I have been helping couples plan their weddings for over 7 years now and the question I know is on the top of their Wedding Planning To Do List is:
Should we hire the services of a professional planner? What can they do for us? Can we afford one?
To answer this you need to think about a few things:
- Are you an organized person who likes to plan events of any kind?
- Do you have the time and energy that it takes to source out all of the services required in having a Wedding?
- Are you familiar with the place/town of your venue?
- Do you have family or friends who you wish to ask to help out?
- Or do you want your guests to be Guests and enjoy your Wedding?
Now for some of you this is an easy choice, we want a small, intimate, family wedding with everybody helping out!
For others–this is a more difficult decision.
Having planned close to 500 Weddings including my own, I know that it can take many hours depending on the size and details of each individual event. Here are a few thoughts why hiring a planner saves you time and money:
- I live here and know the area, know the venues and the amount of guests each can cater to.
- I know the services and quality that both Tofino & Ucluelet can offer you.
- In knowing these things,I can save you time researching and scouting out venues.
- I know what service providers will accommodate what budgets and vision.
- Not only can a planner help you in the planning stages of your event but also on the day itself.
I have found out from working with my brides that knowing that someone who is not emotionally involved understand their vision and feel of how they foresee their day to be is priceless . A recent bride was relieved that she was “Present at her own Wedding” and that was due to the knowledge that she had entrusted me to put together, all of the little details she had carefully planned.
Another couple knew that when the venue fell short on what they had agreed to do, that I would pick up the slack and ensure that when guests entered they knew nothing of what had been going on behind the scenes.
Some of the resorts have in-house Wedding Planners and couples think that, that means they have all of the help they need. Now I was the Wedding Planner at Long Beach Lodge prior to opening my own business and enjoyed it very much. Couples ask me why they would need an independent planner when the resort has one and my reply is:
The planner at the resorts main duties are the Resort and all of the services they have been hired to provide in that venue, including accommodation, perhaps ceremony location and usually the reception dinner with possibly an in-house designed cake. Their focus is on fulfilling their obligations and to have you be totally satisfied with their services. They will give you recommendations for outside services you might need like hair stylist or make-up artist and a great florist or DJ and of course the Wedding Officiant but will be busy making sure that their service is up to par.
This is where I would step in if I had been secured to ensure that all of the of -property services were also fulfilling their end of the deal such as the flowers being delivered on time so that I then can locate the groomsmen and put on their boutonnieres and dry of the bouquets so they do not drip on the satin wedding dress. Or make sure that the reception tables are all set correctly with centerpieces, favours and placecards and work with the resort staff when an extra guest arrives and we need to make a place at a table for them. I am the go between from couple and venue and definitely do not overstep my boundaries as to the resorts way of doing things but try to make it easier on everyone as I have been hired to make sure everything comes together as planned!
So in closing —I make many friends who say Peace of Mind is worth a little extra!
