Myths about Wedding Planners
Some people may think that having a wedding planner is a bad investment of their hard earned money, and others may have never even heard of a wedding planner. Wedding planners and wedding coordinators have an essential role to play on wedding day, yet they are often one of the most overlooked or last thought about vendor to be hired. Here are some myths about wedding planners.
Myth # 1: Wedding planners won’t listen to my Wants & Desires
While we can’t speak for everyone, and some wedding planners may do this, a good and experienced wedding planner should be taking the time to listen to you and get an idea about the ins and outs of your vision for your wedding day. Ideally, the conversation about what you are wanting and expecting to happen on your big day should be taking place early on in the process of finding a wedding planner (even before you book!).
A quality planner should be able to talk you through if they can or can’t help you with your wedding day vision. The earlier this conversation happens, the better, that way if the planner isn’t able to help you, you aren't waiting around until the last second to find another one that will work for you.
Seasoned and experienced planners will meet with you (either in person, on a zoom call, etc.) and ask you a multitude of questions (such as “what is your theme,” “how many guests are you expecting,” “what type of services are you looking for,” etc.) and listen intently to what you want your day to look and feel like.
From there, they will figure out a way to make sure the things that you want take place. That's why you're talking to one in the first place, right? If your planner isn't listening to your desires for your wedding, it may be time to look elsewhere for a new planner that better suits your wedding day needs.
Myth # 2: All wedding planners & their services are the same
Your wedding planner should be someone you mesh with well, and is easy to communicate your wants for your wedding day with. Individual personalities can play a role in finding the best wedding planner for you. Some are more laid back and chill, and others may come across as very bossy and won't let you get a word in to get your ideas across.
The best planners will be a mix of being calm and organized, but also have the ability to be assertive if needed. Most planners will have different packages to choose from (ranging from day of coordination to full planning packages). Some planners offer full planning packages ranging in price from $1200 all the way up to over $10,000 in some areas.
Most of this pricing difference relies on the market or area they are serving. Some of their websites won’t offer up front pricing about the packages they offer, which will require you to reach out for a quote. This can sometimes make it difficult or time consuming to compare packages from multiple different wedding planners.
Roanoke and Southwest Virginia have a lower cost of living compared to somewhere like Northern Virginia or Richmond, which in turn causes the prices of vendors to be higher than in some of the smaller cities such as Roanoke.
Different packages will suit different wedding day needs (such as day of coordination vs. a more extensive full planning package) but if your budget allows, it's best to have your planner involved in as much as they can be with your wedding. In doing so, your planner or coordinator will be able to have the best overall picture and the most information about your wedding as they possibly can.
Myth # 3: “Wedding Planners” & “Wedding Coordinators” are the same thing
While the terms are typically used interchangeably, they do have some differences. The term “wedding planner” usually refers to a person who oversees your entire wedding planning process. They will be the one managing contracts, booking vendors on your behalf, going to most all appointments with you, overseeing seating charts, timeline management, and day of management of vendors. They will be there with you every step of the way through your entire planning process.
The term “wedding coordinator” refers to the person managing the day of your wedding and making sure your timeline runs according to schedule and handles the little details such as decorating your venue, making sure vendors arrive on time, etc. They usually make sure all of your vendors are kept informed about the events that will be coming up (such as when dinner is to be served, when the cake is to be cut, when the bouquet toss is supposed to happen, etc.)
Some wedding planners will offer both services, and some planners tie them in together in their packages. The responsibilities of the planner you book should be clearly stated in their contract and spoken about during your initial meetings with them.
Myth # 4: Wedding planners will blow your budget
Wedding planners are there to help you manage your day, and that includes sticking to your overall budget. Think of them as a valuable extension of yourself on your wedding day. Planners will make sure that your vendors, guests, and wedding are taken care of while you're focused on taking photos or spending time with your new husband or wife.
Planners want to make your day the best it can be, and that also includes asking for and sticking to a budget from you if they are helping with full service wedding planning (like booking vendors on your behalf). Planners come in all price ranges and finding one that will fit your budget shouldn't be difficult, especially if you use a website like www.virginiaweddingnetwork.com (where you can find trusted and accredited vendors).
Having a planner should help you improve money management because they can provide the expertise and suggestions of knowing what is needed for your wedding day, and what may not be a good decision to spend the extra money on. Our goal as a planner is to help save you money where we can by offering suggestions that will work the best for you.
Planners may also have special discounts with other vendors they work with if they book it for you (such as a photographer or specific venue location) rather than booking that vendor on your own. Your money and time is very valuable, and our job is to make your money and time go as far as possible for you on your wedding day.
Myth # 5: Wedding planners are unnecessary, and I could get a family member to do the job instead
From a planner's perspective, having family manage your day is one of the riskiest decisions you can make for your wedding day. Spending thousands of dollars for a venue, hundreds or thousands of dollars on vendors, food, photographers, etc. for all of your guests is stressful to begin with.
Hiring professionals and experts in the wedding industry ensures that you and your entire family will get to actually enjoy and experience your wedding day together. Lets say that the venue you booked doesn’t allow set up until noon, but your aunt who said she would help run your wedding day didn’t see the timeframe in the contract you signed.
You your friends, the make up artist, and the photographer show up at 11am, yet you are not able to use the space for another hour. You're now losing an hour of time with those vendors that you have already paid for.
Next, your caterer shows up at 5pm instead of 3pm like they were contracted to do, but your aunt who is now running the wedding wanted to watch the ceremony. In turn, your guests will have nothing to eat or drink for cocktail hour because the caterer was late, is running far behind schedule, and still needs time to set up.
These are just some of the mishaps not having a wedding planner to manage and run your day could create. Your family wants to enjoy the day along side you, and hiring a wedding planner will ensure that everyone has a worry free time. Planners will make sure that your wedding will run like a well oiled machine, rolling from event to event without a single hiccup.
Planners can't help something like a vendor getting stuck in a traffic jam, but we can help ease the tension that comes with them being late by adjusting the timeline to accommodate them on the fly (while also making sure that you didn’t even notice that anything went wrong in the first place.)
Hiring a wedding planner or coordinator will assure that your wedding day goes as perfectly as possible. They will make sure that you, your partner, your family, and your guests don’t worry about a single thing.
Wedding planners are here to make your dream wedding become a reality, and they play an essential role in making your day run smoothly and correctly. You and your family will be so appreciative to have someone to relieve the wedding day duties and stress onto so you can truly take the time to soak it in and enjoy it!
