Hiring a wedding planner – what you need to know
If you’ve just got engaged and you’re finding the prospect of organising a wedding a bit daunting, a wedding planner could be exactly what you need.
Personally, if we hadn’t eloped, I’d definitely have booked a wedding planner rather than organise a wedding myself. But perhaps that’s because I used to organise big events so I know how much work is involved, particularly all that minutia.
Here are some of reasons why you might want to hire a wedding planner:
- You don’t have the time to plan your own wedding. Planning a wedding is a lot of work, and a lot of suppliers aren’t available to talk in the evenings, so it can be difficult to do it all when you’re in a full-time job. A planner can take care of all the details, so you can relax and enjoy the planning process.
- You want to make sure your wedding is perfect. If organising weddings or events is not your area of expertise, it’ll be much harder for you to create the perfect day. A wedding planner can help you organise a wedding that is tailored to your specific needs. They will work with you to produce a budget, choose vendors, and create a timeline that works for you.
- You want a stress-free wedding. Wedding planning can be stressful, but a wedding planner can help you take care of all the details so you can relax and enjoy your wedding day.
- You want help with decision-making: A planner can help you make decisions about everything from your wedding date to your wedding dress. They also have the industry knowledge and experience that can help you avoid costly mistakes.
- You want expert advice and support: A wedding planner can offer emotional support and advice throughout the planning process.
What does a wedding planner actually do?
One of the biggest concerns I see brides express when it comes to hiring a wedding planner is that they’ll lose control of their day. Also, that they’ll end up with a day the planner would like them to have rather than what they want.
This fear is not usually based on any experience, mostly it’s just a lack of understanding of what a wedding planner actually does.
While the role of the wedding planner may be to help couples plan and execute their wedding, that doesn’t mean they make decisions without you or spend your money without authorisation. Wedding planning is also not an ‘all or nothing’ service.
Some wedding planners only offer a few basic services, such as venue sourcing and vendor coordination while others offer a more comprehensive service, such as budget planning, design, styling and logistics.
In the UK most wedding planners seem to offer a full or partial wedding service. I’m including examples that may come under each heading; obviously the precise services may differ, depending on who you choose.
Full-day planning
- Timeline development
- Helping to set and manage the budget
- Venue search
- Vendor sourcing, contract negotiation and management
- Wedding theme and styling concepts
- Design management and print of all wedding stationery
- Attend meetings as required
- Tracking RSVPs
- Advising on booking registrar/celebrant
- Coordination of guest travel/accommodation
- Wedding day management and hands-on support
Partial-day planning
- Vendor recommendation and contract review
- Wedding checklist and timeline development
- Venue visits
- Wedding day management and support
If you are thinking about hiring a wedding planner, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Do your research and find a planner that is a good fit for you. Read reviews on Google and wedding sites like Hitched. Ask for recommendations from friends.
- Make sure you get everything in writing, including the services that will be provided and the cost of those services.
- Start the planning process early. The earlier you start planning your wedding, the more time you will have to work with your wedding planner. This will give you the best chance of creating a wedding that is perfect for you.
- Be clear about your budget and your vision for your wedding. The more information you can provide to your wedding planner, the better they will be able to help you.
- Be prepared to compromise. Your planner can help you make the best decisions for your wedding.
- You will have to trust your wedding planner. Your planner is a professional, and they are there to help you. Trust their judgment and let them help you create the wedding of your dreams.
How much does a wedding planner cost in the UK?
Most wedding planners charge a percentage of the total wedding budget, typically between 10% and 15%. However, there are some additional factors that can affect the cost of a wedding planner, including:
- The size and complexity of the wedding. A larger and more complex wedding will require more planning and coordination, and therefore will be more expensive to plan.
- The location of the wedding. A wedding in a major city or a popular tourist destination will be more expensive to plan than a wedding in a smaller or less popular location.
- The experience of the planner. A more experienced planner will have a larger network of vendors and may be able to negotiate better deals.
If you are on a tight budget, there may be a few things you can do to save money on a wedding planner.
- You could hire a planner that is just starting out and may be willing to offer a discount. They won’t have the breadth of experience or the network of contacts of a more established planner but it could be an option.
- Alternatively, you could try to negotiate with a more experienced planner to see if they are willing to reduce their fee. Much like wedding photographers, if they’re not fully booked, they may be open to a deal.
- Another option could be to reduce costs in other areas like decorations, flowers, cake, etc.
- The final option could be to do some of the planning yourself. If you are willing to do some of the planning yourself, you can save money on the planner’s fees.
Ultimately, it costs more to hire a wedding planner than to do it yourself but if you are able to find the money, hiring a planner can be a great way to make your wedding planning process easier and more enjoyable.
Wedding planners in Buckinghamshire and nearby
Here are two local wedding planners that look really good and cover Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and surrounding areas.
https://www.lunaroseevents.com/
Luna Rose Events
Based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Luna Rose Events offers a full-service planning service, including venue sourcing, vendor coordination, and design.
Ann Nicholas Wedding Planning
Full day and partial planning services available. Bedford based, Ann Nicholas.
What are the pros and cons of hiring a wedding planner?
Pros: you’ve got a specialist organising your wedding day and doing all the running around for you.
Pros: the wedding planner knows the wedding industry and can probably negotiate the best deals for your day.
Cons: the wedding planner will encourage you to use vendors from their network. This may affect the number of creative options shown to you and will also be influenced by the planner’s personal taste and possibly any commission they might receive from their vendors.
Cons: some wedding planners have a signature style they use for every wedding. If you like that style – great. If not, you may be disappointed.
If you’re looking to hire a wedding planner to help with the organisation of your day, I hope you’ve found this article useful.
If you’re planning a wedding in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire or Berkshire and you need a wedding photographer, I’d love to hear from you. You can find examples of my work by viewing my portfolio.
Other useful links
Wedding information and venues in Buckinghamshire.
Wedding information and venues in Oxfordshire.
Wedding information and venues in Berkshire.