Comments on: Do you need a wedding planner?

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 02:08:56 +0000

YES!

I might be a teensy bit biased, since I am a wedding coordinator, but I can't even tell y'all how much of a difference it makes to have one person–who isn't related to you, or in your wedding party–taking care of all the little shit that inevitably piles up.

Generally, I take over the reins about a week or two before an event–it's when the pressure really starts to get bad for the couple, and the last thing they need to do is be running about, calling vendors.

That square-triangle thing is right on, too. I do everything I can to make sure that all questions are fielded through me, so the couple can just enjoy their day.

Find someone you like and trust, and hand it over–then *you* get to rest, and remember why you're doing this crazy wedding thing anyhow.

By: Claudia

Claudia — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:54:02 +0000

Laura,
Wow! Thank you for the quick response and the valuable nuggets! I will keep them in my pocket for the planning ahead…
I'm so glad I asked!

By: Laura Guerrie

Laura Guerrie — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:24:00 +0000

Hi Claudia,

I have been hired "sight-unseen" before by couples out of the area, but when I do that I usually spend a good hour or more on the phone with them during that initial consultation. (The "vibing-out" thing works in both directions!) So, the first things to pay attention would be if they respond quickly to your emails and if are they willing to put in some phone time to get to know you up front. If not, it doesn't necessarily mean they're not a good planner, but it would be much harder to get a good feel for them from a distance.

When it comes to choosing wedding vendors of any kind, here's a little nugget of advice I always tell my clients: First meetings with a vendor are a LOT like first dates. This is BEST behavior time, so if you find yourself making mental excuses for them in any way, RUN! I'm not saying their behavior *will* go downhill from there, but it certainly *can* and what someone shows you when they want your business is the absolute best they have to offer. Over the phone or in person, if you keep this in mind when you chat with potential vendors you should be able to get a good feel for what's going on.

Best of luck and happy planning!!

By: Claudia

Claudia — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:39:51 +0000

This is all great advice… And having read it it sounds like I could really benefit from a DOC.
I'm torn, though… On a tight budget and starting to plan a wedding long-distance (with waaaaaay more DIY creative juices than organizational ones) I'm worried that finding the right person at a reasonable price will be hard to find from "way over here." Are phone interviews and emails enough to "feel someone out"?
Sorry if that came out sounding like whining… I am not in panic mode. It's early still in my planning and I am simply overwhelmed. A dream DOC sounds amazing.

By: Jessica_Iowa

Jessica_Iowa — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:53:21 +0000

I've known for awhile I'll need a DOC, thanks for the tips on finding one!

By: Kim

Kim — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 02:30:40 +0000

Re: the family/participatory wedding. I paid a newbie a very low rate for the day only. I had talked to several DOCs in the months before but vibed with none of them but her. I figured she would run into a few problems through lack of experience and the fact that this was self-catered, which is tough. We ended up having a wonderful stress-free day, but I took the precaution of introducing her to some of the restaurant and design professionals in our wedding posse so that she'd have someone to go to in a pinch. Like when the souffle cakes weren't cooperating with the usual knife, she tapped the best man, an executive chef, who got it handled in no time. Nobody but the BM ever knew there was a problem, and everyone got to enjoy themselves at the party.

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 19:15:50 +0000

We too also hired Laura. It was the best thing we could have done. The question is finding the right kind of planner for you. I had interviewed a few planners, but they wanted to make our wedding into something they "knew we really wanted", instead of what we actually wanted.

To use theater terms, cause most of our wedding party were performers of one kind or another, my husband and I were producing and directing our wedding..but we needed someone to stage manage it. For that, a day of planner was the perfect choice. I wanted to get married on my wedding day, not have to run the show. I would do it again in a heart beat.

By: Erika

Erika — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:42:23 +0000

Ditto to all those who have had Laura the fabulous wedding planner. It was great to have someone pre-day-of to help mediate with the few vendors we had (a significant portion of our wedding was DIY) as well as day-of timeline & magic duties. As far as I was concerned, everything went smoothly, and I will never know what mini disasters may have occurred. This was in direct contrast to our friends' wedding we attended the year before, where they did everything themselves and were visibly frazzled. It was also in contrast to a cousin's wedding we attended where the wedding planner was in-your-face about doing everything. It's important to find someone who can give you the balance of taking care of things so you don't have to stress over it, while not infringing upon your intimate family/friend circle, who may also be involved in the planning & execution. Laura definitely nailed that balance on the head for us, and we are eternally grateful to her. : )

By: K.K.

K.K. — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:45:42 +0000

"and then quotes Patton at the reception"

hahaha that's awesome.

By: K.K.

K.K. — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:42:10 +0000

This is what I'm so worried about happening at my wedding. My fiance works as a wedding caterer and says, "DOCs are a waste of money, they just get in the way and fuck everything up," but I don't think he's looking at it from the point of view of people who are going to get stuck setting everything up and breaking it down!