, the set-up, etc. You are still responsible for all outside collaboration. Your on-site coordinator won’t pay attention to when the sun is setting so you should politely excuse yourself from your conversation to take some great shots and that the sweetheart table is missing the special signs you made. They generally leave after dinner is served, meaning that you and your family are responsible for making sure that the DJ is on cue with his music and all of your personal items make it home. Some on-site coordinators go above and beyond, but they are not your detail-oriented wedding planner and these terms too often get interchanged.
Decisions, decisions. Where on Earth to start? Maybe after reading this, your first one will be to find a wedding planner so that the rest is easier. Either way, your wedding is going to be just like you envisioned. Just hang in there and trust the process!
If you’re looking for an epic planner and wedding designer to create the royal day you deserve, please contact Blue Orchid Events today!