I am asked sometimes why someone getting married should hire a wedding planner. “Is there any reason I can’t do it all myself?” I’ve been asked. My answer to that question is, “Yes and no.”
Beautiful wedding day. Photo by Magical Moments Photography.
Yes, you can probably do all the planning yourself. Given enough time, a few basic organizational skills, and the ability to see the project through to the end–qualities just about everyone has–you can certainly plan your wedding by yourself. If you are a very busy professional who travels a lot, for example, or someone who feels overwhelmed by large projects, then you are a good candidate for a full-service planner. Don’t get me wrong: Planning a wedding is a very large job that will take a good amount of your time and attention for as long as you have to work on it. Most people find the process momentarily frustrating at times. At the same time, it can be very rewarding. You might even find that it is a lot of fun. I certainly think it is.
On the other hand, when it comes to day-of wedding coordination, almost everyone needs someone to do the job. In the past when brides were typically younger, the mother of the bride often took care of coordinating the day of the wedding. These days, most couples want to allow their families to enjoy the wedding day and not have to be the one to deal with the stress of the details.
And even if your wedding is simple and straightforward, if you hire a day-of coordinator, you are also hiring a professional consultant who can help you with the planning. Not all planners work the way I do, I’m sure, but when I am working with a couple, I tell them that once they hire me, they can call me or send me an e-mail any time if they need guidance or a vendor referral or just someone to bounce an idea off of. My function is to make sure that the day of the wedding goes smoothly, and that means that I start working toward that goal as soon as I am hired. If I can prevent costly mistakes or solve a problem months in advance, then I am doing my job as day-of coordinator.
Maybe you have been to a wedding and thought it all went so smoothly that there was no need for a coordinator. That is actually the highest compliment you can pay to a day-of wedding coordinator. From the point of view of the guests, it should all look effortless, and that means that someone has put all the details together into a beautiful wedding day.
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