Have you ever been to a wedding and thought, "This is so unorganized!" I have been to and heard about so many weddings that were just short of a disaster due to lack of organization and leadership.
Yes, I know what you're thinking...leadership??? Yes! Even your wedding needs a leader - someone to take charge.
It's tough to decide on who to dedicate this high duty and honor to. Asking a friend or family member to take charge is hard because you don't want them to be working on your wedding day. Asking a bridesmaid or groomsman to complete an enormous amount of tasks doesn't feel right because you want them to spend time with you on your wedding day and have fun!
A wedding planner can take the responsibility of this role of lead and guide on your wedding day and during the entire planning process to ensure all of the dozens of elements to your wedding are organized and accounted for.
Okay, so now you know you need a wedding planner, but when should you book them? I counter your question with WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! The sooner you get your wedding planner involved, the better. Here are a few stages of your engagement when you might consider hiring a wedding planner:
Immediately After Engagement (the BEST time to book)
If you are freshly engaged, you might be overwhelmed with the variety of vendors and their prices. Contacting a wedding planner before any other vendors are booked is the best time. Why? Wedding planners have relationships with so many different vendors that you might not even understand how they keep them all straight! Your planner will recommend vendors based on your budget and style and review any contract before you sign to make sure you are getting the best services and that there aren't any hidden clauses that could be used against you.
In the Middle of Planning
You might realize in the middle of planning your wedding that it is too much for you to handle. Either you are too busy with life outside of wedding planning - like a full time job, kids, businesses, being a bomb ass fiance(e), etc, you have too many conflicts with family members who feel the need to give you their two cents whenever the topic of your wedding comes up, or you have other conflicts or time contraints (but it is usually one or both of the first two).
When you get your wedding planner involved when you have a few vendors booked but haven't worked out any other the details, they will pick up right where you left off. They will get some timelines together, book any remaining vendors, and iron out all of the details for your wedding day.
A Few Months Before the Wedding
Although getting your planner involved from the start is always the best way to go, the most popular service wedding planners are hired for is day-of/month-of coordination or wedding management. If you planned your entire wedding yourself and you are on the fence about hiring a planner to be there on your wedding day to make sure everything runs smoothly, this is your sign to take the leap.
Having a professional there to guide vendors, keep on track with your timeline, and handle any surprises that come up on your wedding day is a HUGE relief to you and your fiance(e), both of your families, and your entire bridal party. There is no longer the responsibility for any of you to work on your wedding day.
The Worst Time to Book
The work time to book a wedding planner is...NEVER! No matter where you are in your planning process, a planner will be willing to pick up where you left off and make sure your day goes off without a hitch!
Booking a wedding planner to be the leader on your wedding day is probably one of the best decisions you will make for yourself on your big day. I promise, I've heard so many times how much of a life-saver a planner was from couples, parents, and members of bridal parties.
When did you/are you considering bringing a wedding planner in the picture? Comment below!