Wedding Planners

For those couples whose budget is fairly generous, but whose ideas are uncertain then a wedding planner is a great time saver. It is the job of the wedding planner to take on all of the main aspects of the wedding such as project management, coordination of meetings with suppliers and securing bookings. They will then be present on the day to make sure everything runs to plan. It is NOT the role of the wedding planner to dictate the wedding and take over. It is still the couples wedding, the planner is merely there to do the ground work and make the desires of the couple a reality.

It is advisable to interview several wedding planners before choosing one that best suits their expectations. Go on personal recommendations if possible and if a parent is paying then they should be consulted before hiring a planner. A good planner should do the hard work such as sticking to a budget, managing awkward family situations, dealing with crises and getting the best deals for the day. They should be flexible the whole time they are planning the wedding and be communicative with the couple throughout.

Once hired the planner should attend all supplier meetings and have one main point of contact which is usually the bride in order to avoid a breakdown in communication. The couple should be involved at every stage of the process in order to talk through ideas and develop them before the big day.

A major reason for using a wedding planner is due to their highly regarded and trusted suppliers such as florists, caterers, photographers, set builders, musicians and staff. These contacts are then useful to secure discounts and favours which, in turn, will go towards compensating for the cost of the planner.

It is also possible to hire a wedding planner just to cover certain aspects of the wedding where the couple needs the most help. In this instance wedding planners should charge and hourly rate. This enables couples to keep more control and does not stretch their budget too much.

Wedding planners must be reliable as they are the first point of contact in the case of any concerns the couple may have. If one or both of the couple have demanding jobs then the wedding planner should be there to provide practical as well as emotional support. With the event being such a huge occasion it is usual for the wedding planner to become close to the couple and their relatives and this adds to the excitement and enjoyment of the day.

The deposit for a wedding planner is normally paid in advance and is at a rate of between 10 and 15 per cent of the total cost of the wedding. If a planner is prepared to work for a fixed fee then this may be a preferable option and enables the couple to make an exact provision in the wedding budget. This, however, is not a common form of payment so the couple should be aware of this. The terms and conditions of the contract should be provided in writing before the couple consent to anything.