The journey to the aisle can be quite a feat, but like all classic stories of great expeditions, you’re bound to encounter a couple of figures who will help you get there. A common one would be the wedding planner. But how much help are they?

In this guide, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of collaborating with a wedding planner, from having total control to having your wedding completely yours. We hope that after reading this guide you’ll feel more prepared to take the first steps of your matrimonial journey.

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BUDGET

Even before hiring a wedding planner, it’s worth noting that you’ll be shelling out money for venues, florists, caterers, and many more who will make your dream day one to remember. When you add a wedding planner to, well, plan a wedding, you’ll be spending or another.

But when you bring a wedding planner on board, you’re hiring someone to take care of the moving parts, which will alleviate much of the stress you’re bound to experience otherwise. Your wedding planner will do all the contacting and coordinating.

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As opposed to fumbling through contacts for various caterers, florists, and venue officials yourself, your wedding planner will do your bidding and find the other parties themselves, with your feedback, of course. This way you can spend more time focusing on yourself and enjoying the experience of getting married.

Initially, wedding planners will work with multiple clients who have had various budgets to work with. That said, they know how to accommodate to fit a range of budgets and make dream weddings regardless.

Especially if you openly communicate with your wedding planner, they should be able to find vendors who are also within your budget.

But while this might make for an easier experience, finding the worth in paying someone else for the work is completely up to you. If you feel that you’d want a completely stress-free experience and can afford it, a wedding planner might be for you.

However, if you have the time, fine organizational skills, and are a bit tighter when it comes to money, then it’s perfectly fine to opt-out for a wedding planner. But take caution in knowing it will be a little less easy.

CONTROL

Before hiring a wedding planner, it’s worth deciding what kind of bride you are. Are you one who likes to know every detail of the process or one who just looks forward to seeing the final product?

If you’re the former, a wedding planner may night be for you. If this is the case, you should have the time and organizational skills to keep your contacts and vendors in line and straight. It’s also important to have confidence in your choices and your visions for your big day.

When you have control over every aspect of your wedding, you can clearly communicate your vision to your various vendors, such as cinematographers and decorators. Additionally, you don’t need to go through a middleman to communicate your wishes and comments.

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If you’d like someone calling the shots, then it’s definitely worth hiring a wedding planner. While you’ll still have some say over what your wedding will look like, it’s up to the wedding planner to iron out the fine details, saving you time and energy.

Having a wedding planner is especially helpful when you’re hoping for a religious-style wedding. When you find a wedding planner who is familiar with the processions of that religion, they can refer you to vendors and creatives who know how to make those traditions look best.

PERSONALIZATION

At the end of the day, your wedding is the day you and your spouse become together as one. That said, it’s a deeply personal ceremony, with what could be a deeply personal process. But adding a wedding planner to the mix could change that.

One of the exciting things about a wedding is meeting and contacting the people who will make your big day one to remember. You’ll share your mood boards and wedding visions and tell them what you’d like to see for your ceremony and reception.

When you build a relationship with your vendors, it makes things easier. For example, when our cinematographers at CineStory films build a relationship with clients they feel more comfortable and are willing to try more experimental shots, which they end up loving.

While hiring a wedding planner can limit how involved you are in the process, if you opt for the wedding expert, you should know that you can voice your opinions. Your wedding planner will then communicate what you need or what you like to your vendors, you just won’t be calling the final shot.

Also since wedding planners have worked with multiple vendors before you, it’s more likely than not that they’ll go for vendors who they know, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You might’ve found a vendor you like online, but your wedding planner will suggest one that’s tried and tested.

At the end of the day, you hire a wedding planner to take care of and organize all the intricate details of your wedding. Some brides couldn’t walk down the aisle without them, others could. With budget, control and personalization in mind, it’s up to you to decide whether you need the helping hand.