Question of the Week: Hot Topics – Do I *really* need a wedding planner?

New Stuff!!!  Welcome to the first installment of TME’s Question of the Week! Some of these will be posts like this, some will be inspiration boards, some will be videos… we’re gonna mix it up!  I hope you enjoy!

Question:
Hi Jasmine,
I’ve been going back and forth about this since I got engaged.  We’re having an average sized wedding with an average sized budget.  My fiance and his family aren’t so against the idea of a wedding planner- but they don’t really see the point of the extra expense.  On the other hand, I kind of think it would be a benefit to us since we’re crazy busy!  I’m not sure which way to go- Do I really need a wedding planner??
- Crazed and Confused

Dear Crazed & Confused
Controversy alert!! This is a touchy subject. I’ve got friends in the industry who fall on both sides of the fence.  And here’s my take.
Short answer- Nope- you don’t.  I know, I know- it sounds crazy. Yes, I’m a planner.  Yes I make my living doing this.   But I like to be honest- and the truth is you don’t.  When it comes to getting married – you need exactly 2 things.  The two of you, and the person who’s marrying you. That’s all, that’s it.  Everything else, is frosting.

Now for the long answer: If you’re looking at hosting a sizeable event, and plan on having multiple vendors, a planner may be in your best interest.  In my mind, sizeable is anything over 75 guests, and multiple means more than 3.  A professional planner’s main job is to keep the wedding planning on track, detail contingency plans, help manage your budget, deal with personalities and juggle details while you focus on the goal of getting married!  Similarly, during your engagement, having a planner on board can help you navigate the strangeness that sometimes arises, so you can enjoy being engaged.

Today’s post isn’t here to convince you to hire a planner, not even close.  But I can tell you this- a good wedding or event planner can help you save serious money, help keep you calm and focused on the goal (ending up married!) and diffuse wedding planning stress by taking tasks off your already crowded plate.  Be on the look out for a handy guide to exactly what we planners do anyway!

In the end, it’s up to you.  Don’t hire a planner if you really don’t feel you need to.  But you do need to come to an agreement with your fiance on this.  It’s important to learn to compromise and work together – this period before the wedding is a great time to practice!

As always- Keep Celebrating!!

Submitted by our good friends at This Moment Events