I'm on a mission these days to let everyone know what a wedding planner actually does. It's not really like the movies portray, and it's not something you can do in a couple hours over the weekend. It's a lot of moving parts, a lot of vendors to coordinate, a lot of different expenses and payment schedules...it's one of the biggest events of your entire life, so why not hire the assistance of a professional? When you're selling home, you should hire in a realtor. When you need legal advice, you should hire a lawyer. When you're getting married, you should hire a planner.
While yes, there are surely brides out there who are capable in more ways than one of planning their own wedding. It's not a matter of if you're able to or not....it's a matter of having connections and experience in the industry. A planner doesn't make the decisions for you and call the shots. We simply research and present you the options that fit with your budget and needs...then you make the decision. We're not here to take over, we're here to help make the experience more pleasurable!
. . . . . . . . . . .
1. Contracts & Hidden Fees
All venues and vendors will have you sign a contract. That's just good business. Most couples will just pay a deposit and sign on the dotted line because they love what they see. Be sure to read the fine print in each contract. I've seen sticker shock at several small details included in the contract that weren't questioned until it was too late. Here are a couple examples of things you can avoid by hiring a planner and having them oversee the details in your vendor contracts:
~Some venues/vendors charge a cake cutting fee. I've cut a cake before for a bride who found out it would cost $150 to have it cut at the last minute. She thought it was included in what she paid, but it wasn't and they didn't add it. It was all right there in her contract, but she didn't completely read through the end and was taken by surprise when it came time to cut the cake.
~Some vendors require that you provide a meal for them while they provide services for you throughout the day/evening. Make sure you know who requires meals and who doesn't, it should all be noted in their contracts. It's never fun to scramble at the last minute to cover extra meals with the caterer and endure the extra last minute expense and stress.
. . . . . . . . . . .
2. Wholesale Accounts
I'm licensed with the state of Texas to re-sale, which means I'm eligible to shop at wholesalers and not pay sales tax. Not to mention, when you buy from a wholesaler and buy in bulk, the price is generally significantly less. Take advantage of the fact that your planner should have these accounts available to help with wedding purchases you need to make. Michéll Events can offer many products by using our accounts to help out!
. . . . . . . . . . .
3. Discounts With Vendors
As someone who's been in business for ten years, I've developed relationships with vendors through working with them. When we see a bride in need of each other's services, we recommend and refer them to each other. We trust the working relationship we have with each other and we appreciate working with each other. In many of these cases, vendors will offer discounts when recommending and referring clients back and forth. Take advantage of the knowledge your planner has from working with so many local vendors on a regular basis.
. . . . . . . . . . .
4. Discounted Flowers, Linens & Décor
I know some planners offer this, but not all. At Michéll Events we include event design in our menu of services, which includes floral design and a large inventory of décor rental items. We have accounts with floral wholesalers and can buy in small amounts or in bulk for wholesale prices. This works out perfectly for the bride who's on a restricted floral budget, or for the bride who wants to DIY the flowers herself and needs a market to buy them. The same thing applies to other décor needed for a wedding. If you want linens, lanterns, candles, table cards, table numbers, favors, edible treats, backdrops, lighting....let us use our network to save you money across the board!
Centerpieces, Chargers, Candles, Linens
5. Overtime
Overtime will destroy the budget with every vendor involved. Make sure things are planned and double checked in advance so you don't have to run late on wedding day and endure additional expenses. What happens in the event of overtime should be listed in the contract for every vendor it applies to. Make a schedule for the day and have your planner/coordinator ensure things stay on schedule and avoid overtime charges.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Keep these things in mind when debating on whether a planner is for you or not. The #1 important thing to look for when hiring a planner is how you mesh with them. We offer a free consult with every bride/couple to chat about what you want, what we can offer, and discuss your wedding details. This will give the couple a chance to see if we're on the same level. If your personalities don't vibe, it will be a difficult process after you book with them. Planning a wedding is a very personal experience, and we always like how our clients feel like family while we're working with them. A close relationship is important! Conversation should be easy, visions should be shared easily, and a planner should be able to answer your questions without hesitation.
Because we know there are so many brides planning their own weddings these days, we created this planning package just for them. The "DIY Bride's Planning Package" includes everything needed to plan your wedding from checklists, budget worksheets and tips, vendor recommendations and booking tips, sample schedules and itineraries, along with a meeting with a planner to ask questions and go over all the details beginning to end. This is our way of helping the DIY brides avoid the costly mistakes that sneak up when planning a wedding! The DIY package is currently on special for $299 (Regular $399) - click here to see the DIY package details!
Happy planning, y'all!
