Over the years I’ve been in the wedding photography business, I’ve picked up on a few things. One of which is the different experience a bride has when she hires a wedding planner versus a bride who doesn’t. The difference is HUGE. I’ve never spoken with a couple who regretted hiring a wedding planner, but I have heard from several who realized too late that they should have hired one! 

I’ve had the pleasure of working with some incredible wedding planners and I believe so strongly in the work they do that I encourage my couples to hire one when they ask, sometimes before they’ve even hired ME . I often find myself going on and on about the merits of hiring a planner … and then come to my senses and realize that I should probably get back to talking with them about their photography — haha!  

This is not a comprehensive list of every single reason you should hire a wedding planner, but these ten reasons can have an enormous impact on how smoothly your wedding planning (and wedding day, itself) will go! 

Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Wedding Planner 

10. Overall Vision — When you pick a venue they often give you a “wedding coordinator” from the venue to help coordinate the day. I can tell you from years and years of experience, they are NOT the same as a small business, independent planner. He or she is the venue’s catering manager and their job is to make sure that everything having to do with the venue runs well. While they are helpful, they do not cover the scope of what a wedding planner does. If you have both, things will run so smoothly.

9. Budgeting — They know what things should cost and the difference in value. Their time in the industry provides an amazing source of knowledge. They can help you stay in line with your budget needs.

8. Save $ — Planners can often save you enough money to cover the costs of their services, how amazing is that?! Again, this plays along with their knowledge of the wedding field.

7. Attentive Listener: — Wedding planners are a huge creative resource. They listen to you, your love story and your childhood dreams of planning a wedding. They can really peace it all together.

6. Enjoyable Process — I’ve observed so many brides through the process of planning their wedding and when they do it without a professional planner, oftentimes by the time the wedding comes around, the process has been so stressful that they just can’t wait for it to be over. Planning your wedding is supposed to be an enjoyable process. A good wedding planner helps you enjoy the journey. I can attest to this from my own wedding day.

5. Timeline — Your wedding day will involve numerous vendors who need to work together to insure that the day goes smoothly. While we often help you out with the photography portion of the day, it is so much less stressful when I can walk in and do my job without having to be a planner as well. A planner understands how each vendor relies on the others and serves as the team captain who coordinates the complexities of the timeline with all its moving parts.  

#block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580415404189_10478 .sqs-gallery-block-grid .sqs-gallery-design-grid { margin-right: -7px; }
#block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580415404189_10478 .sqs-gallery-block-grid .sqs-gallery-design-grid-slide .margin-wrapper { margin-right: 7px; margin-bottom: 7px; }

4. Background — In addition to possessing a wealth of knowledge, planners have been in the industry long enough to know who the players are — which vendors can be trusted and who has the best business practices.

3. Knowledge Base — This is likely your first time planning a wedding. Planners have been in the industry for years and are experts in protocol, etiquette and everything it takes to pull off an event.. They are a HUGE and readily accessible resource for education. 

2. Mediator — A good planner serves as a buffer in tricky relational situations. It’s a known fact that it’s impossible to make everyone happy when planning a wedding. A planner is a safe neutral person to point to for direction. It’s easier to tell your future mother-in-law, “My planner thinks we need to …” instead of “I think we should …” When your aunts cousin suggests something, you can tell her to bring it up with the planner; knowing very well the planner would never do such a thing.

And the #1 reason to hire a wedding planner is … 

1. Stress — The difference in the stress level of a bride who has a professional planner and one who doesn’t is mind blowing. When it comes to the day of your wedding, the most important thing is that you are able to relax and enjoy it. You are the bride. Not the coordinator, florist, DJ, etc. You don’t want to end up being the point person for issues and questions that will inevitably arise. Hiring a planner frees you and everyone you love to live in the moment on your wedding day. 

So there you have it — ten solid reasons why you NEED a wedding planner! You and your fiancé deserve to have an amazing, low-stress wedding, and I truly believe that hiring an experienced wedding planner is the best way to get that!

#block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580415404189_15657 .sqs-gallery-block-grid .sqs-gallery-design-grid { margin-right: -7px; }
#block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580415404189_15657 .sqs-gallery-block-grid .sqs-gallery-design-grid-slide .margin-wrapper { margin-right: 7px; margin-bottom: 7px; }