5 Reasons Why a Bride Might Hire a Professional Wedding Planner
by Debbie Tobias
REASON #1: Hiring a wedding planner is a good idea for brides who: "Can't Spare at Least 12 Hours a Week to Do the Job Themselves."
Planning a wedding is tedious stuff (believe me, I know!), especially when you're working or going to school full time.
Brides who have access to a telephone at work tend to make a lot of their planning arrangements during the work day, thinking that this preoccupation with their wedding is going unnoticed. Well, with the exception of her boss who may be clueless to her new found bridal consulting 'position', it's probably safe to say that her coworkers are certainly paying attention!
For the full-time employee (who happens to be a bride) who may not want or thinks she can't afford your full-service package, let her know that she has the option of hiring you, the professional wedding planner, to investigate vendors such as finding the venue or choosing a photographer.
Based on her style and budget, you give her a selection of three or four vendors in each category and then let her make the final decision, saving her countless hours of planning time...on the job!
REASON #2: Hiring a wedding planner is a good idea for brides who: "Plan on Inviting More than 100 Wedding Guests."
Truthfully speaking, working with a guest list of a little more than 100 guests is not unmanageable. But as that guest list grows (as it inevitably does), logistically, things begin to get trickier.
The ever-changing seating arrangements are enough to send a sane person over the edge. Coming up with a menu that satisfies the bride's strict vegan tastes and the groom's family's love of meat-and-potatoes almost requires the skill of a magician. And then there's the budget. Each name added to the guest list increases the cost of the wedding. Tasks that are overwhelming for any wedding but are emphasized with an ever-growing guest list.
You, the professional wedding planner, have the familiarity (and professional wedding planning software) to make management of things like seating charts a breeze. A last minute addition of 10 more guests to the list probably won't faze the fabulous caterer that you're accustomed to working with.
And your expertise and knowledge means that you know how to get the most bang out of your bride's buck to make her budget stretch beyond belief!
REASON #3: Hiring a wedding planner is a good idea for brides who: "Are Hosting their Wedding somewhere other than a Full-service Venue (for example at home, a museum or outdoors)"
There's a reason why hosting a wedding in a hotel or local full-service banquet hall is a such a popular choice for many brides; it's been done before, so it's likely that the wedding will happen, as planned, without too many hitches.
The flip side is that, well, it's been done before (yawn!), so the wedding risks looking like all the other events held there. Hosting a wedding in an unusual venue like at home (my personal favorite), or a local museum or in a barn is a fun and quirky option.
But these type of off-the-beaten-track events come with a special set of issues all their own and really shouldn't be planned without the help of a professional wedding consultant.
Depending on what's available at the venue, several items will need to be brought in--think chairs, tables, the dance floor, portable toilets...the list goes on! Then there are other considerations like 'where will everyone park?', 'do you need a special permit?' 'where will the caterer set up?'.
A professional planner is prepared to address all of these concerns and more.
What Can Happen WITHOUT a Wedding Planner...
Several years ago, I attended a wedding as a guest. I later discovered that the bride was initially set on hiring a wedding planner for day-of service, but at the last minute changed her mind. The wedding reception was held at an amazingly beautiful venue that provided tables and chairs...only. Nothing else!
The bride was responsible for ordering any and everything else that she wanted for her wedding reception--dinnerware, flatware, linens etc.
During the reception the caterer provided and served the food banquet style and then a few minutes after the meal began, they left! With no wait staff, at the end of our meal no one was available to clear the tables and guests were uncertain of where or how to dispose of their plates. So the dirty plates remained on the guest tables until the wedding reception was over!
At the end of the evening family, friends and a few other gracious wedding guests (in their elegant wedding attire) actually had the task of clearing the tables and packing away dirty dishes and linens so that the rental company could pick everything up!
This emphasizes one of the sad truths about hiring a wedding planner. Brides oftentimes don't realize the benefits of hiring one...until it's too late: after the wedding!
REASON #4: Hiring a wedding planner is a good idea for brides who: "Are Getting Married in a Far-off Location (i.e. some place other than where they live)"
Weddings away are exciting, fun...and complicated. Since many couples live and work away from their hometowns, and several others are planning destination weddings in exotic locales unfamiliar to either bride or groom, they're likely unfamiliar with local venues and local wedding professionals.
If the destination is in another country there's the added angst of dealing with and understanding local wedding license laws.
So, enter you, the wedding planner.
By hiring you, a professional wedding planner, (whether you're based at the wedding location or you're simply an expert located some place else who is familiar with the destination), technically you're doing many of the same things you always do as a professional wedding planner: finding the right wedding vendors, managing the wedding budget, negotiating guest accommodations.
You also need to be familiar enough with the local specialties, locales and vibe and then creative enough to inject some of that culture into the festivities (that's why they hired you, remember?).
The only thing that should be left for your couple and their guests to do is show up!
REASON #5: Hiring a wedding planner is a good idea for brides who: "Are Planning a Wedding in Six Months or Less"
Having 12 months or more to plan a wedding gives a bride some flexibility in selecting her wedding vendors. With less planning time she loses the ability to negotiate with service providers and may wind up paying more for services.
Availability is another issue with short-term planning. After all, there are only so many weekends in a month and the best vendors usually book up pretty quickly.
A wedding planner already has a shortlist of brilliant vendors and can quickly determine who is still available and can take it from there.
Also, the mere fact that you have a working relationship with such a large network of service providers means being able to call in a favor or two on behalf of your bride. (She'll love you for it!)
HAPPY PLANNING!
© 2009 Debbie A. Tobias. All Rights Reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wedding expert and self-proclaimed life-of-the party, Debbie Tobias, is the creator of Weddings For A Living, a wonderful, one-of-a-kind resource for wedding planners and wedding professionals who want to skyrocket` their wedding planning business to ultimate success.
NOTE: You're welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to debbie@weddingsforaliving.com.
|
