What a Wedding Planner IS and Is NOT
Planning a wedding can be an exciting time, but it’s also something that can be extremely overwhelming.
From the never ending list of to-do’s to all of the details required to plan your big day, you might find that hiring a wedding planner is something you want to do in order to relieve some of the stress so you can fully enjoy the wedding season.
Hiring a professional wedding planner is something I highly recommend and I talk more about why in THIS blog post!
Although I do recommend working with a wedding planner, there’s often a few misconceptions about what a wedding planner is and what role they play throughout the wedding planning process and the day itself.
In this blog post, we'll explore the role of a wedding planner and clarify what they can and cannot do to help you plan your dream wedding!
What A Wedding Planner Is NOT
First things first, it’s helpful to understand what a wedding planner is NOT so that you’re clear on how they’ll be helping you through your wedding planning process.
1. A wedding planner is not your maid of honor.
Wedding planner duties and maid of honor duties are VERY different!
Your maid of honor will typically assist you with different things throughout the wedding planning process, such as planning the bachelorette trip, helping host bridal showers and making sure that all other bridesmaids know certain wedding details.
Your wedding planner isn’t in charge of making sure bridesmaid dresses are ordered, holding your dress or fetching someone during photos!
2. A wedding planner is not the person that executes everything.
It’s sometimes mistaken that a wedding planner is who will do the entire setup and breakdown on wedding day. But that’s your vendor's job!
Your wedding planner will help make sure your vendors know where certain things go and will oversee that things get done, but they will not typically be the person on the ladder hanging chandeliers.
3. A wedding planner is not your therapist.
I get it - being a bride and planning a wedding can be stressful. You’re dealing with a lot of moving parts in a fairly short amount of time, so stress is bound to happen.
A wedding planner is there to help take off as much of the stress as possible, but they aren’t meant to be used as a therapist to sort out any family or bridesmaid drama.
Can they help put out some fires? Sure! But at the end of the day, they are there to support YOU through the planning and coordination.
4. A wedding planner is not a bouncer.
Some brides have very strict guest lists and they often anticipate that people who aren’t approved will try to attend.
While I totally understand that you don’t want uninvited guests or plus ones at your wedding, it’s not a wedding planner’s job to act as a bouncer or security guard.
If you anticipate this being an issue, your wedding planner can work with you to find a solution with an outside vendor or venue staff member to handle this!
5. A wedding planner is not a ringleader.
Lastly, your wedding planner is not a ringleader, meaning they aren’t responsible for your bridesmaids waking up on time and making it to their hair and makeup appointments or for the groomsmen forgetting their tie.
Many people confuse a wedding planner for the person that makes sure everything and everyone is in order, but the truth is that the wedding planner is first and foremost there for YOU - the couple!
What A Wedding Planner IS
Now that you’re clear on what a wedding planner is NOT, let’s dive into what exactly a wedding planner IS!
1. A wedding planner is… well, a PLANNER.
First and foremost, your wedding planner is exactly what they sound like… a planner. They’re the person who helps you identify a proper planning timeline and make sure that no to-do’s are missed along the way.
From booking vendors, to creating stationary, crafting your guest list, ordering the cake and sending thank you cards, your wedding planner will make sure you’re aware of every single thing that needs your attention.
Even better, they’ll make sure that you’re made aware of these items at the right time so you aren’t overwhelmed all at once.
2. A wedding planner is also a coordinator.
Aside from serving as your planner, they also usually serve as your coordinator on the day of your wedding.
After the details have been arranged, logistics have been set and the big day arrives, you get to relax and enjoy every moment while your planner manages, coordinates and oversees what’s supposed to happen.
This includes making sure vendors arrive and set up on time, ensuring that all decor is in its place and conducting final walk throughs to make sure the event goes off without a hitch!
3. A wedding planner is someone who helps with logistics.
Speaking of logistics, your wedding planner helps you map out every single logistics of your wedding day, including when your vendors will arrive, where they will set up, when you’ll walk down the aisle, what music will play and everything in between.
When you’re in the midst of planning such a huge event, it can be easy to forget about when the cake needs to be cut or when speeches need to happen. A wedding planner also helps make rain plan arrangements and other alternative changes on the day of when needed.
That’s why having a wedding planner to fall back on for logistics like this can be so valuable!
4. A wedding planner is a liaison between vendors and clients.
Vendors make up a huge part of your wedding and each play very important roles. This is why choosing the right people to be involved with your event is so key!
Wedding planners typically have vendor lists that include people they’ve worked with before and people they trust that they will recommend.
As you start choosing your vendors, your planner can serve as a liaison between you and all of your vendors to make sure that no steps are missed when it comes to contracts, invoicing and details.
5. A wedding planner is someone who helps your vision come to life.
Lastly, and probably the most important, your wedding planner helps your vision come to life. A wedding is something that only happens once for most people and you've likely been dreaming about the day for a very long time.
You have a vision in your head of what you want it to look and feel like and sometimes it can be hard to get your ideas into real life.
A wedding planner is the person who can listen to what you have in mind and make suggestions to make it really happen!
Hopefully you can see how partnering with a wedding planner can make your life much easier throughout the planning process and on your special day. 💍
If you’ve been in search of a certified wedding planner for your Georgia or Florida wedding, look no further. Click here to connect and let’s get this party started!