What Does a Wedding Planner Actually Do?
Planning a wedding can be an exciting journey, but as you start thinking about all the details, decisions, and research involved, it can quickly become quite overwhelming. With a full-time job or other commitments, finding time and energy to plan your wedding can be challenging, even with a helpful family member. But what happens when a family member’s opinions become too much or the wedding is around the corner and now they want to enjoy the fun? This is where a wedding planner can step in and alleviate the stress, guide you through the decision-making process, and ensure that you and your loved ones can fully enjoy the day.
Wedding planners are industry experts who can offer invaluable resources to create a personalized, beautiful, and seamless event while respecting your budget. A planner allows you, and anyone else involved in the planning process, the chance to focus on the overall details and what most consider the “fun” parts of the planning process (menu tasting, design, etc.) while they handle the logistics and back and forth details with your vendor team.
Many planning companies, like Claudia and Co., offer a variety of packages ranging from Event Management to Full Service Design & Planning. These packages may differ between planning companies, however, at the core of what all these packages include is ensuring the wedding day runs smoothly. Sounds simple, right? The reality is your planner will spend about 30-40 hours on an event management package (aka Month of Coordination) and 140+ hours for a full-service package. That doesn’t even include hours put in on your wedding day, which is usually at least a 10 hour day.
Let’s briefly break down the high-level difference between an event management package and a full-service package, and what a planner might be responsible for in each of these offerings:
Event Management:
Planning guidance upon booking, so you have an expert to confide in throughout your planning journey
Assists in communicating final details and logistics with your entire vendor team
Creates a comprehensive wedding timeline to share with vendors as well as you and your wedding party
Is onsite on the wedding day directing vendors and ensuring the timeline is being followed and the day runs smoothly
Full-Service:
Is with you from the beginning, sometimes even before you have selected a date and location
Connects you with professional vendors to bring your vision to life and will review all contracts
Communicates all details and logistics with vendors throughout the entire planning process
Helps create a cohesive design based on your vision and budget
While planning packages offer many essential services, there are countless other tasks that your planner can do to ensure a stress-free and enjoyable experience for you and your loved ones. Some of these unknown services are:
Makes an extra boutonniere when one breaks or is misplaced.
Wipes down your ceremony chairs after unexpected rain shower
Makes sure you get appetizers, dinner, and your favorite beverage in hand all night
Makes sure that champagne toast is actually poured by the caterer before the DJ announces it’s time for toasts
Stops drunk guests or unplanned guests from getting on the mic to give a toast or speech
Handles all big family/friend personalities and gives them jobs if you need space from them
Stays behind after the ceremony to help call out all your extended family to ensure they are around for pictures
Steams all the wrinkles and creases out of your bridesmaid dresses as well as your table linens
Takes care of any fur babies if you wish for them to be part of your wedding
Helps out photographer/videographer to get the perfect shot (throws veil in air for wind blown shot, holds extra lights, crouches behind you holding dress so it doesn’t get dirty, etc.)
Ultimately, a wedding planner is an essential investment that brings expertise, experience, and peace of mind to your special day. Trust your planner and know that they have your best interests at heart, always!
Realizing a planner sounds good right about now? We’d love to chat and answer any questions you might have about hiring a planner. Let’s connect!