Im getting married soon and Im doing a little per planning but I cant decide if I should I hire a wedding planner or try to plan it on my own or with family and friends?
2006-11-13 17:02:54 · 15 answers · asked by just wondering 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
As a wedding planner I have a bias view, but I can tell you this much...
A planner does NOT plan the wedding FOR you... a good planner plans it WITH you so that you get your dream wedding, all they do is take the pressure off of your shoulders (dealing with vendors, dealing with family disagreements over what SHOULD be, taking care of the Etiquette issues for you, etc)
A planner will have connections you might not otherwise have, they already know the in's and out's of the business, they know who to contact when and will keep you on track and within your budget (not so many worries about going overboard if someone is always keeping you informed), If you get a REALLY good planner they might possibly be able to guarantee you that they will save you an amount equal to or greater than the fee you are paying for their services (effectively making their help FREE).
The drawbacks? Well, our services can be a bit pricey depending on what services you want and where you live. You also might find that wedding planners can be just as "shifty" as the next vendor... So DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Get references and CALL THEM! Find out how long they have been in business, how many weddings they have done, etc. Get DETAILS on how they are paid... do they only get paid by you? do they get "kickbacks" for using particular vendors? Etc. If they take kickbacks cross them off your list... this means they will use the vendor who pays them over a better one that doesnt, which causes a conflict of interest!
It can be daunting, but once you have the right planner..... it will be well worth it.
If you choose to go it alone.... GET HELP! Bridesmaids, Mothers, etc. You will need someone to help you keep on top of everything, and you might want to consider hiring a "Day of" coordinator anyway... that way it is all covered on your big day and you can rest easy.
Also, if you are having over 150 people it is a very good idea to have a planner, anything under 150 and its not as hard to Do it yourself.
Good Luck, and if you have any other questions feel free to email me, I will do my best to assist you.
2006-11-13 19:08:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well having a wedding planner really helps things go smoother and keeps you less stressed. I have a wedding planner but I don't have to pay her. She volunteered and she's done a fantastic job! Maybe you can get a close friend or family member who likes doing that kind of stuff to do it for you. You'll be glad you had a wedding planner in the end. They're a big help!
2006-11-14 03:14:31 · answer #2 · answered by mssweets84 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would hire a wedding planner, just for the mere fact that you will maitain your sanity, dont let your friends or family members help you plan it, for the fact that they are more propenced to telling you something that THEY would like, not what you want. And soon before the wedding, there are sooooooo many details to make sure are going as planned. So it would be best to get a wedding planner, you make sure things go as YOU want, and then you will have time to enjoy your special day, instead of making sure things are going correctly. because someone else will be worrying for you. Good Luck!! and CONGRATS!!!
2006-11-14 02:47:47 · answer #3 · answered by BabyGirl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its far cheaper to do it by yourself but less stressful if you get a wedding planner. You should consider both options and get someone who doesn't charge too much but make sure they know your budget limitations before. However my wife completely organized the wedding herself with no help from friends or family and she did a perfect job. She said that she planned things months in advance, only took someone's opinion if she wasn't sure about it, downloaded some free wedding planning software off the net, did it very systematically and used her cell phone to make sure the whole thing went off on time. She generally did this;
1. Booked a hotel for the reception much in advance because they tend to hem and haw about the dates
2. Guessed how many people were coming and kept the catering to a medium with proper seating arrangements
3. Got the flower people deck up the wedding hall in time
4. Found a photographer who would do the studio shots just before the wedding ceremony and more shots at the venue
5. Picked out the right cards, sent them on time
6. Bought her dress way in advance so she could get it modified in time.
7. Told her bridesmaids that she would pay but they should decide together what dress they liked to wear
2006-11-13 18:23:40 · answer #4 · answered by DrSH 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would not hire a Wedding Planner. This is YOUR big day. Nobody else's. I would sit down with my significant other and decide what the both of you want and ask family and friends to help you get it together. Just don't let anyone persuade you to do anything other than what you really want to do.
2006-11-13 18:24:07 · answer #5 · answered by blondie 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A friend of mine put an add in Craigslist for a wedding planner. They said that they would not be able to payt hem, but the person would be invited to the wedding, and would be able to obtain copies of photos, along with being able to use them as a reference. They actually got a few responses. There were a few people who were just starting out and really needed the referrences and experience. Just a thought.
2006-11-14 04:43:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
If I get married again I'd go w/ the planner. Unless, you're an easygoing person who doesn't mind that family and friends will have opinions and sometimes get really offended if you don't do it their way. W/ a wedding planner things will be handled and you won't have fighting and tears and all that drama.
2006-11-13 17:05:55 · answer #7 · answered by uknowme 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Depends how big your wedding is and how busy you are. Wedding planners can be costly as well. If you have the good support of your family and friends, and your wedding is under a hundred people, then my advise is not to get one.
2006-11-13 23:19:26 · answer #8 · answered by the_memory_of_ashes 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It totally depends on how many people you plan on inviting and how 'soon' you are talking about. If you are having more than 100 people attend, get a planner. If by soon you mean within the next year, get a planner. Outside of that, it's up to you.
Oh, and if you have a slim budget, do it yourself and cut your attendance list to under 100.
2006-11-13 17:54:55 · answer #9 · answered by toothfairy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I were you I'd do it myself, not only will it be cheaper, but I'll admit that it can be stressful, but its actually a lot of fun. I actually enjoyed planning my wedding and I was getting married in another country so I planned it via emails and telephone calls. However if you have your family helping I think that it helps a lot. However if it is just you and you have no family that you can really rely on then hire someone, as its nice having someone to turn to for advice
2006-11-13 23:22:06 · answer #10 · answered by Baps . 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋