Wedding Planners and Wedding Designers:

(And why you might need both!)

Here it is!  The day you’ve been pining and waiting for.  The day you celebrate your union with your beloved.  The day your family and friends cheer you on and commit to supporting you and your love.   You will talk about this day for years to come, show your photos of this day to your children and grandchildren, and treasure this day in your heart your whole life.   You know it’s not just about the day; but it’s about the commitment.  And you are here for it!

As excited as you are to marry your love, you also know that special days like this do not happen without a lot of work!  There are the big things to think about: what will you wear, where to marry, where the reception will be, the types of photos or videos you would like, what accommodations will you be making for traveling guests, who will be in your wedding party, what traditions you’d like to include. The list can grow quickly!  While your long to-do list may seem daunting and overwhelming, there are professionals who can help manage and support you; making your wedding goals come true!  

Wedding Planners and Wedding Designers are like the fairy godmothers of the wedding industry.   You may have heard of these occupations before but here is a breakdown of what these industry professionals do and how they can help you reach your wedding goals!  Depending on your needs, you may find yourself gravitating toward one or the other, or possibly both, as they both have different functions and purposes. 

Wedding Planners are the logistical managers behind the scenes.  Planners help understand your goals, create a budget for your important day, and stay within that budget.  Wedding planners are an invaluable resource in organizing tasks required to make your celebratory events and wedding day run smoothly.  Leading up to your big day, a wedding planner will schedule and attend meetings with provided and select vendors, such as caterers, DJs, and florists.   Knowing all that needs to align on your wedding day, a planner will create a schedule, or checklist, for the events before, during, and after your wedding to make sure that tasks are being accomplished and running smoothly and most importantly, to help all to be on time and running according to the timeline you agreed upon.  Your wedding planner can even work to make sure your guests have lodging and transportation to access wedding events.  With the stress of all there is to do and remember surrounding your big day, your wedding planner can help you plan, prepare, and execute, making your wedding day as stress-free as possible.  Additionally, wedding planners are often present at your rehearsal, wedding, and reception to ensure any hiccups are easily remedied and all runs smoothly.   

Wedding planners are a tremendous asset to those who have a desire to be involved in their wedding but may not have the time to execute all that is involved with planning their special day.  For example, if you have a busy or stressful job, hiring a wedding planner to help you outsource tasks might help make the process of preparing for marriage easier and more enjoyable for you and your partner.  Additionally, wedding planners help create structure and vision for those who may lack the organization skills or desire to keep your checklist straight and in order, and especially for those who feel overwhelmed by the process.  For those planning a destination wedding, wedding planners can be an invaluable resource!  They know the ins and outs of the local community, making the transition easy for you and your guests to navigate new territory.   Finally, there is something tremendously soothing about having a professional available and present to make your day, and all the events around it, to run calmly, smoothly, and on time, relieving stress from the bride, groom, and their families.

Wedding Designers offer a different service from a Wedding Planner.  Designers are professionals who deal primarily with the aesthetics and visual appeal of your big day.  Much of their design work is completed prior to your wedding and events, such as assisting you in selecting a color palate you love,  creating a floor plan of your space to maximum usage and purpose, and envisioning the wedding decor and ambiance of your dreams.  If your goals are an elegant, seemly transitioned wedding, from the stationary you mail out to your linens at each table, hiring a wedding designer is a great choice.  Wedding Designers are hired because of the sophistication and class they can create and cultivate for you.     If you want a beautiful wedding with attention to detail, a wedding designer might be the best choice for you.

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You may want to hire a wedding designer if you find yourself unable to make decisions easily on what you want and simply need help to cultivate the style you are hoping to achieve.  Additionally, if you find yourself lacking creativity to build your wedding from the ground up, you may want to hire a designer who has an artistic eye already.  If refinement is what you are seeking, but you aren’t sure you have the skill set, or even the time, to make that happen, then hiring a designer may save your time and energy to focus on other details of your wedding.

To help narrow down your needs, you and your partner can sit down together and make a list of the tasks that excite you regarding wedding planning AND the tasks that you would prefer to avoid, ignore, or not worry about.   If you notice more items on that avoid/ignore list are task orientated and dealing with details, then a wedding planner may be the best professional to hire to help you accomplish your goals and ease some of the stress of the unwanted tasks.  If, when you sit down, the tasks to avoid and ignore deal more with picking out attire, narrowing down a venue, or what your tables will look like at your wedding, then a wedding designer may best meet your needs.  If you are a combination of both concerns and issues, it may be in your best interest to hire both professionals to help assist you.  After all, the whole point of becoming engaged is the fun and enjoyment in celebrating your ever after together as a married couple.  If you are too stressed with tasks or design ideas to fulfill your goals, hiring a Wedding Planner and/or a Wedding Designer might be the best decision you ever made, after saying yes to each other, of course!

Happy Planning and Designing!