When to Hire a Wedding Planner

Congratulations! You're getting married and you're ecstatic, overwhelmed and a little crazy. Is this the way it should be? Well, yes...and...no. With so many things to plan, this is a busy time for you. Do you want to save time, money and avoid stress? Then hire a wedding planner!

Time is valuable. If you're planning a "long-distance" wedding, a planner can make all the phone calls for you, contact vendors, set the appointments, view potential sites, and interview caterers. Do you really want to make five or seven trips far away to make arrangements? Plus, there's all those long distance phone calls, air fare, and hotel rooms! Did you make the right decisions? You won't know until the day of the wedding, without a planner. A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Unlike an anniversary or birthday party, you don't have second chance to correct mistakes next year! A planner can absolutely assure everything will go smoothly on your special day.

Many corporate business people and business owners also lack that valuable commodity, time. When you work 10 to 12 hour days, your time is precious. It's impossible to be on the phone interviewing florists, bands, and limousine companies. Let a planner handle these calls. Your free time should be spent with each other!

Is it a whirlwind courtship? If you plan to be married within six to eight months, a planner can zero in on the best available sites and caterers immediately.

A hint -- when you're making up your guest list, don't invite stress! This is a happy occasion and stress is the last thing you need. Is the time short, the wedding long-distance? Maybe you have great ideas, but your mother or maid of honor aren't nearby. A planner can be your support system, confidante and friend. If you're going to "stress out" anyway, better it's over "nothing". Don't wake up in the middle of the night worrying; the planner has everything handled. Trust a professional.

A wedding can be expensive. Are you trying to save money? A planner handles hundreds of weddings and can obtain discounts unavailable to the general public. She has clout! A planner can negotiate special discounts with each vendor and also obtain "perks" at locations. Hate the word budget? Well, a planner can put together a realistic budget for you and also hire skilled people who already are "values". Your planner will plan ahead and prevent over-priced, panic buying! She'll make sure you don't pay those hidden costs on sites and services, or for guests who don't show up. Avoid the related travel and phone costs of long-distance weddings with a planner, too.

By making sure things run smoothly and on time, the planner will save you incredible over-time costs. One hour of over-time with a location site or photographer can cost you between $400-600, if not more! Time goes so quickly on a wedding day. Your planner can graciously orchestrate the day for you, so your wedding is memorable and calm. Yes, all weddings have glitches. A planner makes sure you never have to deal with or see them. How nice!

You can hire a planner at any stage in your wedding plans, from beginning to end. She can save you the most money, time and stress in the early planning stages, however. Look at a planner as a necessity, as you would regard a caterer, site or photographer. She is just as important! Almost one-third of couples surveyed after their wedding who did not use a planner dearly wish they had!

You may spend thousands of dollars on your wedding. You want things done well. A planner will ensure your wedding day will be one of fond memories, not "bloopers".

Robbin Montero is a wedding and special events planner in Northern California.