Whilst in America to have a wedding planner is more common, here in the UK most people have the modern misconception that we are hired for only Big Budget, Celebrity type weddings.
In reality that is not the case.
Today we all have busy lifestyles, working committments alone sometimes means that we have little free time to enjoy lifes little pleasures, let alone arrange a wedding.
Families nowadays are more spread around the country, so having that support and enjoyment of having your sister or mum by your side to share ideas and plans with becomes more of a challenge.
It is thought that on average it takes around 250 hours to plan a wedding, so it is easy to find brides becoming more and more stressed as time goes on simply overwhelmed by the whole process.
" I am planning my wedding myself, I really do not need a wedding planner"
Often it is thought that Wedding Planners come along and simply take over completly.
As a Wedding Planner we have many roles, yes some couples will hire us to simply take on the majority of the planning for their special day, in reality we provide ideas, support, advice and spend our time working in partnership with the bride and groom, we work as a team bringing together their vision for the day.
This can be anything from looking for that venue with that wow factor
Parklands, Quendon Hall
To sourcing reputable and reliable suppliers, Caterers, Wedding Stationary, Florists, Transport, Photographers - you name it, we will almost certainly have some contacts that we can are able to recommend.
We can assist with choosing that ever important Wedding Gown, sending out invitations, or the Seating Plan - we all know how difficult it is to get that right! do i sit aunt mildred by uncle pete? who am i going to put on the top table? this can be a challenge in itself.
Advice on choosing a Theme for your day perhaps?
Of course we can also take on the budgeting and scheduling, and most planners will offer on the day
Co-ordination packages or fully inclusive packages where you can have the support of a planner from start to finish.
"What are the advantages of having a Wedding Planner?"
1. You have someone to support you through the wedding planning right the way through to the day itself. Someone to share ideas with.
2. Time Saved - By hiring a Wedding Planner, you save time as they will take on those all time consuming tasks.
3. Budgeting - Someone to help you keep all those finances on track, its very easy to get carried away.
4. Contacts - Wedding Planners will normally have a database of contacts that they are happy to recommend.
5. Save you money - We all know how hard it is to keep to a budget, lets face it put the word "wedding" in front of anything and it can instantly double in price. Because of our contacts we are able to pass on discounts offered by suppliers, and also recommend suppliers tailored to your needs and budget - thus in long run saving you money.
6. Negotiation - Our aim is to always get the best value for money for our couples, Wedding Planners will often negotiate on your behalf, whether it be money off a venue or supplier, or some added extras thrown in.
7. Bringing things together - A Planner will help bring all elements of your day together for you, co-ordinating things and taking care of all those little details and sorting out any little hiccups on the way.
8. A Personal Co-ordinator - Some venues will have co-ordinator based on site, but what you dont always know is that they may not actually work weekends, so you could have spent over a year dealing with a lovely venue co-ordinator and then come the day, your wedding is handed over to the second on charge - sometimes a total stranger you have never met. By having a Wedding planner you have the consistency of knowing that all your needs are going to be taken care of.
But what about cost? Wedding Planners are so expensive!
Some Planners will charge roughly between 10% and 15% of a couples overall budget, but others will offer a set package price. But by having access to lots of contacts, there is a chance to save money.
So don't be put off consulting a Wedding Planner. Not all of us have big plush offices, and run big organisations, alot of us are small businesses offering a more personal and individual touch.
At the end of the day though we all have one thing in common
A happy and stress free Bride and Groom
photography by http://www.campbellphotographic.co.uk/
Featured Venue http://www.quendonpark.co.uk/