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Do you need a wedding planner?

Do you need a wedding planner?


Alison Hargreaves Guides for Brides Bio
Alison Hargreaves Updated:
8th of March 2023

You do not have to be extremely wealthy to have a wonderful wedding, nor do you have to be wealthy to have a wedding planner. It’s about having a great party atmosphere which can be achieved just as easily with a hog roast as a formal sit down dinner. It’s in the small detail and the guests that are there for you on the day.

Wedding planners and co-ordinators

A wedding planner can help you create the feel of an expensive wedding even if you are on a budget, by giving you helpful tip, such as making homemade venue decoration or using your wedding cake as the pudding for the wedding breakfast! However, with the average wedding taking about 250 hours to plan, many people simply do not have the time.

Many couples are starting to appreciate the benefits of employing a good wedding planner. It’s not just about planning the wedding. It’s also about managing the day. There are four main reasons for employing a good coordinator.

  • They will have planned and managed many weddings already. This is probably your first wedding event.
  • They will have reliable suppliers and back-ups. You are probably relying on friends’ recommendations and luck.
  • They will manage the wedding budget. You might be tempted to choose what takes your fancy and then find you have overspent when you total the cost.
  • They can sort out problems on the wedding day. You should be sharing the day with your guests, not running around organising everything and sorting out problems.
Naked wedding cake Unsplash

It may seem like an unnecessary cost, particularly if the budget is tight, but a good coordinator can save you money by having reliable quality suppliers, by helping you avoid expensive mistakes and by knowing how to achieve what you want cost effectively. It also allows you to get on with your life while they get on with most of the leg work for your wedding.

When choosing a wedding coordinator, choose someone you like and trust. You will be working together in an emotional atmosphere so you need to get on. Here are some of the questions to ask yourself...

  • Are they organised?
  • Do they have good listening skills?
  • How do they handle changes to your requirements?
  • Do they have insurance?
  • Will they attend on the day?

Ask for a free, no obligation initial discussion with the wedding coordinator to see how they might be able to help and likely level of fees.

Bride with Veil | Veils and Tiaras | Guides for Brides

Wedding planning companies offer a range of services to suit all budgets, from the entire planning of the special day or elements of it, such as finding the wedding venue, shopping for the bride’s wedding dress, sourcing a wedding florist or specialist musicians. Many people think of wedding planners as being expensive luxuries, however, they can save you so much money and time in knowing how to go about the planning of your wedding in a methodical way and negotiating the best deals.

There are many reasons to use the services of a Wedding Planner. For instance, finding a first rate, reliable supplier for example takes more than picking up the phone. Wedding Planners will often get you a better deal and source a supplier that is renowned for their service. With help in finding a wedding venue, a team can see potential pitfalls as well as possibilities that may otherwise be overlooked.

Wedding Budget | Wedding Survey 2019 | Guides for Brides

One of the most stress-inducing parts of organising a wedding can be loosing control of the budget. A wedding planner can manage your budget for you or simply spend a day going through your wedding plans with you, ensuring that you’ve covered every aspect so that they are no unwanted surprises or bills! Wedding planning companies can offer an entirely flexible and transparent pricing approach to wedding planning services, thereby helping clients to plan their wedding day to perfection without blowing the budget.

Couples who decide to take on the organisation of their wedding themselves can easily find information on the internet for online wedding planning, however it is the time to look at all the options, organise and decide, which are usually the biggest challenges. A reputable wedding planner can ensure that the build-up to the biggest day of a couple’s lives can be enjoyable.

Find a wedding planner here

Need someone to help with the wedding planning?
Alison Hargreaves Guides for Brides Bio

About the author


Alison Hargreaves

Alison has been advising brides, grooms and bridesmaids for more than 25 years. She has an unrivalled knowledge of the British wedding industry and frequently appears on podcasts and expert panels. She regularly attends international wedding conferences to keep the UK at the forefront of wedding planning trends.

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