What Does a Wedding Planner Actually Do?
Embarking on the journey of planning your wedding is undeniably exciting, but let’s be real—it can get overwhelming real quick! As you start thinking about all the details, decisions, and research involved, it can quickly become overwhelming. Balancing a full-time job and life in general, means finding time and energy to plan can be challenging, even with a helpful family member. But what happens when a family member’s opinions become too much or the wedding weekend arrives and they want to enjoy the fun? This is where a wedding planner can step in and alleviate the stress, guide you through the decision-making process, and ensure that you and your loved ones can fully enjoy the day.
Juggling a full-time job, managing other commitments, and dealing with well-intentioned but sometimes overwhelming family opinions can turn the excitement into stress.
Enter a wedding planner — an industry expert who can offer invaluable resources to create a personalized, beautiful and seamless experience all while respecting your budget. Picture this: You get to focus on the fun stuff like menu tasting and design while they tackle the nitty-gritty logistics with vendors, ensuring your special day runs smoother than a glass of your favorite red wine.
Many planning companies, like Day by Design, offer a variety of packages ranging from basic strategy sessions to Full-Service Wedding Planning . Packages and services will likely vary between planning companies, but ultimately the goal is the same — ensuring your wedding day runs smoothly. Sounds simple, right? The reality is your planner will spend anywhere from 30-40 hours on a wedding event management package and a whopping 150+ hours for a full-service package — including a solid 12+ hours straight on your big day alone! Let’s briefly break down the high-level difference between an event management package and a full-service package, and what a planner might be responsible for in each of these offerings:
Wedding Event Management
You’ve probably heard this described as Day-of or Month-of, but ultimately you can expect your planner to:
Set you up for success by providing tools and resources to support your planning efforts
Start weaving their magic a few months (at least) before the big day.
Smoothly handle final details and logistics with your vendor team while crafting a comprehensive wedding weekend timeline.
On the day, they’re your backstage director, making sure everything falls into place.
Full-Service Wedding Planning
At the other end of the spectrum, with “full planning” you can expect your planner to:
Be your partner in crime from day one (sometimes before you have a date or venue), helping you with vision, budget and connecting you with the dream team of vendors.
Takes care of the nitty-gritty throughout the planning process, offering advice on everything from invitations to family dynamics.
On the wedding day, they’re not just behind the scenes but orchestrating the entire symphony.
While planning packages offer many essential services, there are countless other tasks that your planner can (and will) do to ensure a stress-free and enjoyable experience for you and your loved ones. Let’s just look at some of the superhero tasks your planner does that you might not even realize:
Sews back the groomsmen’s broken bowtie or a broken bridesmaid’s dress.
Fashions a bustle out of safety pins and thread underneath your dress when yours breaks.
Handles unexpected rain like a pro, wiping down chairs and strategically placing umbrellas.
Makes sure you get appetizers, dinner and your favorite beverage in hand.
Magically gets all your personal items packed up and where they need to be post-event.
Handles emergencies discreetly, even calling 911 when needed.
Helps out photographer/videographer to get the perfect shot (throws veil in air for wind blown shot, holds extra lights, crouches behind you holding dress so it doesn’t get dirty, etc.)
Ensures that Nana has a nice cuppa tea and a treat when everyone else is getting their groove on.
Handles all big family/friend personalities and gives them jobs if you need space from them.
Carries a massive collection of must have emergency items in their kit — aka Mary Poppins bag!
And the list goes on—ensuring your ceremony is uninterrupted, dealing with unexpected guests, and generally being the super hero you never knew you needed.
So why invest in a wedding planner? Because they bring not just expertise and experience, but peace of mind to your special day. Trust your planner, and let the magic unfold!
Cheers to stress-free wedding planning! 🥂✨
Realizing a planner sounds good right about now? I’d love to chat and answer any questions you might have about hiring a planner.
