Wedding Planner or No Wedding Planner

When I meet with brides (and sometimes the groom is there), some don't want to hire a wedding planner.  They want to know my advice. It's simple.  There has probably been two times in the many years that I've been doing weddings when a large wedding (actually the number of bridal attendants and the groomsmen) did it without a coordinator.  But the bride was really stressed.  Even if they have a friend of the family or someone who had done it before, it just isn't the same as someone who does it for a living.  

This photo is of Bethesa's Whitefield Chapel, here in Savannah.  

First, it is/may be difficult to tell a family member ("who isn't in the wedding") or even a distant relative what needs to be done without them getting their feelings hurt?  Anyone that volunteers could say, "I'm doing my best!!"  

Most of the times when the bride and groom decide not to have a wedding planner or at least Day of Wedding Planner, from my point of view, things just don't flow smoothly.  

For instance: 

• if it rains, are you going to be calling all your guests to go to the back up location; 
• if every guest of a 60 guest wedding only has one question for you on your wedding day, that is 60 questions!  If each question takes one minute to answer that is a whole hour of your time;
• Who will be there to show the chair rental company the exact location for chairs? who will make sure the chairs are clean? lined up? centered!? 
  
• Who will que the music? Who start the CD player?  Who will signal to the musicans when to play each song?
• Who will make sure that each person walking down the isle goes at the right time?
• I have more examples!!!

I don't make money by referring brides and grooms to coordinators.  I don't even get a referral fee.  

This blog entry is to help you, the bride and groom, have a smooth and free flowing wedding day, without all the last minute stressful questions.

 

Just remember we hire people to do things we cannot or choose not to do: when we go out to eat (I guess we could cook it ourself); cut hair; mow the lawn; change the oil in the car; detail the car; etc.

Just food for thought.