Ask the Expert

why you should definitely hire a we g pl ner

BY HALEY NORRIS, HALEY MICHELLE DESIGNS

After years and years of envisioning your dream wedding day you finally said, “Yes!” to your number one man and it’s time to actually plan this thing. You’re probably wondering where to even begin. You’re asking yourself, “What do I do first?”, “When do we want to get married?”, “How am I going to get everything done?” This is where a Wedding Planner comes in.

If you’re imagining J.Lo with her perfectly sleek pony in The Wedding Planner movie, it is possible to have your very own fabulous ceremony on the big day right here in Central Kentucky!

So, what does a Wedding Planner actually provide? From partial planning to full service, they all have one thing in common; becoming your partner-in-crime during the entire planning process. If you decide to hire a Wedding Planner, here are some of the services they can offer to make your wedding journey as stress-free as possible:

Vendor Search/Recommendations If you’re at the beginning of your planning and need help researching different vendors before booking, having a planner is the perfect resource. Most wedding planners will have a “preferred vendor” list of vendors they’ve previously worked with and enjoy working with. They can provide you with a suggested list based on your vision, style and budget which can help narrow down your search from the start!

Venue Walk-Through Once you’ve decided on a venue, a Wedding Planner can do an actual walk-through with you to help plan overall venue layout, reception floor plans and guest flow for your wedding. Having a game plan of how your guests will move from ceremony to cocktail hour and into reception will help create a seamless event for everyone!

Floral Planning/Vision Assistance If you’re still searching for a florist, a Wedding Planner can help you create a floral plan and “vision” for your big day. This pulls all of your ideas into one cohesive plan that you can then take to different florists for quotes and opinions! They are, of course, the pros, and can offer suggestions on how to bring that vision to life while also staying within budget.

All photos by Rebecca Shehorn Photography

Overall Wedding Design Your pinterest board is probably jam packed with all the gorgeous inspiration you have for your wedding decor. Sometimes it’s hard to bring those ideas to life for your own wedding. Questions like, “where can I rent that chair?”. “What color tablecloth should I do?”, “How should I decorate my ceremony welcome table?” all come to mind. These are the details a Wedding Planner can help compile for you into one cohesive design plan so that your wedding turns out just the way you envisioned it, and maybe better!

Wedding Timeline Creation A huge bonus to having a Wedding Planner is having help creating your overall timeline for the big day. Basically from start to finish there will be a plan for all of your vendors to keep track of so that nothing falls through the cracks. Deadlines are necessary for makeup and hair completion, ceremony start time, reception entrance, cake-cutting time, etc.

Vendor Communication Does communicating with all of your vendors, keeping track of contracts, payment deadlines and meetings overwhelm you? Then a Wedding Planner is just what you need! A planner can be your main source of communication between you and your vendors so that you don’t have to stress about the small details and logistics of your wedding day. All you need to do is focus on the fun!

Budget Creation/Guidance A wedding budget. One of the more stressful issues in planning a wedding. If you’re having trouble deciding on an overall budget and how much should go where, then having a Wedding Planner will help ease this process as they will know average costs and ways to save and plan for your main priorities.

Wedding Rehearsal and Day of Coordination One of the biggest perks of having a Wedding Planner is that they are also your “day-of” coordinator. You get to wake up on your wedding day and not have to worry about anything other than enjoying every second and living in the moment. A Planner will keep your timeline on track, along with your other vendors and make sure your wedding day goes off without a hitch! Decor Setup and Breakdown A lot of wedding planners will assist in decor setup and breakdown if that’s something that is not provided by your venue or food vendor. This is a huge help in making sure your vision comes to life on the big day. Sign placement, table decor, etc. can all be taken care of by your planner and allow your Mom or Aunt Judy enjoy the day right by your side!