Planners are usually hired right after the couple become engaged or soon thereafter. Many of them plan the whole event, leaving the bride to deal with other matters, such as enjoying being engaged or avoiding being stressed for months on end in order to have the perfect wedding.

A good planner will handle all the details for you, finding all your vendors and get the best contracts that they can. An expierenced wedding planner will know the best vendors to hire, the best places to have a wedding ceremony or reception as well as the places that you should avoid. Even though hiring a wedding planner is an added expense they do add a lot of options to planning your wedding.

Why Would You Hire a Wedding Planner

The number one reason to hire a wedding planner is probably the amount of time you can save. When beides choose to plan their own wedding it can realistically take hundreds of hours to find and research local wedding vendors. With a wedding planner you can relax more than most upcoming brides as you are paying someone else to do all the research and handle all the vendors. Another reason to consider hiring a wedding planner is that they can get you betteer rates with wedding vendors. Sometimes wedding vendors, such as reception halls or bakers, may charge a wedding planner less than the general public because they want to create repeat business.

One of the nice things about having a wedding planner is that you have someone to worry about all the details. You also have a professional, unbiased opionion at your disposal. Finally, if you are planning to have a destination wedding, a wedding planner is almost a must as it is far more difficult to plan an out of town wedding than it does when you can go to every site and meet every wedding vendor in person.

Why You Would Avoid a Wedding Planner

The number one reason to avoid hiring a wedding planner is the price of having one. Fees vary of course, some planners charge flat fees which are usually in the $2-5,000 range while many charge a percentage of the cost of the wedding, usually 10-15%. Another reason you may not want a wedding planner is because you do not want to allow someone else plan your wedding, it is after all a day you have been dreaming about for your entire life and it should be perfect. You may have a wedding planner which does not see your vision or share your ideas on what your wedding should be like. A lot of brides want to be in complete control of their wedding, and using someone to help plan it makes them feel as if someone else is calling all the shots.