Introduction
The words Wedding Planner or Wedding Consultant will conjure up
all sorts of images in a bride's head, some positive and maybe others
not so. In this short paper I aim to dispel one or two preconceived
popular myths about the task of planning weddings.
What is a Wedding Planner?
Essentially, a wedding planner is a professional whose expertise
and contacts can turn your wedding into a day of absolute perfection.
He or she is the lynch pin for your event; the one who will locate
the services and suppliers you require; who will negotiate contracts,
mediate and manage the various companies involved in your day and
ensure that everything appears to run like clock work, at least
from an outward appearance!
Planning weddings is indeed great fun. However, as with any other job in this world it is not all plain sailing. A wedding with the expectation that it will be a day to eclipse all others can take an unbelievable amount of time and effort, to say nothing of the stress and worry! There are ups and downs, periods of great joy and times of immense stress and pressure. Weddings are events that are dreamt about - some brides have imagined walking down the isle in a white dress and a tiara for 30 years or more! It is certainly a challenge unlike any others you may have come across before. And when you add both work and a hectic, pre-wedding social life to the equation, often the feat seems monumental. It is an honour not to be taken lightly.
Why use a Wedding Planner?
With so much to do and relatively little time to do it, employing
a professional wedding consultancy is increasingly seen as a sensible
way of ensuring a stress-free engagement and potentially flawless
wedding. In the USA it is the norm: practically every wedding has
a Planner. It is a huge industry providing couples with a valuable
service during a period in their lives when stress and worry should
be banished and time is of the essence. Slowly but surely couples
in the UK are waking up to the realisation that a Planner is not
a luxury reserved for the rich and famous. Nowadays a good Planner
is just as familiar with organising a small and intimate family
gathering of 12 as an extravagant party of 1,200.
Using their expert knowledge of the industry together with extensive databases and links to leading suppliers the Planners will have the foundations on which to build a perfect wedding. They will give you unfettered access to every supplier in the country that fulfilling your requirements. Unless otherwise instructed, their priorities lie solely with the couple, their wedding objectives and the all important budget. And when you find a Planner whom you trust and feel comfortable with, you may be sure that these elements will be managed wisely.
Wedding Planner Skills
Wedding Planners are expected to be versatile, knowledgeable and
resourceful. It is their job to assist both the bride and groom
in the run up to the Big Day. On the day itself, it is the Bride
who is queen - the Planners are there to personally assist.
Wedding Planners will bear the brunt of the daily chores, plan and
manage the event from behind the scenes, thereby giving couples
valuable time to relax and enjoy their engagement and look forward
to their dream wedding. One should be able to rely on them for support
as advisors, coordinators, supervisors, mediators, managers and
financial advisors.
The Planning Process
As with most wedding consultancies, at Absolute Perfection we will
usually start off by sitting down with the couple in order to learn
exactly how they envisage their wedding day developing, from the
moment they wake in the morning to the time they depart the party
amid an explosion of fireworks at the end of the night. Although
we often see the groom shying away from the initial planning process,
we always try to encourage his input. It is vital to try to get
him ‘on board’ as early as possible, for you can be
sure that 2-3 months down the line – when it is too late and
all the major decisions have been taken - he will begin to show
an interest and realise that maybe this wedding lark isn’t
as dull as he had at first expected! Regret is a terrible thing
and something that we only learn about with hindsight!
Once the all important Wedding Plan has been devised, it is the Planner’s job to get the ball rolling and start locating the suitable suppliers and services. This can be a daunting task but they should have great industry connections and will be able to provide you with the assistance you require. At this time it is imperative that constant liaison be maintained between the Planner and the couple. Although the Planners locate the relevant suppliers and offer knowledgeable guidance and advice, the choice as to which companies to use will usually be decided by the couple. There should not be any pressure exerted by a Planner at this time. If you do feel pressured, one may assume that the Planner may be on commission from the said supplier, so be insistent and remind the Planner that their role is to assist, not to decide!
Once all plans have been made, the budgets are met and timelines have been finalised, it is usual for the Planner to help to coordinate the rehearsal and then assist on the wedding day to make sure the needs of the bride, groom and wedding party are met.
“Can I Justify the Added Luxury of a Wedding Planner?”
Believe it or not a Planner can usually save you money, if you so
require! Sometimes they can negotiate special discounts with certain
suppliers which will then be passed on to you. Alternatively, if
a discount is not attainable, they can source you a leading supplier
that offers a high quality service at a competitive price. Uniquely,
Absolute Perfection will attempt to establish 3 budgets with you.
• The first will be the absolute maximum you are prepared
to pay for the whole wedding.
• The second is the absolute maximum you are prepared to invest
in a specific service or supplier - £1,000 for a cake for
instance.
• The third relates to a lesser figure that you would be happy
to pay for a specific service or supplier – you have set a
£1,000 cake budget, but will be content to spend £750
if at all possible for a cake of similar quality. This essentially
provides the Planner with a valuable target to aim for. It is not
unheard of for couples to set the maximum budget at £15,000
and the actual budget to reach little over £12,000 –
including the fee!
Wedding Planner Fees
Price structures are set according to the couple’s needs and
since every wedding is unique, it is often the case that so too
are the Wedding Planner’s fees.
• As a general ‘rule of thumb,’ full coordination
or planning of the entire event is usually charged a portion of
the wedding budget. Percentages vary from consultancy to consultancy
but are usually somewhere between 7-15%.
• A bride that requires her Planners to assist on the day
itself is usually charged a set rate or hourly fee. Again fees vary
from company to company and from season to season. As an approximation,
one would expect to pay anything from £150-£200 upwards
for a decent Planner for the day. The maximum figure is unlimited
and depends on the uniqueness of each and every wedding encountered.
• Alternatively, you will find that there are various packages
for couples that have specific sourcing and/or contract negotiation
needs - requiring a leading photographer & videographer in South
London for instance. For this service you may be charged either
a fixed rate or a percentage of the specific budget allocated to
the said service - for example, if you have set aside £2,000
for a videographer at the reception the Planner’s fee could
be 10% or £200. Again, fees fluctuate from Planner to Planner
but ultimately the amount you pay will reflect the amount of time
and effort spent dealing with your personal requirements.
• Other services you may find on offer include assistance
in the 4 week run-up to the Big Day, thereby managing any last minute
stresses and minor problems that so often arise. Alternatively they
can deal with invitations and RSVPs or even source the honeymoon.
You will find that just about anything and everything is possible. You are only limited by your imagination and of course the budget! The first of which is flexible and can be broadened with some tips and advice from your Planner, if you so wish. The latter should be firmly adhered to. However, at Absolute Perfection we will advise you to allow yourself a backup allowance of up to 10% of the budget, to cover any unforeseen circumstances and situations along the way. The finishing touches and last minute attention to detail can make the difference between a great wedding and an average wedding and these areas are often inadequately accounted for when budgets are initially established.
Conclusion
To summarise, Wedding Planners exist to assist you in your endeavour
to organise your wedding. Whatever it is that you require - no matter
how small and insignificant or extravagant and shocking it may be
– it is their job to help to make your wedding day happen
exactly the way you want it. Anything and everything is indeed possible.
It’s your day after all.
They can save you money; they do save you time and effort. And stress… what stress!
Author: Sam Ketterer © 2005, www.absoluteperfection.co.uk
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