Do You Need A Wedding Planner??

April Whitney of April Whitney Events in Long Beach, California tells us what a Wedding Planner really does, so you can decide if this is a service that you need...

Is it possible to have a wedding without a Planner or Coordinator? Absolutely! Hundreds of thousands of weddings go off every year without Wedding Planners. The difference is in how much you will work, how much frustration you will experience, how much time you will have to spend learning about what is available and reasonable pricing of goods and services. It will determine how many problems you will run in to, whether or not you will stay within your budget and how much you and your family and friends will work the day of your wedding, Having a Wedding Planner determines whether or not you will be plagued by questions and problems throughout your wedding day, as well as the overall flow of your event and how much you will enjoy the entire process.

Some Bride’s and Groom’s need a Wedding planner more than others. Bride’s and Groom’s that are working full time jobs or are in school will need a planner more than those with lot’s of free time. The Bride & Groom who live in another city or are planning a destination wedding will need a Wedding Planner. If the Bride and Groom’s parents or Wedding party live in other cities a Planner is needed. If you are having a “Home” wedding or a wedding at a location where you bring everything in such as caterer and rentals you definitely need a planner. Or if you just want to relax and enjoy your big day as well as the process leading up to the big day, you need a Wedding Planner.

Sometimes Bride’s and Groom’s are concerned that a Wedding Planner will “take over.” A great Wedding Planner will not take over. Rather, a great Wedding Planner is a partner in the planning process, helping to inform you, educate you, guide you and make sure that it is your vision that comes to life!

Even if you feel that you have already done all the work a Wedding Coordinator is the best gift you can give yourselves for the day of your event. A great Wedding Coordinator will take care of any problems that arise throughout the day, carry an emergency kit and do all of the things you would do if you weren’t busy getting married with many years of experience. A great Day of Coordinator will confirm your vendors, direct your rehearsal, track down the limousine, pin on boutonnieres, get water, oversee set up, manage your vendors, answer questions, shield you from little problems, take care of you, calm your nerves. And that’s just before the ceremony! In addition to getting you down the aisle, a Day of Coordinator will oversee set up of the reception, set up place cards, set out favors, make sure the cake is set up properly, tuck menu cards in to napkins, place table numbers, double check assigned seating, manage the entire location, get you and your wedding party ready for your Grand Entrance and that’s before the reception! A great Wedding Coordinator will oversee the flow of the entire reception, answer questions, give cues to the entertainment while making sure that the photographer and videographer are ready to capture the next event, cue toast makers, set you up for and assist in, your cake cutting, find your comfortable pair of shoes when your feet get tired, make sure all of your plans are carried out, keep your vendors following the itinerary, keep the event flow on time keeping in mind the parameters of photographer, venue and entertainment contracts. Your Wedding Coordinator will make sure that the entertainment is playing the right song for the first dance, keep you informed throughout the event of what is coming up next, keep you abreast of bar costs, load gifts to your car, pack up all of your personal items such as guest book, cake knife, toasting glasses etc…

Your wedding only has one chance to be right. Why risk it? Why spend all the time and money planning your event without making sure someone is there to make sure all of your plans are carried out. Who will fix problems for you on your wedding day?

When you look back on your wedding we want you to remember it as a wonderful event, not to remember “working” it. It would be our honor to help make your wedding come to life!

April can be reached at (562) 760-3095. She also teaches a Wedding Planning 101 workshop at A Legendary Affair each month!