It might be challenging to complete the many things on your checklist on your own throughout the stressful process of wedding planning, particularly if you're already overburdened with work, school, family, or life in general. For this reason, one of the smartest choices you'll make during the planning process would be to hire a wedding planner. They will take care of a lot of the work so you can truly enjoy your engagement. To help you decide whether hiring a wedding planner is the best decision for you, it's crucial to know what duties a planner has in case you're still undecided about getting one to assist you organize your special day.

What is a Wedding Planner?

Wedding planners assist couples in organizing their wedding day and make sure everything goes according to plan, as their title would suggest. To ease the burden on busy couples, a wedding planner manages an abundance of responsibilities during the months preceding the big day and on the actual day. Experts in their industry, wedding planners use their wealth of experience and wide network of contacts to ensure that couples have a smooth and simple wedding planning process.

It is true that hiring a wedding planner is expensive—an average of $1,700 is spent on one, according to the Noon Moon Events Wedding Study. However, the majority of couples believe that the expenditure is totally justified. All things considered, event planners can really help you save money by using their deep knowledge of the wedding industry to negotiate the best prices and make sure you don't go over your budget.

Wedding Planner vs Wedding Coordinator Responsibilities

Although there are many different kinds of wedding planners, full-service planners and coordinators for the month or day of the wedding are the most in demand. Although the terms "wedding planner" and "wedding coordinator" are sometimes used together, these two professionals are not the same.

According to Dratch-Parker, "a wedding planner is someone who plans the entire event." "A wedding coordinator is responsible for organizing and supporting the wedding day's logistics. The couple just needs assistance with the last-minute preparations and event execution to keep everything on schedule because they have completed all of the major planning involved in getting married."

As you peruse the responsibilities of wedding planners below, keep in mind that full-service planners provide comprehensive coverage of the planning process, whereas month- or day-of coordinators usually simply take care of last-minute logistics and details.

If you think you'll require full-service planning assistance, we recommend scheduling a wedding planner as the first step in your process — a year or more before the big day, if possible. Later on, day-of or month-of coordinators can be employed.

Wedding Planner Duties

Despite the fact that this is a list of the most typical wedding planner jobs, you should carefully review the terms of your planner's package and contract to ensure that you understand all of their defined responsibilities. Every planner has different packages to offer, so it's critical to know what your particular planner will and won't do while you're preparing.

Dratch-Parker explains. "Parts of the planner's services, such assistance with budgeting, choosing vendors, and wedding decor, may be just what couples need and want. Contemporary full-service wedding suppliers typically give a range of packages to accommodate each couple's particular needs."

Focus on the Perfect Wedding

You'll speak with your wedding planner multiple times to decide what kind of event you want to organize before diving in and crossing things off your list. You'll discuss your preferred wedding date, size, style, venue and more, to assist ensure that you, your future husband and your planner are on the same page. Your planner will review your initial vision periodically to make sure you're remaining on course and remembering what matters most.

Create a Sensible Wedding Spending Plan

Creating a budget is one of the first stages of wedding preparation. Many couples may find this challenging since they are unaware of the true expense of a wedding. That's the role of a wedding planner, then. A planner may assist couples maximize their budget by providing a reliable estimate of the cost of their desired event in their location, based on their extensive experience in the industry.

Select a Wedding Venue

A wedding planner can assist you in selecting the ideal site for your special day, as it will determine the overall tone of your event. They will compile a list of potential locations after taking your wedding's size, theme, and budget into consideration. To assist you narrow down on your ideal event place, they might even go with you on tours of local wedding ceremony and reception locations.

Connect You Up with the Top Wedding Suppliers 

Following the official setting of the date and venue reservation, your planner will put you in touch with the best suppliers within your budget, including caterers, flowers, photographers, bands, DJs, and more. They will be able to pinpoint just which suppliers will work best for your event, saving you hours of excruciating research time on hundreds of different pros. 

In addition to saving you time, using a planner can also help you save money: Favored vendors benefit from the volume that wedding planners bring in, and frequently, this results in price reductions or extras.

Plan Design Elements

In addition, your wedding planner should collaborate with your designer and other experts to design items such as signage, escort card displays, and more for your special day. Another option is to work with a different wedding designer to handle this.

Take care of the specifics of wedding invitations. 

Invitations to your wedding are arguably the most important means of communication between you and your guests. Everything from the wording and arranging of the invitation to the addressing and sending, as well as keeping track of RSVPs, can be handled by your planner.