6 myths about hiring a wedding planner

If you’re considering hiring a wedding planner to help with your big day, you may find yourself being put off by the myths surrounding the profession. Let’s face it, there’s a lot of them out there; not least that we kit ourselves out like Jennifer Lopez in a certain 2001 film.

Joking aside, I thought I’d share my views on some of the most common misconceptions that couples have about hiring a wedding planner so let’s gets stuck in with…

WEDDING PLANNERS ARE ONLY FOR CELEBRITIES // 

Yes the media does still focus on highly paid planners who organise lavish, expensive celebrations for the rich and famous, but many more normal couples are now opting to hire a planner too. Given the growth in the industry the chances are increasing that there’s been a planner involved with a wedding you’ve been to.

A professional wedding planner will always work in a discreet and inconspicuous way so it’s likely that you didn’t even realise they were there.

WEDDING PLANNERS ARE EXPENSIVE //

Of course, wedding planners don’t work for free, but most will offer some sort of custom-built package, where you only need to spend on the aspects of planning or coordination that you really n_wp_link_placeholdereed.

A good planner should be able to save you some money along the way too. Their industry knowledge of what wedding products or services cost and should cover, can prevent you being overcharged by unscrupulous suppliers. They are in a much better position to negotiate on quotes as well, either by having built up long-term relationships with suppliers, or more simply by benefiting from the numbers game (you’re one couple looking for a one-off booking, whereas a planner could provide the supplier with access to a much wider customer base, making offering a discount a more attractive prospect)

Here at Lovestruck we guarantee to pass all discounts we negotiate onto our clients, it’s part of the UKAWP’s code of conduct.

A WEDDING PLANNER WILL TAKE CONTROL //

It can be a daunting prospect to allow a virtual stranger to be involved in your wedding day, and this is probably the biggest fear a prospective client will have. Considering word of mouth is the best form of advertising a wedding planner can ask for, they’re going to do everything they can to support you without taking over the show. You aren’t going to recommend a bossy, overbearing coordinator who acts as if they’re organising their wedding rather than yours, so no reputable planner will behave in this way.

Don’t forget though that a planner’s role is to provide expert advice. If they can foresee an issue in your plans then it’s only right for them to raise this tactfully with you. After all, that is what you’re paying them for.

MY VENUE HAS A WEDDING COORDINATOR SO I DON’T NEED A SEPARATE PLANNER //

Many venues offer a wedding coordinator and whilst the ones I’ve met have been a pleasure to work with, their role is to oversee the part of your wedding that happens in their venue.

They won’t manage the RSVPs and guest queries about which hotel to stay in, or how much a taxi from the station will cost. They won’t attend at the church to make sure the ushers greet your guests properly or that the group photographs go smoothly, and should the florist’s van breaks down, it will likely be you rather than the venue’s coordinator that they call and no one needs that on their wedding morning.

MY WEDDING IS TOO SMALL TO NEED A WEDDING PLANNER //

From my experience it’s not so much about the number guests you have but what you’re planning for them.

One of my VERY first weddings was for a couple who had invited around 40 guests which on the face of it is a lovely, manageable number. But when you consider that almost half of those guests were travelling from abroad (everywhere from Portugal to Poland and Norway to New Zealand),  the wedding ceremony and reception were taking place 50 miles apart, and the celebration consisted of a pre-wedding dinner and a post-wedding brunch, you can see why they needed a helping hand.

The moral of the story? Consider the complexity of your wedding as well as its size when deciding whether a planner might be beneficial

A WEDDING PLANNER WON’T OFFER ANYTHING I CAN’T DO MYSELF //

Ok I confess, this myth is actually partly true. It’s completely feasible to organise a wedding without a planner but they can help you do it in less time, with less stress and perhaps even for less money. Of course you could set out 180 place cards on the morning of your wedding….but do you really want to when the alternative is to be sipping prosecco with your besties in a luxurious boutique hotel, savouring the build up to the point you say ‘I do’.

I’m sorry to say there are also quite a few things a wedding planner can do that you can’t. They will have seen all of the trouble-spots before and can steer you away from them so you don’t waste time or money. They will give you access to unique suppliers that may not be high on the Google search pages, but who will add the perfect finishing touches to your day. Above all, a wedding planner can separate themselves from the emotion of the event, a far easier task when it’s not your own wedding at stake.

So there you have it, 6 wedding planner myths well and truly busted but has it tempted you to hire one?

Love,