Why Should You Work with a Wedding Planner?

There’s a common misconception that having a wedding planner is only for the rich and famous and isn’t for the regular couple planning their wedding. I’m here to tell you that a wedding planner is for anyone planning a wedding. Yes there is a cost to go along with it (and yes, of course it is less expensive to plan yourself) but the majority of planners have a range of services so that they can offer to a variety of offers to couples and budgets. At Flourish and Grace we have worked alongside a range of planners with different levels of involvement within the wedding.

Wedding planners are also there not just to help you plan the wedding, but they are also a shoulder to cry on, someone you can ask for advice and are ultimately there to allow you the chance to enjoy your engagement and build up to your wedding, instead of stressing and just wishing that the planning would be over sooner rather than later! If you have had any of these thoughts whilst planning your own wedding then this post is for you.

What is a wedding planner?

If you think that you might want to work with a wedding planner, then it’s important that you fully understand what their role is and how they can help you, as well as understanding the things that they normally wouldn’t do.

Every wedding planner will be slightly different and may offer a range of services or packages to suit different budgets. It’s important that when you are looking for a wedding planner, you get a full understanding of exactly what they are offering you before you decide to work with them. Read through any contracts and terms and conditions thoroughly, ask lots of questions and make sure you get anything that you are unclear on explained upfront before you sign anything or secure your date in their diar.y You don’t want to get caught out because you made an assumption that turns out to be wrong.

What do wedding planners do?

As a base most wedding planners will do the following:

• Help you review your budget and allocate it to different areas of your wedding based on your desires and their knowledge of costs.
• Create ‘to do’ lists and ‘check sheets’ so everyone involved in your wedding is clear on what they are responsible for and when things need to be finalised.
• Liaise with potential suppliers and venues in order to obtain quotes. Once selected and booked they will then work alongside them throughout the planning stage and into your wedding day to make sure everything runs smoothly.
• They may offer support with making travel and accommodation bookings for any guests that require it, particularly if you are opting for a destination wedding, or travelling across the country. 
• They will be present on the day overseeing the setup of your venue and ensuring that what you have envisioned and planned will come to life.
• On the day they will be involved in all manner of things from problem solving to guest management, liaising with suppliers and eventually the de-dressing of the venue.

A wedding planner’s role is instrumental in creating the day of your dreams and ensuring that everything runs smoothly. Where any problems do arise, they are the ones to resolve them, thus helping to keep the stress away from you.

Budget responsibilities

Think of your wedding planner as your own pocket financial adviser who deals with weddings. They know how much things should cost, what percentage of your budget should be spent on each part of the event and also when each payment should be made in order to secure services or products. They can also stop you making costly mistakes such as ordering flowers that are out of season or booking a band for 3 hours when you only have a 90-minute drink reception! Having someone who is experienced in planning weddings becomes invaluable when it comes to budgeting and making sure you aren’t wasting/losing money. 

Coordinates your wedding suppliers

Knowing which suppliers to trust and who will make your wedding perfect is a daunting task. There are so many wedding suppliers out there you may not know where to start, who works with the aesthetic you have in mind, and who is available for your date. Once you find a great wedding planner however everything else falls into place. They are there to guide you in the right direction and many will use suppliers they have worked with before and trust. They usually all have a little black book full of the top suppliers that they know will be the perfect fit for your day.

If you are someone who doesn’t have time for all of the backwards and forwards with each and every supplier for your wedding day you can task this to your planner. They’ll keep you updated on the important information regularly and ensure that bills are paid on time but will take care of those all important emails and finer details. 

Problems solvers

Wedding planners are born problem solvers! They are there to solve anything that may come up in the planning or on the day itself, in most cases they will solve the problem without having to worry you both and sort it quietly and quickly so you would never know if anything has gone wrong, especially on the wedding day. One problem that is a common occurrence in wedding planning can be family input. Many couples have to deal with a swarm of requests and ideas from family and friends into what ‘they think’ is best for your wedding. This can obviously be very stressful! A wedding planner will be able to deal with these expectations and show them available options on their ideas. Planners are there to take the stress away from you and be your very own champion problem solvers. 

What a wedding planner won’t do!

Ultimately working with a wedding planner is a collaborative relationship. They aren’t going to take over and make all of the decisions for you. You still need to be heavily involved in the process to ensure that you are getting exactly what it is that you want. The wedding planner is there to offer advice based on their experiences, the contacts that they have, and the outline for the day that you have created.

How do you choose a wedding planner to work with?

Perhaps one of the most important things when choosing a wedding planner is finding someone that you like and get on well with. All of the knowledge, contacts and experience in the world will mean nothing if you don’t feel like you have a good relationship with them, and are on the same page about the style and feel of your wedding.

You and your wedding planner are going to get to know each other pretty well and be working together for months or perhaps years. There will be regular meetings, be that on the phone or in person, to ensure that things are still on track, in regard to both timescale and budget. You need to find someone that you trust, someone that you respect, someone that you can relate to and who can relate to you, and maybe even someone that you can laugh and joke with – remember you’re going to be spending lots of time talking to them. When you’re looking for a wedding planner don’t be afraid to speak to several, ask lots of questions, and then make an informed decision. 

Do you need a recommendation?

Finally, if you are looking for a wedding planner – please do reach out! We have worked with many fabulous planners over the years and are always on hand to offer recommendations (such as the fabulous Poppy Sienna Events, who we have collaborated with numerous times – including on this stunning day). 

If you’re looking for a florist to add timeless, elegant and romantic florals to your wedding or event I would love to hear from you. Please head to my Contact page to enquire about my availability for your date and follow me on Instagram for even more floral prettiness.

Here’s a closer look at this beautiful day by Sylvestris Wedding Films.

Supplier List

Photography – Sophie May Photography
Florals – Flourish and Grace
Planner – Poppy Sienna Events
Venue – Brympton House
Styling – Brympton Styling
Videography – Sylvestris Wedding Films
Cake – Sadie May Cakes
Hair – Juta Zorubiene
MUA – Make-up By Belle
Stationery – Tabitha Kate
Bridal boutique – Lauren Francis Bridal
Chandeliers – Crescent Moon Events
Shoes – Bella Belle

If you’re just starting on your wedding planning journey, check out my blog post on ‘Five Reasons Why You Should Have a Wedding Weekend‘!