Many engaged couples consider hiring a wedding planner to be an expensive luxury, well, that’s until they hire one and realise they are worth every penny and probably more.

Some couples also dismiss the idea of working with a planner as they fear they will lose control of their wedding plans, decisions will be taken away from them, their team of suppliers will be made up of their planners recommended suppliers and their budget will spiral out of control.

Of course, all of the above is untrue and in fact what you actually gain is a wedding professional who is an expert in all things weddings. You will benefit from their knowledge, their expertise, their extensive wedding supplier contacts and above all you will have someone who cares about your wedding day as much as you do.

Still unsure if working with a wedding planner is for you. Take a look below.

You don’t know where to start

Most of the couples who contact me regarding my Full Planning service either say they just don’t know where to start, or they have no time spare to plan a wedding, (more about the latter below).

It’s not unusual to feel like this, as for most couples this will be the first time they have planned a wedding, or even an event with more than a handful of guests.

When working with a wedding planner they will talk you through the stages of planning a wedding, letting you know the order in which you should confirm your suppliers, and create a bespoke wedding planning timeline for you. They will also prepare a budget breakdown, which will help you to identify the venues and suppliers you should be considering.

Once you have the above you then have the foundations to plan your wedding, which will immediately put any overwhelmed couples minds at rest.

You’re time poor

As mentioned above, I have lost count of the number of times couples tell me they just do not have the spare time to plan a wedding, which isn’t surprising when you consider it takes couples on average 250 hours to plan their wedding. Therefore, you will be pleased to know that hiring a wedding planner will save you time, and lots of it.

When you hire a wedding planner on a full plan basis you will basically have your very own wedding PA, who will ensure that every element of your wedding is planned to perfection.

Of course you will still need to attend venue visits, supplier meetings, tastings and final planning meetings, but these are the fun parts of planning a wedding. Your wedding planner would have taken care of the research, endless emails, timelines and schedules, leaving you to enjoy your wedding planning journey rather than feeling overworked and overwhelmed.

You lack inspiration

Some couples choose to work with a wedding planner as they are lacking in inspiration for their big day, or, have an idea of what they would like their wedding day to look like but have no idea how to achieve it.

You will be pleased to know that wedding planners aren’t just there to offer assistance with the logistics of your wedding, but also the pretty too.  Many of us love to create mood boards offering styling inspiration and we also have a big black book full of creatives that we can recommend to help bring your vision to life.

You don’t want to miss a thing

With so much to plan and to remember, it’s no wonder couples fear missing a detail which could seem small, but turns out to have a huge impact on their big day. Imagine forgetting to inform your make up artist that bridal prep will now be at your house, rather than your venue, or forgetting to pass on a last minute revised wedding day schedule to the musician who is due to perform throughout your wedding breakfast and they arrive half an hour in to dinner service.

Assumptions can be made and timings change, so it is important that you are alive to the nitty gritty and ensure that every final detail has been confirmed, checked and re-checked, which is normal practice for wedding planners. In fact, I have a huge checklist detailing the smallest of detail for each wedding that I work on so I can be sure every last detail has been addressed.

You want to relax and enjoy your day

This request is most common for couples who are looking to book my On the Day Co-ordination service, as having planned their own wedding day they are fully aware of how much will be going on behind the scenes once their big day arrives. They therefore want to relax and enjoy the day they have planned rather than addressing the days timings & logistics.

When you book a wedding planner to co-ordinate your wedding day, more often than not and certainly when you book me, you will receive support around 6 weeks before the big day, so your plans can be reviewed and complimented where required, your suppliers will be contacted to confirm the plans you have in place and finally your planner will be with you on your special day from morning set up until the last guest leaves, working discreetly behind the scenes ensuring all goes to plan, leaving you to relax and enjoy your wedding day.

I hope the above has helped you understand the various ways that working with a wedding planner can help you, and if you are considering working with a planner, or you would like to learn more about the wedding planning services I offer, please do get in touch I would love to hear from you.

I am a wedding planner based in Brentwood Essex and I specialise in planning relaxed, elegant and timeless celebrations with a particular passion for planning marquee weddings and weddings within dry hire venues.

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Image credit: Hannah Phipps Photography

Image Credit: Terri & Lori Fine Art Photography & Film

I have lost count how many times I am asked to explain the difference between a wedding planner and a venue co-ordinator.

With the roles being both similar and complementary, it’s easy to see where the confusion may lay, but as an independent wedding planner as well as a freelance venue co-ordinator, I’m in the perfect position to clarify the difference between the two roles.

In a nutshell, an independent wedding planner is employed by a couple to work for them in relation to planning their wedding, whilst a venue co-ordinator is employed by the venue in which a couple have chosen to host their wedding ceremony/reception.

Wedding Planner

So, let’s start with a wedding planners role – Depending on the service you choose, as well as the level of assistance you require an independent wedding planner will work with you from the beginning of your wedding planning journey until and including the big day itself.

They will assist, advise and support you with every aspect associated with planning your wedding including but not limited to, designing your wedding day concept, creating and allocating your budget, sourcing your venue, providing suitable supplier recommendations, creating your wedding day timeline, wedding admin duties as well as being with you on your wedding day working discreetly behind the scenes from morning set up until the last guest leaves.

A wedding planner will know every last detail about your wedding from your guests dietary requirements, your evening bands electricity needs right through to whether or not you would like to save the top tier of your wedding cake.

On your wedding day a planner will be aware of details that have been organised in advance, such as the time your car will be arriving to take you to your church or venue, where the ceremony florals will be positioned following your ceremony and what time your grandparents taxi will be arriving to take them home. They will also carry out duties such as keeping your bridal party gifts safely tucked away until speeches and having a bridal emergency kit on standby should a mini disaster occur. Basically they will have everything covered to ensure you can relax and enjoy your special day.

Wedding Co-ordinator

As mentioned above, the level of assistance you receive from a wedding planner will depend on the service you choose. If you have chosen a wedding planner’s On The Day Co-ordination service, you would have planned your own wedding and will begin working with a planner as your wedding day approaches, (normally 4-6 weeks beforehand). This service is popular with couples who have the time available to plan their own wedding and only require assistance with pulling their plans together as well as the running of their wedding day. This is normally because they have chosen a dry hire venue or a marquee reception, both of which would not have a venue co-ordinator.

The majority of independent planners who offer On The Day Co-ordination will include a planning meeting/site visit as well as administration support in the weeks leading up to your wedding within their co-ordination service. This is important as it will ensure they are familiar with your wedding plans, which in turn will help your day run smoothly.

On your wedding day a wedding co-ordinator will then provide the same level of service as they would if they had planned your wedding.

Venue Co-ordinator

Now moving on to a venue/in house co-ordinator (and notice the difference in the job titles Wedding Co-ordinator & Venue Co-ordinator).  As explained above, venue co-ordinators are employed by a venue, so they will be an expert on all things relating to the venue. They will make sure you are fully armed with an abundance of helpful information on your chosen venue to ensure you get the most from their venue on your wedding day.

Throughout the planning process a venue co-ordinator may be able to send you a list of recommended suppliers for you to shortlist. It will however be down to you to contact these suppliers to check their availability, request a quotation and also book their services. A venue co-ordinator will also be on hand to answer questions which are venue related such as, measurements for your florist, sample table plans, access timings for your suppliers as well as wedding day timings that work well at their venue. Basically any questions relating directly to their venue.

On your wedding day a venue co-ordinator will ensure your venue is open in time for your suppliers to begin setting up. However, unlike when you work with a planner, it will be down to you to arrange these timings and confirm they are acceptable with your venue. They will also make sure the venue is all set ready to host your wedding, which will include duties such as stocking the bar (if they are running the bar), ensuring the washrooms are well stocked, checking light bulbs, testing their PA system, setting up your ceremony seating and possibly your wedding breakfast tables (if they provide the catering) and generally making the venue wedding ready.

They will also run your day for you using a wedding day schedule which you will have agreed with them in the weeks leading up to your wedding.

As you will see from the above, the smooth running of your wedding day will require many hands, so if you are working with a wedding planner and your venue also provides a co-ordinator, then they will simply work alongside each other to ensure all runs smoothly. The venue co-ordinator would naturally deal with all tasks venue related whilst your wedding planner would generally deal with the finer details.

As a side note, if a couple have planned their own wedding (ie not worked with a planner throughout their wedding planning process) and are marrying within a venue that includes a venue/ in-house  co-ordinator within their hire terms or wedding package, then generally (but not always) there would be no need to hire a wedding planner to provide their On The Day Co-ordination service. Instead a couple would share as much information with their venue co-ordinator as possible prior to their wedding and appoint a trusted family member or friend to assist with the running of the days events.

I hope this post has successfully highlighted the difference between the two roles and helped you decide whether or not you would benefit from the assistance of a wedding planner, or confirmed that the assistance provided by your venues co-ordinator is sufficient to ensure your day is just as you wish.

If you are considering working with a wedding planner then please do get in touch. I am based in Essex, adore everything about weddings and love to create elegant and classic celebrations. I primarily work throughout Essex and surrounding areas such as Suffolk, Kent, Hertfordshire & Cambridgeshire, however I am able to travel further afield if required.

Image Credit: Terri & Lori Fine Art Photography & Film

It’s inevitable that couples will experience a whole host of emotions throughout their wedding planning journey, ranging from pure excitement through to utter overwhelm.

For some, a brand new venture that they can project manage is beyond exciting.  Gathering inspiration, creating spreadsheets, reaching out to potential wedding suppliers and fine-tuning logistical detail is second nature to them, and they wholeheartedly submerge themselves in the wonderful world of weddings.

Whilst for others, the mere thought of spending every non-working waking hour, (and this includes train journeys and lunch hours), discussing all things weddings will raise their stress levels through the roof.  And, for these couples, working with a wedding planner could be the antidote they need to keep them on track and ensure they enjoy their wedding preparations.

Image Credit: Kelsie Low Photography

Why work with a wedding planner

There are a whole host of reasons why couples choose to work with a wedding planner.  For some, hectic workload and or busy family lives prevents them from dedicating the estimated 250 hours required to plan a wedding.

Couples that have chosen to host their wedding within a venue which is not local or familiar will often call upon the professional services of a wedding planner.  Relying on their local knowledge and relationships with local wedding suppliers to ensure their wedding planning journey as well as the day itself runs smoothly.

Top on the list for hiring a wedding planner are couples who have chosen to host their wedding within a marquee or dry hire venue.  This is mainly due to the complex nature of planning a wedding within venues such as these.

In fact, it is often under estimated how many suppliers will be involved with a wedding of this style, as well as the extensive logistical planning that will need to be in place prior to the big day.  Hence the reason for many couples reaching out to a planner a few months into planning a wedding within a non permanent structure or dry hire venue.

At what stage should I begin working with a wedding planner

The majority of wedding planners will offer a selection of wedding planning services which allows them to begin providing assistance at every stage of a couples wedding planning journey.

The services offered by each wedding planner will vary depending on their particular style and skill set.

Style lead planners will often originate from an interior or fashion design background, and will therefore base their planning services around the design aspect associated with planning a wedding.

Whereas planners from a corporate or administrative background such as myself tend to offer logistical planning services which will include lots of lists, spreadsheets and schedules.

Image Credit: Terri & Lori Fine Art Photography & Film

Services offered by a wedding planner

Full Planning:

Full wedding planning is a bespoke service which is often tailored to meet the requirements of your wedding day and will provide assistance with each element associated with planning your special day.  When you begin working with a planner they will inform you of the support that you can expect to receive from them within their Full Planning Service.  But, as a guide you can expect to receive assistance with budget creation and management, supplier sourcing, wedding administration, RSVP and dietary requirement management, venue set up, wedding day co-ordination as well as a constant flow of advise, support and guidance when required.

Partial Planning:

Partial Planning is perfect for couples who have laid the foundations for their wedding, but now require assistance as their wedding day approaches.  This service will often include full administrative support for each element of your wedding, reviewing and complimenting your existing plans, taking care of any final arrangements as well as co-ordinating your wedding day.

On The Day Co-ordination And Management:

Working with you in the weeks leading up to your wedding day, On The Day Wedding Co-ordination & Management service is ideal for couples who have planned their own wedding but require the assurance of working with a planner as the countdown to their wedding begins.

Ensuring that no detail has been overlooked, a planner will review your plans, contact each of your suppliers, offer advice and assistance when required, as well as being with you on your wedding day working discreetly behind the scenes ensuring that your wedding day runs smoothly.

Image Credit: Terri & Lori Fine Art Photography & Film

As you will hopefully have seen from the above, a wedding planner is so much more than someone who will turn up on your wedding day looking busy with a clipboard, and we are in fact dedicated members of the wedding profession who will work long unsociable hours and will undertake any task needed, (well most), to ensure that your wedding day is everything you dreamed of and more.

So in answer to the question in the title of this blog post “Do I Need a Wedding Planner”?  I guess, if you would like to work with a wedding professional who understands the wedding industry, will work tirelessly to understand the vision you have for your wedding day, will go above and beyond to ensure that your vision is delivered and most importantly care about your wedding as if it were their own, then working with a wedding planner could be just what your looking for.

If you are considering working with a wedding planner and are planning your wedding within Essex, Suffolk, Kent, Hertfordshire or Cambridgeshire, please feel free get in touch, I would love to hear from you.

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The Planning Package has been created to provide assistance to couples who are planning their own wedding, but require guidance with a particular element of planning their big day.

Photo Credit: Frankly Iris Photography

You may need inspiration on how to make a start on planning your wedding, help with creating and allocating your budget or advice on how to source and secure the perfect wedding suppliers.

Whatever support you require this flexible service has been created to allow you to choose when you would like to seek the assistance of a planner.

Photo Credit: Kelsie Low Photography

If you would like to learn more about this service or any other planning service I offer please visit the wedding planning page.

Photo Credit: Kelsie Low Photography

The number of couples choosing to reach out to a wedding planner has increased considerably over recent years.  In fact, an article recently published on Hitched suggests that 26% of couples planning their wedding are now choosing to work alongside a planner.  Considering that hiring a wedding planner was once thought of as a luxury reserved only for the rich and famous this rise in popularity is immense.

One reason for this increase is probably down to the variety of planning services now offered by wedding planners.  Services such as “Partial Planning” & “On The Day Co-ordination” offer greater flexibility to couples, and allows them to choose at what point they would like to start working with a wedding planner.

Another contributing factor is time, or to be more precise the lack of it.  For some brides juggling planning a wedding alongside their existing work and family commitments means that the assistance of a wedding planner is an essential investment to ensure that their wedding day is as wonderful as they hope.

How much support you receive from your planner will depend on which service you opt for. However, below is an example of tasks that you can expect a planner to undertake:

• Venue search
• Supplier sourcing and management
• Budget creation and management
• Creating a wedding planning timeline
• Sending invitations, RSVP and dietary requirement co-ordination
• Wedding day schedule creation
• On the day co-ordination and management
• Styling advice

As well as all of the above your planner should also be your first port of call should you require any general advice throughout your wedding planning journey.

If you are considering hiring a wedding planner then do take a look at my website and if you have any questions about the planning services that I offer please feel free to contact me to discuss further, or to book a complimentary consultation.

Terri & Lori Fine Art Photography & Film

I completely understand that wedding planners are not for everyone. In fact, some couples love planning their own wedding and fully submerge themselves in spread sheets, mood boards, colour swabs & linen samples. However, planning a wedding and co-ordinating a wedding are two very different tasks. And when it comes to the seamless running of their wedding day, some couples will look for the assurance from a wedding planner to ensure that the day they have been planning for months, or quite possible years runs smoothly.

My On The Day Co-ordination & Management service is perfect for couples who find themselves in this situation. Actually, the title of this service is slightly misleading, as it includes so much more than arriving on the day of your wedding to oversee the days events.

Of course, each planner will have their own version of this service.  However, this blog post explains a little more about what I include and why it can be a godsend for any couple that are feeling slightly overwhelmed at the thought of bringing all their well laid wedding plans together.

Firstly, once you have made contact with me and my availability has been confirmed I would suggest meeting for a coffee or scheduling a call so that we can talk through the plans you have put in place.  This is a fantastic opportunity for me to establish key information about your wedding day and also allows me to understand the style of wedding you have planned.

Photo credit: Terri & Lori Fine Art Photography & Film

My consultation is always followed up with a proposal which sets out the information that you have provided, as well as key tasks that I will carry out in the lead up to your wedding and on the day itself.

We will next meet approximately four weeks before your wedding, preferably at your chosen venue. This meeting is the perfect opportunity to discuss your day in finer detail, and also allows me to review and compliment, (if necessary), the plans that you have put into place.

Following on from our meeting I will prepare a schedule of the day, which I will share with each of the wedding suppliers you have chosen to work with. It is important that each supplier receives the full schedule, rather than the small section which is relevant for them, as this allows each of them to understand the flow of your wedding day. As well as sending your wedding day timings to your suppliers, I will also re-confirm the arrangements you have made with them and address any last minutes tweaks such as adjustments to your final guests numbers.

I will also be on hand as the count down to your wedding day begins to answer any questions that you may have and to offer guidance and assistance when required.

It doesn’t matter how organised you are, there will still be a number of tasks that need completing on the big day itself. This could be setting out place cards, positioning your wedding day signage, testing your ceremony music on the PA system or ensuring there are vases filled with water ready for your bouquets once your photographer has captured all your photographs. So, as you would expect, I will then be with you on your wedding day working discreetly behind the scenes ensuring your special day runs smoothly, allowing you to relax and enjoy your big day rather than addressing the days logistics.

Photo Credit: Kelsie Low Photography

To learn more about my On The Day Co-Ordination service and any other planning services I offer head over to my website, and please do feel free to contact me to discuss your requirements.

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