If a couple is going to hire a wedding planner, they should hire this person before any other vendors. The wedding planner will help the couple choose other vendors and give vendor suggestions. Couples should avoid wedding planners that can’t work within their budget and don’t seem concerned with their opinions.
Who Needs a Wedding Planner?
Some couples are able to plan their own wedding and don’t need the services of a wedding consultant. However, many couples should consider hiring a planner, even if it’s just for the day of the wedding. If a couple fits in one of the following categories, they should consider hiring a wedding planner:
- A couple planning a destination wedding.
- A couple planning an outdoor wedding in a location such as a beach or public garden where almost everything will have to be rented.
- A couple planning a large wedding with more than two hundred guests.
- A couple who can’t set aside ten to twenty hours a week for planning the event, especially as the wedding date approaches.
What does a Wedding Planner do?
There are different types of wedding planning services such as day-of wedding planners for the couple who can do most of the planning themselves, a partial-event planner, and a full-service wedding planner. For more information about the different types of planners, read How to Choose a Wedding Planner.
Basically, couples will get what they pay for when it comes to wedding planners. A couple who spends one thousand dollars for a full-service wedding coordinator will receive different services than a couple who spends five thousand dollars. It’s up to the couple to decide what they want their wedding planner to do and negotiate for it in the contract. Here are some planning services a couple can ask about:
- Assisting the couple arranging and sticking to the budget
- Recommending and hiring vendors
- Negotiating vendor prices
- Reminding couples about deposit due dates
- Assisting with the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
- Helping the bride shop for a gown and bridesmaid dresses
- Selecting invitations and keeping track of the guest list
- Assisting the couple in making the theme of the wedding come alive
- Attending the tastings and helping with menu selections
- Creating welcome bags and favors
- Arranging the wedding weekend for destination weddings
Cost of a Wedding Planner
Planners charge for their services in different ways. A planner could charge a flat fee for a certain amount of hours, flat fee based on the couple’s plans, or a percentage of the cost of the wedding. Couples should be wary of a planner charging based on the percentage of the wedding cost, because she may drive costs to increase her payout.
Every couple should be sure to read carefully read over a wedding planner’s contract and ask any questions that arise before signing. The amount of the deposit and what services it will cover should be clearly stated on the contract. For questions to ask a wedding planner during the interview, read How to Choose a Wedding Planner.
When a couple is hiring a wedding a planner, they should consider the different types of wedding consultants, the services the wedding planner will provide, and the cost.
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