(Closed) Do you/did you have a wedding planner? Do I need one?

• pengoala
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: September 2011

I did not have a wedding planner and did the planning on my own.  I will tell you, though, that it was a full year and a half investment of my time to do so and that I work for myself as a piano teacher – my hours are not nearly as grueling as someone with a full time office job.  Even then, I was finding myself horribly overwhelmed, particularing in the final 3 months leading up to the wedding day.

All that being said, it is definitely cool to be able to look back on the day and go, “Hey, I planned that!”

My advice to you is that if you have the proper support group, and feel like you have the proper time (and sanity) to invest in planning, then you should definitely do it yourself! Otherwise, go for the planner!

• Pinkmoon
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: February 2014

I won’t have one. I am the type of person who lives for things like this. Planning out every little detail is right up my alley. I do have friends though that have complained how stressful and time consuming and not fun they found their wedding planning. So, I think it depends on you and how much you would enjoy doing it. 

• pecanpie
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: September 2012

I don’t have one. I don’t think it’s really necessary to be honest. I only know one person that used one, & their wedding wasn’t anything special. But I LOVE planning, so I’ve never had the desire to have one, haha 🙂 I think if you’re the kind of person that doesn’t enjoy the planning process, it’s probably worth it to have one, just to take the stress away & make it more enjoyable.

• MsVoyageur
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: November 2012

@Soon2B_MrsS:  Part of it really depends on how hands-on you want to be about your wedding, and how much support your venue offers. One of my BMs recently got married, and her venue took care of the catering, cake, tables/linens, china and silverware, DJ, etc. She had to pick out a florist and an officiant, but most other things were taken care of. She’s pretty hands-off when it comes to decorating, so she enlisted her family to help make some pretty simple centerpieces, and that was it. She didn’t have a planner, and she didn’t really need a planner. I think the venue may have provided a day-of coordinator, but I’d have to double-check.

My venue does provide the catering, but we are responsible for the cake, DJ, flowers, renting extra tables, all glassware for the bar, alcohol, decorations, officiant, etc. I’m finding that it’s a lot of work but I enjoy it so it’s not too bad. We have a 10-month engagement, which seems to be just the right amount of time. If we were only engaged for a couple months, I would probably hire some kind of planner, because I would go crazy. I also don’t have much help in my city – my mom and best friends live 3,000 miles away, and I don’t have any sisters. I hired a day-of coordinator to take care of things the day of the wedding, since none of the women in my family will be here early enough to be filled in on most of the wedding details.

I hired a day-of coordinator after reading this thread because I got nervous about who in my family would be able to organize vendors, help set things up, and make sure everyone is where they need to be at the right times. We expect to have ~150 guests, so I know my family and wedding party will be all over the place and hard to locate at times.

So the bottom line is, if you want to keep things really simple, or if you want a lot of details but love planning parties and coordinating things, then you don’t need to hire a full-blown wedding planner. You might want to hire one if you expect to be really busy and really want some assistance in planning. If you are most worried about organizing things the day (or week) of your wedding, you may want to hire a day-of coordinator.

• SpecialSundae
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: April 2012

I didn’t have a full service wedding planner, but I did have a professional wedding planner come in to do DOC. I was so glad of her. Honestly, I’ve actually nominated her for an award because I thought she was so wonderful!

• McFierce
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: September 2012

100% have a day of coordinator.  We are having a day of but she has already stepped in and tied up so many loose ends I would not have even thought of (and I am a very organized person almost OCD)

My Future Sister-In-Law got married in May and her wedding turned out beautifully but her and her my Future Mother-In-Law were beyond stressed out that day (they did not have a DOC).  Seriously, my Future Mother-In-Law picked me up at 6am and we left with them at midnight and she was a total stressed out mess the enitre day, she did not even get to enjoy it.  Minutes before my Future Sister-In-Law walked down the aisle she couldnt remember where the guestbook was and was freaking out, it was awful.  A day of coordinator can make sure vendors get paid and tipped out for you, make sure everything is in place, and make sure everything stays on time.  And if any last minute issues pop up they will help you fix it.

Do not think twice and at least hire a DOC!  You will be so glad you did! 

• Eglantine
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: November 2012

I don’t really see the point. A DOC, hell yes. Or even a “month of” person. Because it’s at the end where things really get harried. Full-service wedding planners probably made more sense before the internet (kind of like travel agents) because there was value in having access to their contacts. Most of us can easily search for reviews, get advice from message boards, look at photographers’ blogs, hear musicians, search for venues to look at in person and most everything else online. If you have no interest in doing that research, then a planner may make sense. Or if you’re planning an elaborate affair with a ton of decorations, then you may want a planner to serve as a kind of wedding “designer”? But I enjoyed searching for venues and vendors myself.

• Firinne
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: October 2012

I don’t have a full time planner, but a day of one. I am making all of the decor myself and there are a lot of details to be taken care of. I didn’t want to have to do this all myself on the day or have one of my bridal party of family members do it, so I hired someone to take care of it for me and also wrangle the vendors if needed. I can be a very anxious person, so I took precautions to ensure I had a farely stressfree day as far as the wedding set up goes. I know I will be plenty nervous with just the getting married part!

• Soon2bSykes
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: November 2012

I 100% agree with PP on hiring a Day of Coordinator. Even better if you can find someone that says they do DOC but really hops in the month before to take over. I should specify that this really only applies to those people that are planning many DIY things. If you are a person that found a venue that will really do and include everything you need for your wedding than a DOC really isn’t necessary. 

For me, I am having a semi-destination wedding in Vermont. That alone constitutes having someone “local” that can handle things when I am not there. Additionally, I am an awesome planner, booked all the vendors I wanted, and have already completed most of my DIY projects. But I have a very specific vision and there is no way that I could execute that vision and be the bride. I decided early on that, for me, a DOC is money well spent to keep my sanity and enjoy my day. At three weeks out- I’m handing everything over and I seriously can not wait for that!

• jennicole01
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: July 2012

I didn’t, however, I had a very hands-on venue coordinator who served as my day-of person at the wedding, and he handled all set-up, take-down, timing on the day… everything. It was invaluable to have someone else in charge of all of that!!