You’re newly engaged, and you’re excited to start planning your wedding, but you’re wondering: do I need a wedding planner? What does a wedding planner do, exactly? 

Keep in mind that most wedding planners are self-employed, so they all run their businesses their own way. There’s no “right way” to be a wedding planner, and some offer services that others don’t. That’s why it’s so important to talk to any prospective planners or designers to find out what services they offer and whether they’re a good match for what you want!

Wedding Designers

There is a category of wedding professional called a “wedding designer.” They don’t do any planning for you, but they will design and execute an overall decor theme for your wedding. 

Generally, they’ll put together a proposal including two or three different design themes, with lots of photos to illustrate their ideas. Areas they’ll cover include florals, color scheme, accent pieces (lounge furniture or other decor items), table settings (plates, chargers, linens, flatware, glasses), invitation suites and other stationery items (menus, programs, place cards, escort cards, table numbers, thank you notes), and possibly even a cake design.

Once you choose the design that you like, the designer will execute it for you. They’ll hire the rental company to provide all the pieces included in their proposal. They’ll engage the florist and work with her to design all the floral elements of the wedding (arch decor, table centerpieces, accent arrangements, personal flowers like bouquets and boutonnieres). They’ll order all your stationery items, working with you along the way.

Then on your wedding day, they (and their team) are at your wedding to set up all the decor and make it look beautiful for you.

TL;DR here’s the video link

Wedding Planners

Some wedding planners offer full design services, and some don’t. Again, if full design is something you’re interested in, just ask the planners you speak with whether (and how) they handle design.

There’s another important distinction between planners that we should cover before we get into the details of what a planner does: whether or not they have a dedicated vendor team with whom they always work.

Planners with a Dedicated Vendor Team

Some planners, usually the ones who work on high-end luxury weddings (those with budgets between $100,000 to $1,000,000), have a team of vendors that they ALWAYS work with because they know they can trust them. Those vendors usually include floral designers, caterers, bakeries, rental companies, lighting companies, and decor companies. Bands and DJs may also be included. Generally, photo/video and hair/makeup are not part of the team, and you would hire those professionals separately.

When you hire one of these planners, you are contracting with and paying the planner, and she is contracting with and paying all the vendors. You will have very little direct contact with those subcontractors (which sounds so construction-y, but that’s basically what they are), and your planner will always be with you if you do meet with them.

In this case, there is usually a mark-up on services charged by the planner. (And a reputable planner will be upfront with you about this). For example, if the lighting company would normally charge $5000 for your lighting package, you might instead be paying $5500 because the planner charges a 10% fee for managing the lighting company.

Keep in mind though that the lighting company is probably also offering the planner a discounted rate, because they know her, they’ve worked with her before, and she brings them a lot of business. So if you were to hire the lighting company on your own for the same package, your price could be $6000. So even with the planner’s markup, you’re still saving money. (It’s all complicated and rather opaque, unfortunately.)

Planners Who Work with a Variety of Vendors

It’s more common for wedding planners to work with a variety of vendors, depending on the specific event and the needs of the client. All planners have their favorite, go-to vendors in different categories, but most of us also enjoy working with new (to us) vendors and getting to know other people in the industry.

If you already know a photographer or DJ that you want to work with on your wedding, most planners will gladly welcome them to the team. One caveat: if you want your college roommate who used to DJ frat parties to DJ your wedding, many professional planners will balk at this. DJing and emceeing a wedding is a professional skill. Professional planners like to work with other professionals because it makes the entire event run more smoothly. 

When to Hire a Wedding Planner

You can hire a wedding planner either before or after you’ve secured a wedding venue. Many planners will help you conduct a venue search, but those are time-consuming, so expect to pay extra for that service. 

If you wait until after securing a venue to hire a planner, it’s best to do so before hiring other vendors. One of a wedding planner’s most valuable services is helping you put together the ideal wedding vendor team. You short-change yourself by hiring too many other vendors before hiring your planner.

What Does a Wedding Planner Do

Now we get to the heart of this post (a mere 800+ words in, lol). What does a wedding planner do? 

Puts Together Your Vendor Team

A wedding planner helps you put together the best vendor team. Think of your wedding planner as a matchmaker. Taking into account your personality, your overall wedding vibe, and your budget, she’ll reach out to the vendors she thinks are most likely to benefit your wedding day.

She’ll handle the initial communication to the vendor to see if they’re available on your date, and then she’ll facilitate a meeting or a phone call for the three of you to discuss your wedding and your needs.

You’ll sign a contract with individual vendors and be responsible for payments to them directly, but your planner will facilitate the contracting process.

Manages Communication

In addition to the initial hiring phase, your planner will also manage communication among your vendors throughout the planning process. There is a flurry of communication at the beginning of the process, and then much more as the wedding date approaches and logistical details are being worked out.

Most weddings have between 8 and 12 vendors, so communicating with all of the and keeping everyone on the same page takes a lot of time. Having a planner as your point person takes this responsibility off of you.

Handles Menu and Rental Items

Your wedding planner will work with you and your caterer to put together a menu for your wedding, and she’ll manage your rental order as well. Some caterers provide no tabletop items (plates, flatware, glasses, linens). Some provide only basic white or black linens with basic china and glassware. 

Some caterers work regularly with a rental company and can manage your rental order. But if you want to rent decor items as well as specialty linens and tabletop items, it’s best to have your planner manage the entire order. You know what they say about too many cooks in the kitchen spoiling the soup!

Orders Stationery Products

Most full-service wedding planners will help you order your invitation suite and all the other stationery items you need for your wedding: menu cards, programs, signage, table numbers, escort cards, seating charts, etc. We often have discounts that we can share with our clients to get them the best pricing.

If you want a fully custom stationery suite, your planner can connect you with a stationery designer who can create whatever your heart desires. She can also connect you with calligraphers to custom-create your signage and address your wedding invitations.

Keeps You on Track

A good wedding planner will keep tabs on all of your contracts, deadlines, payment dates, and budget to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Most vendors require an initial deposit to guarantee your date, but the final payment dates can range from 1 month before the wedding to the day of the wedding. Your planner will make sure you don’t miss any payments.

Having an overall budget broken down into individual categories will ensure that you don’t spend more money than you anticipated. Your planner can track all your expenses and enter them into a budget template to keep you on track.

Attends Vendor & Venue Meetings

Your planner will attend all your vendor meetings to facilitate the conversation and make sure all the details are covered. For example, when you meet with your florist to discuss design, your planner will be with you to make sure you order the right number of centerpieces and accent pieces, and can provide information on which rental items and linen colors are being ordered.

Your DJ planning meetings are also an important component to making sure your wedding day flows smoothly. Having your planner there with you helps ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Your planner will also visit the venue with you multiple times. Any planning meetings you have with your venue, your planner will be there too.

Manages Guest Logistics

Wedding planners also make necessary arrangements to make your out-of-town guests have a smooth travel experience. She can arrange hotel room blocks for guests and line up group transportation, such as shuttles or buses, depending on how many guests need transportation. She can also help you put together hotel welcome bags to be presented to your guests when they check into their hotels.

Creates Floor Plans and Seating Charts

As your wedding date gets closer, your planner will put together a floor plan so you know where the tables will be located, where the cake will be, where the buffet tables will be, where the dance floor will be, etc. She can also help you with your seating chart, which is the worst part of planning a wedding!

Only you can decide who will sit where, because you know the interpersonal dynamics of your friends and family. But many wedding planners have online tools that can make the process a little easier for you.

Provides Advice and Guidance

A wedding planner also serves as a counselor for you through the planning process. If you have questions or need advice or need help finding something particular, your planner can help. We have loads of knowledge and experience that we bring to your wedding. 

Ultimately, when you hire a planner, you’re not just hiring her for the tasks that she performs, but you’re also hiring her for her knowledge and expertise. You’re only going to plan one wedding, but we’ve planned dozens and dozens. Let us help you!

Overlap with a Wedding Coordinator

Once your wedding day is only a month or two away, much of what a wedding planner does overlaps with what a wedding coordinator does. Next week, I’ll publish Part Two in this series, which is all about what a wedding coordinator does.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to email me directly at risa@risajamesevents.com!  

Further reading: What’s the Difference Between a Venue Coordinator and a Wedding Coordinator