Above: An Oliveaire Bride vs. Above: Did Not Get a Planner
If you have made the decision to hire a Wedding Planner to manage your Day-of Wedding Coordination, Congratulations, you are now a BLISS Bride. Today, more and more brides are feeling the stress of their Wedding Day and are opting to let a professional take over to fine tune the details, and to oversee the execution of those details on the day of their Wedding. By hiring a Day-of Wedding Coordinator, brides can feel relaxed in knowing that the details are handled and all they have to do is completely enjoy the best day of their life. Since you have decided to give yourself the best wedding present, what should you expect from their Day-of Coordination Planner? Here are some tips:
Define Expectations:
Remember they are being retained to oversee your day-of details. This means that you as the bride, will coordinate and plan the details leading up to the Wedding. A good Wedding Planner will organize all of your details in a flawless execution. Planners work with a plethora of forms that detail every segment of the Wedding. Have the planner show you their forms, which will be utilized in executing your event.
Also, a great planner will be there for you regarding your vendors. There are many aspects with a vendor that you may not realize. The Day-of Coordinator will contact your vendor & will then be your liaison so you will not have to worry about contacting these vendors before and on the day of. A Planner will also make sure each vendor has what they need, will schedule them accordingly to your timeline and will make sure they are there on time and completely prepared.
The best expectation of all is you do not have to worry about a thing on your Wedding Day. Most Brides do not realize how many intricate details go into planning & executing a Wedding. By the time it get’s close to the event, Brides who did not hire a Planner seem to want the day to be over with, instead of looking forward to their big day. This is a day all about you and your new spouse, spending the happiest day of your life with close family and friends and enjoying every single moment of it. The Planner is to make sure the event goes smoothly, and if there is a small issue, they are to make sure you do not know about it.
Hours of Service:
A Day-of-Coordination Package must include at least 11 hours of service. Typically 1 hour is reserved for rehearsal and 10 hours are for the day of the event. Use this time wisely! Planners are extremely important during the beginning of the day. If your ceremony is planned for 2pm and your make-up/hair, vendor set-up and pictures are scheduled for 11:00am, retain the service from 10:30am to 8:30pm. If you are not done with the important details by 8:30pm, consider adding a couple of hours to your package. An Event Assistant is typically included in the package as well.
How to Choose the Right Planner:
There are some great seasoned planners that may cost more. And then there are some planners starting out in the business that charge less. I personally would want the best to take care of my Wedding, especially when so much is invested in it. I would want someone with experience, so that when it came time to make hard decisions, they will draw from their past events and will make the right decision. I would also want my planner to have a leadership quality so that clear directions are given to the vendors, and excellent service to my guests. But most importantly, I would want to make sure that they have a well-trained Event Support team, so that my event is not dependent on just one person.
Cost:
A traditional Day-of-Coordination Package can cost from $2,500.00, for an experience planning company, to $1,200.00 for a novice. If your event is a sophisticated, detail driven and vendor loaded program, I would opt for an experienced planner. The $1,300.00 will be well worth paying for, if it means the best are orchestrating your event. Some ethnic events, with traditions and cultural influence, may require longer hours and multiple days. For such events, expect to pay slightly more. The size of the event will impact the price.
What Not to Expect From a Planner:
Planners are there to oversee your vendors, in making sure that they are performing as they have been contracted to do, also making sure Aunt Mae gets her low sodium vegetarian meal, and your Bridesmaid is not lost when it comes time to take pictures. Resourceful Planners are experts in all arenas of Wedding Planning. However, they are not florists, photographers, cake decorators, chair cover installers, butlers or bellman. They are quick to get a team that will deliver these types of services, but cannot be expected to put together your centerpieces on the day of your Wedding. However, some planners may be able to offer such services for additional cost. Remember you are paying at least $1,200.00 to your Planner. If you are using her to add flowers to the table, or move Wedding inventory from the Church to the Reception venue, you are definitely overpaying. Let your Planner manage the other vendors to most effectively accomplish these tasks.
Your Wedding Day is about you and your Groom. There should not be any need for a Bride to micromanage her vendors, or stand by the placecard table assisting guests to find their escort cards. If your budget allows, at a minimum, hire a “Day-of-Coordinator.” I promise you that you will look back at your Wedding day and know the second most important person on your big day was your Wedding Planner.
An Oliveaire Bride & Groom
BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now),
Olivia
