Why Hire A Wedding Planner?
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kristenshana-285
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48.Eric + Alex -- Wedding-771_id83683019
When I say that I believe in hiring a wedding planner, I mean it. Big time. I mean it so much, I tell brides all the time - it doesn't need to be me and my team. Just hire someone who is a professional. That's how much I care. You see, I didn't really have a planner. Because I am a planner. Also, because I'm a control freak and I had a lot of difficulty passing anything off to anyone else. And the result was, me running around like a crazy person on my wedding day. And all my friends and family working their butts off on the wedding day. I don't wish that upon anyone. But don't take it from me! I interviewed some previous brides and asked them why choosing a wedding planner was important to them. And why they are beyond glad that they did, because so often we don't realize how necessary something is, until it's too late.
From Jill: "Being one of the last of my close friends to get married... Either their wedding coordinator made their wedding day smooth ... Or they didn't have one and wished more than anything they did. With that being said, I absolutely didn't want to worry about anything (OK.. The least amount possible) on our day. I didn't want to be setting tables, decorating, dealing with vendors, etc. I wanted to be with my girls and family enjoying every minute of the day.""The resources and venue experience that a wedding coordinator has goes way beyond internet searches and Yelp reviews.
The networking, wedding planning process (staying on a timeline), and day of experience of the coordinator are all things that made the entire wedding process enjoyable. This was important with our venue (Rancho Camulos) because we had to bring in all of our vendors. I can't tell you how many of my friends disliked the whole wedding planning process... And I'm over here like "really? I totally miss it." If I could convince my husband and parents to do it all over again I would in a heart beat. It was seriously my most favorite day and it's all because of how fun and stress free the entire process was. I mean... The freaking sprinklers went on the morning of and got the dance floor, tables, tent, etc wet... And I had absolutely no idea until way after the fact...
Everything was handled without me needing to know and worry and freak out."From Mye: "For the longest time, I never thought I needed to hire a coordinator. Our plan was to elope (in Paris) and then come back to LA and throw a small reception for our families and a few local friends - no ceremony, no bridesmaids, no first dance. We wanted to put our budget toward awesome food at an amazing venue, and a petting zoo! My husband and I met in the indie film industry, so we are experienced in DIY events/filmmaking. Compared to producing low-budget movies, this would be easy. We even had a few friends volunteer to set up, clean up, or serve food.
We already booked the venue and vendors for this small reception for 90 guests. Hiring a day-of coordinator just sounded like a luxury we could barely budget. But by the time the day arrived, it became clear that it was a necessity - one that we are sure glad we decided to add!"You can't be in more than one place at one time. Before the guests arrived, I needed to be in hair and makeup and then do family photos - all at the same time as multiple vendors arrived. Without a team of coordinators, how would I have checked in all the rentals like furniture and dishes, catering, flowers and the alpacas? It was helpful to have someone else check in all the goods to make sure we weren't missing crucial items or dishes that we were paying for. It required more than just me to make sure the vendors knew exactly where to drop off rentals and set up.
Additionally, the coordinator set up a polaroid guest book station, a decorated dessert station, and installed a small cake with a very delicate cake topper. All of that could not have happened without some dedicated help.""We had a seated brunch with assigned seating and lots of details. The coordinator handled the seating chart, the name cards, and escort cards so that we could be free to mingle with guests. She also had to keep track of which items on the table were rented and needed to be returned, and which the guests could keep. I had a particular vision in mind for our table settings, and needed someone who could pay special attention to it. Although the beautiful Lombardi House needs little decoration, I did bring my own garlands and décor. I would have been hanging decorations while in my dress if I didn't have a coordinator to help with the details."
"Who has time and energy to pack up? Our event was a strict 8-hour rental, so we had to make sure everything was packed up in time and help vendors pick up rentals. After the speeches, it was nice to relax while cake was served. During dessert, the coordinators were able to start striking down some of the party while we could mingle with and say good-bye to guests. None of our guests had to lift a finger. Certainly it's a luxury to have someone do the work for you, but it's a luxury that is well worth it!"
Well, there you go friends. You heard it here from REAL brides. A wedding planner is a luxury that is well worth it!