When Should You Hire Your Planner?

Was it planned 2 years in advance? Or two days? Photo by T & S Hughes Photography.

Here’s a question that does not get asked nearly often enough:  When should you hire a coordinator or planner for your wedding or other large event?

The short answer is:  As soon as possible.

If you’re hiring a full-service planner or even someone who is only doing partial planning plus coordinating, you obviously want to hire that person well in advance of the date of the event.  You need to give them time to do their job, which is to plan your event.  No one wants to do a rush job or do the job badly, so ample time is necessary.

But even if you are hiring someone who is only coordinating the day of your event, it is still a good idea to book early.  For one thing, you want to find someone who is available on the date of your event, and Saturday nights start booking up as you approach the date.  But beyond the practicalities of who is available, booking early gives you access to your coordinator’s advice and expertise for a longer period of time, saving you money and headaches.  And it allows for enough time for your coordinator to get to know you and understand what you want.

I don’t know how most planners charge, but if you hire me early, it doesn’t cost you a penny more than if you hire me later.  (In fact, it can save you money.)  My fee is based on the average amount of time I expect to put in on your event, and always includes unlimited phone calls, texts, and emails from the time you hire me until the day of your event.

And what if you’ve waited until the last minute to hire someone to coordinate your event?  Do not despair!  I actually specialize in last-minute jobs (if I am available).  While it’s nice to have months to sort out the details and make sure everything is in place, I’ve coordinated weddings with less than 48 hours notice!

One final word of advice:  Most planners won’t book more than 12 to 18 months out.  That’s my general window, as well.  So, if you are more than a-year-and-a-half from the date of your wedding or event, that is the one time I recommend waiting to hire.  But within a year or so of the date, don’t delay.  Start making calls or sending emails to find the planner who is the right fit for your event.  We all appreciate your booking early.