Today’s bride is a savvy one. She’s a bit older than her peers from previous generations, so she has a little more dough to spend and a more refined style to showcase. She’s a tech-savvy pinner who has solid DIY intentions but Hollywood wedding dreams. She also has a full-time job, a sizable social circle and a lot on her plate, even before The Question was popped. In short, she’s the perfect client for a wedding planner.
“A big benefit of hiring a wedding planner is the convenience factor,” for brides who wish they could do it all but know they can do it better with help, said David Wood, president of the international Association of Bridal Consultants. “Your wedding should not be a learning experience. It’s like a one-night Broadway show, and you want to get it right the first time.”
That show is something that takes just the kind of planning, timing and attention to detail that certified wedding planners are trained to provide. There’s a lot a wedding planner can bring to the table, but first and foremost is “making the event happen on time and under budget, because these things spiral out of control,” Wood said. “Weddings are a very emotional business, and you can generally benefit from having a cool head involved in the planning process.”
The wedding planner’s first job is to sit down with the couple and find out their vision for the day: The dates they’re looking at, the number of guests they’d like to plan for, the style, and a rough budget for the whole shebang.