Considering a Wedding Planner – Top Tips

If you need help planning your big day, there's no shame in enlisting an expert to share the burden of this most important preparation. Choosing a suitable wedding planner is not always straightforward, however. For many people, even knowing which dress to choose is a difficult and complex decision, so to try and organise a venue, invite guests and understand traditions and themes is a step too far. This is where the wedding planner comes in, but they must be the right woman or man for the job. Here are some helpful tips to guide you along the way.

A helping hand

There are three or four different types of organiser available to you. If you're much further down the line and have perhaps chosen a hotel to arrange your event, the banqueting manager, for example, may take on the role of helping you to make important decisions. They will be extremely helpful in discussing what their hotel can do for you, but there will be limitations because they are not directly involved in many aspects of the ceremony. However, for those who wish to be hands-on for the entire planning process themselves, this type of in-house coordinator may be sufficient.

Complete focus

At the other end of the scale are the experts whose only work is to plan your entire schedule - from the moment you are engaged to the planning of your honeymoon to sending thank you notes for the gifts. This type of person will be in contact with you regularly, so you’ll need to get on well with them and agree a fee in advance. This will be the most expensive option, but you're guaranteed a day never to be forgotten.

An expert wedding planner will organise absolutely everything, in conjunction with discussions with the bride, groom and family members (depending upon who is paying for the occasion). Their only role is to ensure everything goes to plan exactly how you've imagined it - and they'll take responsibility for ensuring everything happens at exactly the right time. This kind of luxury is, unfortunately, only available for those with a larger budget.

A happy medium

A balance of the two types above can still secure you an expert who will ensure everything runs smoothly and all you have to do is turn up, smile and sign your certificate. If your event is relatively straightforward, you can employ an effective use of an expert's time without stretching your finances too far. However they won’t be able to achieve everything by themselves so you will need to work in close contact.

To choose the best wedding planner, it is best to select a professional who deals only with this kind of event (rather simply an event's manager), as they will have the experience and knowledge to make the right decisions. They must listen to your needs and wants, and keep clear and open communication channels to ensure no big day hiccups.

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Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.