7 Reasons Why You Need a Dedicated Wedding Planner
As a wedding photographer with over a decade of experience, I’ve seen it all – from last-minute venue switches to wardrobe malfunctions. Every once in a while, I’ll come across a wedding that runs oh-so-smoothly, and when I do, there’s always a dedicated wedding planner behind the success.
As much as I would love to be the one saving the day, there are certain things that fall outside of my ability to assist while capturing your heirloom images. That being said, I highly recommend that all wedding couples consider hiring a wedding planner or independent planner to help make their big day as stress-free as possible. In this blog post, I’ll break down all of the reasons why you need a dedicated planner for your wedding day!
1. Advocate for your needs:
A seasoned wedding planner will take time to understand your unique day and pair you with vendors that align with your vision and personality. Throughout the process they will only be advocating for you and making strategic moves for your benefit. The venue’s or caterer’s planner will be making decisions that ultimately benefit the venue or catering staff first. A venue planner is there to protect the venue, and the catering manager is there to ensure your meals are served on time instead of helping you handle the logistics of your day or problem solving any mishaps.
2. Execute the timeline of the entire day:
In order to fully be present on your day, a planner is needed to run your wedding day timeline. From those moments of anticipation in the getting ready room, to the last song, there are many moving parts that all need to work together. Wedding planners have a wealth of experience in this area, and can help create and execute a timeline that works for everyone involved. This means you can relax and enjoy the day, without worrying about what comes next. This helps create the opportunity for heirloom candids!
3. Keep everyone on the same page:
Between vendors, guests, and the wedding party themselves, there are a lot of people who need to be on the same page when it comes to your big day. A wedding planner can make sure that everyone is informed and knows what’s expected of them, whether it’s the DJ knowing when to play the first dance or the caterer knowing when to serve dinner. Every vendor will have the same timeline and be equipped to serve you best.
4. Handle the unexpected:
No matter how well-planned a wedding is, there’s always the chance of something unexpected happening. A dedicated planner is there to handle all of those little hiccups, from navigating vendor mishaps to weather-related issues. They’ll also be the ones to handle any last-minute changes or adjustments to the plan both before your and during your wedding.
5. Create a stress-free environment:
Having an experienced planner is all about creating a stress-free environment for everyone involved. When you don’t have to worry about all of the little details, you can focus on enjoying your wedding day. This is something that will benefit everyone, from the wedding party to the guests, and of course, the newlyweds themselves. If something goes off plan, you don’t have to worry about stopping what you’re doing to problem solve and make sure your dream day goes on. When you’re about to walk down the aisle, you shouldn’t have to worry about your guests making it to your ceremony on time because of road closure (true story)! Planners keep you away from the speed bumps so you can get back to living in the moment.
6. Designing your event:
Worried about your wedding looking like everyone else’s? Do you have an inspiration board and don’t know how to turn it into reality? A planner can help design a unique event that is tailored to your story. Wedding planners know how to create events that make an impression on your guests. I have seen couples cry happy tears during their reception room reveal. Design leaves a legacy impact that will be reflected in your images.
7. Helping the Wedding Photographer:
Finally, a wedding planner can be a great asset for myself as your photographer, by allowing me to fully focus on capturing unscripted candids and turning your effortless connection into art. Ultimately, wedding planners help to guarantee that your day will be smooth so that your photos are everything you wanted them to be! They are an insurance policy on your wedding day investment.
There are several types of wedding planners available, each with their own unique set of skills and services to offer. A partial wedding planner can help plan only whatever parts of the wedding you feel you need help with before the big day. A full service wedding planner will help plan and coordinate everything from start to finish. A month-of or day-of wedding planner will help with organizing and coordinating things in the final stretch and day of the wedding.
Whether you need someone who is focused on managing logistics the day of, someone who excels at creative problem-solving, and/or someone who has an eye for design, there’s sure to be an ideal planner out there for you! No matter what type of planner you choose, they can help make sure that your wedding day is intentional and meaningful from start to finish.
While it may be tempting to assume that your photographer, caterer, or venue planner will take care of everything on your wedding day, there are certain advantages to having a dedicated wedding planner. From keeping everyone on schedule to handling the unexpected, a planner is an invaluable resource during one of the most important days of your life. As a wedding photographer with over a decade of experience, I can attest to the difference that a planner can make when it comes to capturing meaningful and stress-free heirloom photographs. This is why I only take on events with a planner outside of your venue/ caterer’s planner… Trust me, you won’t regret investing in a planner! I’m happy to share my list of recommendations via email.
