SHOULD YOU HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER?

The answer to this question may surprise you. Some people think that it's an added expense but did you know that a wedding planner can save you money? Not to mention the priceless benefit of having a professional who is very savvy in the wedding industry to advise you and absorb the unforeseen stresses involved with planning your wedding. I asked Lori Patterson, the owner of A Memorable Affair (www.amaffair.com), to share some of her expertise with you. Here's
her viewpoint:

Professional Wedding Planners verses Vendor Bridal Consultants

Look in the phone book under "Wedding Consultants & Planning" and you will find everything from cruise lines to florists to bridal salons and even photographers. Call any vendor in the wedding industry and each one will tell you they have a bridal consultant on staff. What they don't tell you is that their bridal consultant is just that: THEIR bridal consultant for their specific company, not someone to assist with the entire wedding, but rather to assist the bride with selecting her flowers, her dress or her photography package. Oh, they will refer other vendors, even provide a list to call. But that is pretty much the extent of the "consulting" they do.

There doesn’t seem to be a clear definition of what a wedding planner really does, what the job really consists of. So I got together with a few of my affiliate professional wedding planners and we came up with a "job description" to clarify what it is that we actually do for engaged couples and their families.

Our first duty/responsibility is to the bride and groom. The services and benefits we offer them are:

1) Determine and maintain the parameters of an overall budget
2) Setting and attending appointments with vendors, such as:
* Ceremony and Reception Site Selection
* Caterer (if necessary)
* Bridal Salon dress selection
* Florist, Decor or Production Company
* Entertainment (Band or DJ)
* Musicians for Ceremony
* Photographer
* Videographer
* Baker
* Officiant
* Calligrapher
* Transportation for the wedding day

3) Review all contracts for completeness or omissions
4) Provide constant communication with all vendors they select
5) Assistance with Invitations, Favors and Accessories
6) Assistance with Save the Date cards/letters
7) Assist with organizing the rehearsal dinner
8) Assist with Accommodations
9) Handle shipping and receiving when they need to send items here for the wedding
10) Wedding Day Director Service
11) Orchestrating and directing Rehearsal and Ceremony, working side by side with the officiant and other vendors

We are also there to:
* be an efficiency expert and organizer, advising what to do when plans seem overwhelming
* help clarify costs and services and professional lingo
* work side by side with the other vendors to ensure the day flows smoothly
* be an advocate who works on their behalf to get the best services, quality, and prices
* oversee all work done by all vendors hired, whether my recommendation or not
* anticipate problems before they arise and solve them, most often without their even knowing about them
* handle last minute details or errands
* prepare schedules and itineraries for vendors
* be an extra set of hands that can handle all the details for them
* be a mediator to run interference with vendors and family members
* diplomatically explain to a difficult relative or guest why toddlers have not been invited
* be an independent third party who is a detached problem solver and not embroiled in family situations or emotional decisions

Though this list is not completely inclusive, it does give a very good description of the tasks we take care of as professional wedding coordinators when hired by the bride and groom. Our goal: to help brides create the wedding of their dreams, stress and headache free!

By the way, Lori isn't only a colleague; she and her husband Mark were YWD students! You can see their wedding dance photo in our Album.