What Can a Seasoned Planner Do for You? (You’ll Like the Answer!)

SAVVY Q: What Can a Seasoned Planner Do for You? (You’ll Like the Answer!)

SAVVY A:
If you have the time, you can learn to navigate the waters of planning your wedding on your own. However, there are many things a seasoned planner can do for you that will make for much smoother sailing. A full-service wedding planner will not only save you time, but can eliminate a lot of stress.

The Savvy Bride wedding planners tell us that some brides don’t know where to find the services they need. Many of those are brides who may be getting married in cities away from home, or in cities that are new to them. Others simply don’t want to take the time to learn what is necessary to bring the wedding together. They prefer to hire people who can take their ideas and run with them.

An experienced wedding planner will know how to negotiate with florists, photographers, caterers, bands, and others to get the best price for the services or products you need. She will have a good knowledge of style, color, music, and flowers. She will know about old customs and traditions, but be current on the latest trends, as well.

A full-service wedding planner will have the skills to direct your wedding and see it all the way through. She will also be accustomed to working with wedding directors at churches and synagogues and will be respectful of the standards and rules at those and other particular places of worship.

Many planners charge a percentage — usually 10 to 20 percent — of the wedding budget. Others charge a flat rate up to a certain budget level; then, for higher budgets, they move to a percentage. Although some brides don’t choose to utilize a planner, when you consider all that is involved in putting together a wedding, you may well decide that hiring one could be one of the wisest decisions you make! ~JSC