A wedding planner helps coordinate all aspects of a wedding, from budget to decor, and can earn a fee or commission. They work with couples to create a dream wedding and are present on the day to ensure everything runs smoothly. Couples can still be involved in decision-making.
A wedding planner or consultant may be hired by an engaged couple to help take care of all the details associated with a wedding before and on the wedding day. These details can be significant or relatively minor, depending on the couple’s budget, guest list, and the type of wedding the couple wants to have. Typically, the wedding planner’s job is to coordinate all aspects of the wedding and take the burden off the couple’s or parents’ shoulders to create a dream wedding.
Pay scale for a wedding coordinator ranges. Couples can charge an hourly fee for planning services or a percentage of the total wedding budget; about 10-20% is usual. Some wedding consultants who work for high-end clients will only work with couples with bigger budgets to spend on weddings, and others are willing to work with couples on any budget to help them make the most of what they have to spend. A wedding planner can also earn commissions for referring couples to certain stores, caterers or florists. It’s a good idea to know this if you hire a planner, as they can naturally be inclined to recommend only those services or stores that offer a commission, leaving out valuable options for the couple.
Initially, the wedding planner meets with a couple, or possibly the bride and her parents, to determine what kind of budget the couple has and what kind of wedding they would like. Based on the budget, the wedding planner makes recommendations about churches or other venues, possibly clergy or others legally authorized to hold weddings, venues for receptions, types of wedding cakes, photography services, musicians or music services (such as DJs) and catering services. The next step is to determine the theme and decor, which includes deciding how the food will be served, how the reception area will be decorated, and what kind of flowers will grace bridesmaids or groomsmen and reception and wedding areas. Successful wedding planners tend to have a large number of contacts to help showcase the different options and services available to people planning a wedding.
Wedding planners can also help coordinate showers, rehearsal dinners, and help the bride and groom choose outfits for themselves and their entourage. A planner should have a sense of the appropriateness of the options for the style of the wedding and also have a strong understanding of any specific religious obligations that may need to be fulfilled before or during the wedding. Generally, the wedding planner is present on the wedding day to help coordinate the services of everyone involved and keep the wedding as smooth as possible.
Couples can still do some of the work, depending on their budget. Furthermore, they are responsible for making wedding decisions after evaluating the options presented by a wedding planner. Some couples prefer a great deal of active involvement in decision-making, while others prefer to leave most of the hassle of decisions to the wedding coordinator. If you decide to use a wedding planner for your wedding, start interviewing them about a year before your wedding. Some may plan a wedding on a shorter notice, perhaps four to six months, but many of the best planners are hired a year in advance.
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