Wedding Planner - Should You Hire a Wedding Planner?

For many couples the sheer scale of the wedding planning process is enough to send them running to the nearest wedding planner. But what exactly is a wedding planner and should you hire one?

To begin with a wedding planner is someone who plans weddings! They will have knowledge, experience and contacts that will not be available to you through normal means and therefore they can negotiate great deals, packages and discounts on your behalf. They will also be able to educate on wedding etiquette, guide on the style of wedding you should have, show you potential locations and give you advice on decorations and themes. Above all of these, they will be able to manage you budget, ensuring that you get the most for your money and everything you want for your wedding day (so along as it is within budget that is).

However, their services are not free! Many planners will work on a percentage fee which is based on your wedding budget, often this around 10%. As with many things related to your wedding, you should do your homework. Pick a good planner and they will probably be worth their weight in gold, saving you money whilst giving you everything you want, but pick a bad planner and you could live to regret it.

Start by asking friends and family for recommendations, do some research online and through the various types of wedding directory. Also use the online wedding forums to connect with other local brides and wedding professionals who can give you some recommendations and advice. Once you have a few names and numbers, arrange to meet with them to discuss your wedding.

They key at your initial meeting is to find out whether or not you can work together. Do you get on straight away? Do you like their ideas and will they work with your best interests at heart? You will be working closely with this person from the moment you hire them to your wedding day, so you need to get on, have a good rapport and complete faith in each other. Remember the planner will be relying on you to make good on your financial pledge, making funds available to pay deposits etc when asked and not to change your mind at the last minute!

If time is of the essence or if you simply can't handle the wedding planning yourself, then I would firmly recommend hiring a wedding planner. They will be able to organize every detail and ensure everything runs to schedule. They will also be present on the wedding day to handle any last minute emergencies, make sure the venues are fully prepared and be there for support should you need it.

If you don't think your budget will stretch to the services of a planner for the entire wedding planning process, then hire one to handle just part of it. For instance, the contacts they have and the prices or packages they can negotiate will make it worthwhile hiring them to secure your wedding venues. They can also recommend other suppliers and vendors to you.