6 things to take care if you’re not hiring a wedding planner
A wedding is a big affair and deserves all the attention it seeks. It’s an event of a lifetime and involves a lot of decision-making from the couple involved. Be it something as simple as the decision of flowers or something as crucial as the selection of the celebrant. No matter how small or big, all these decisions contribute to making the wedding day a success or a failure.
One such significant decision is the decision of going with or without a wedding planner. Irrespective of how convenient it sounds, there could be many reasons why people decide against it.
Here are some reasons why people do not opt to work with a wedding planner:
- Planning your big day with your partner is a joy that is beyond description; it is a lifetime experience for sure. However, couples also vouch on the mix of both fun and not-so-fun planning procedures during wedding planning. Some couples choose to do it all, while some others outsource the not-so-fun parts to a wedding planner.
- Couples think that having their wedding planned by a stranger will make their wedding seem less personal. Couples want their wedding day to be unique and personalized. They expect their wedding to be a statement of their personalities. The expectation from someone else understanding “Your story” as well as you is a daunting task.
- Most importantly, people think that the decision of hiring a wedding planner is extremely costly. The Truth is, it is certainly an additional cost to be incurred. It may or may not be worth all the money as wedding planners certainly make things less stressful for the couple.
Planning a wedding while also preparing for the most significant leap in your life could be overwhelming. Now that you have decided not to hire a wedding planner let’s move from there. Before you proceed any further, though, do not be too hard on yourself and always remember to enjoy the whole process. After all, it’s your wedding, and you can always choose to navigate things as per your convenience and moods.
Here are 6 things to take care of if you are not hiring a wedding planner:
Organize the hundred and one different tasks first:
This is one thing that comes with practice and experience. This task becomes easier if either of you is accustomed to making to-do lists in his/her daily life. Talk to friends and families and keep a thorough track of all the things that need attention. It could be the flowers, the venue, the caterers, dresses, rings and invitations. The next step would expect you to follow the right sequence of attending to these tasks. Set your priorities early during the process and then proceed. You and your partner would know your preferences and budget constraints best. Some of these tasks would involve:
- Creating a timeline for the day of your wedding.
- Deciding on a theme and tone for your wedding day and planning your invites and dresses accordingly.
- Create and review the contracts you make with all your vendors.
- Coordinate your vendor arrivals with the venue you have chosen.
Keep updated with the latest wedding trends:
It’s not just exciting to browse through wedding magazines but useful too. This is one task that you will thrive at, better than any wedding planner. It’s your wedding day, and your style should be predominant. However, it’s wise to keep a close eye on the latest wedding trends and fashions. Specific colours and patterns might be in, during the season you are getting wedded; you can choose to include them. These ideas will help you create a unified look that goes in line with the theme you have selected.
You will also have to choose your bridesmaids’ dresses and other visual details like that of the table runners.
You will have to be your peacemaker:
During weddings and the procedures that precede them, there will be discussions that include multiple opinions on the same idea. It’s the job of the wedding planner during such situations to help make the final decision. In the absence of the wedding planner, you will have to make sure you have another person whose decision is final in such times.
Find resourceful vendors:
In most cases, wedding planners have a lot of experience working with all kinds of vendors. They make use of this expertise to find vendors who are the most flexible and open to customizations. In the absence of a wedding planner, you will have to make sure to choose from a pool of vendors to land with the best fit. It might look like extra work, but you can always take help from your learned celebrant and friends/families who have already been married.
Decide on Day-of-the-wedding coordinators:
The day of your big wedding would be tiring for multiple reasons. Your colleagues would want to greet you; your dress might need a last-minute fitting and so much more. Most importantly, you would want to be able to enjoy your big day and spend time with your wedding guests. However, this is also the day of all the final acts and executions. Every vendor has to be coordinated well in advance to avoid a last-minute glitch. Without a wedding planner, you will have to decide on another point of contact for your wedding day. Some tasks that need coordination are:
- Meet vendors and handle last-minute no-shows.
- Setting up your ceremony and reception spaces.
- Dealing with unruly guests and unwelcome guests etc.
Stick to your planned budget:
You can take help from a third party like a close friend or a family member who can help you stick to your budget. It’s common for couples to go overboard in wedding planning and going out of their budgets, only to regret it later.