Wedding Planner Series 1 - Is It Worth It?

If you are now or have ever planned a wedding, you know that the thousand and one details involved can quickly overwhelm even the most dedicated multi-tasker. As the bride or groom, not only do you have every practical aspect of the wedding on your mind, but also the inevitable emotional upheaval that comes with a major life change, as well as navigating the sometimes complex process of blending two extended families and learning the boundaries of in-law relationships. With all of that going on, it's no wonder that the temptation to shell out some extra cash to take a logistical load off in the run up to the big day can loom large. The question at hand, though, is this: is it worth it?

The long and short of it is that if you are planning a wedding of any size and/or a reception with any degree of complexity, then the return you will see on your investment in an event planner will most likely be worth it, not only in peace of mind and stress reduction, but possibly even in cost reduction over other aspects of your wedding experience. That is not to say that every wedding needs a dedicated planner. Obviously if you are getting married at the courthouse with a couple of witnesses, followed by a small family dinner at a favorite local spot, you don't need an event planner to help you sort out the details. If, however, you fall somewhere else along the wedding spectrum, more toward the big party/theme wedding/ "I've had a vision since I was six years old" end, for example, then an event planner might be just the thing to keep your head from exploding as you get closer to the big day.

From venue choice to flowers to table linens to cake to bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses, an event planner can certainly be there to help make the big decisions that inform how an event takes shape. That, however, is not truly where an event planner shines. An event planner's true worth is behind the scenes. When you are having a meltdown because you've just found out that your soon to be mother in law is being completely irrational and wants to wear a head to toe scarlet dress to your black and white wedding that you've been planning for the past six months, who is going to take the call from the florist when the flower arrangements you chose three months ago are no longer possible because last night's shipment of imported tulips were splattered all over the interstate in a 13 car pile up and an 11th hour substitution has to be made? When you are in hair and makeup and the venue staff misreads the seating chart and puts your groom's mother and father (who have been divorced and haven't spoken in 13 years) sitting next to one another, who steps in and fixes the seating arrangement before world war 3 happens during cocktail hour? The event planner. Without someone in your corner taking care of those details, you have to look your best, handle your own nerves, soothe your insane family, get married, and handle all the last minute practical details of a wedding and reception on your own with little or no backup. You have bigger things to worry about. Leave the details to the professionals.