Monday, September 24, 2012

Whether to hire a Wedding Planner/Day of Coordinator, Part I the Wedding Planner

Are you out of town a lot? Going to school and working? Will your wedding be large or complex? Do you live a distance from your wedding site? Do you have time to visit vendors? Do you need someone to provide ideas, or someone to find specific products?

If so, you may be wondering about hiring a wedding planner or a day of coordinator. Some sites may require that you hire someone at least for that day.

Whether or not you have to hire someone, be sure you know what they will and won’t do.

Thumb print and well wishes for the Bridal Couple

Favors and place cards displayed on the Sideboard

Beautiful centerpiece with soft mint green linens

This is a detail-oriented business. The person must be organized and love being exact. They need to be accessible and responsive.

We don’t get involved as much with the WP duties, although we answer their site-usage questions, especially if they have never worked our site. We help identify good vendors who have worked the site, explain the best use of the property, give them photos of various activities, etc. But there are other decisions that need to be made.

The following list is a compilation from WP web sites:
  • Help select reputable wedding vendors (e.g., caterer, florist, limousine company, entertainment, officiant/celebrant, cake, photographer, stationer, etc.)
  • Handle all invitees and RSVPs: invitations, mailings, replies, seating lists/place cards, hotel reservations
  • Read and negotiate contracts
  • Understand and stick to your budget
  • Know and follow your style, colors, and theme and they need to have a good sense of current fashion (you need to click with this person)
  • Advice for the wedding reception (new trends and ideas for seating, favors, table decor)
  • Prepare a detailed time-line schedule
  • Design a floor plan, site plan
  • provide advice on the wedding ceremony, possible scenarios for the procession and recession, music
  • Conduct the ceremony rehearsal
  • Organize/orchestrate the wedding reception activities (receiving line, speeches, first dance, bouquet toss, cake cutting, etc.) see part II for the DOC
Be sure to know:
  • the time they work the of day the reception
  • if they work alone or with an assistant
  • who is your primary contact, if not her/him who is, who present you with ideas, will work that day
  • which non-wedding day activities (rehearsal dinner, reception, post-activities, etc.) they will be involved with
Be sure you see all vendor contracts including the prices. If you don’t, you may pay an surcharge to the WP and not know it. WPs should attend the primary meetings the bride has with venue and caterer, and offer to have you present if they are meeting with your vendors.

Before you sign a contract, be sure you know what is and is not included.

Here are some sites about their duties: http://weddings.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/weddingplanners.htm, http://www.superpages.com/supertips/wedding-event-coordinator.html

Frilly linens add a cloud-like atmosphere to dinner
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