Photo by Julia Goldberg Photography
Having a wedding planner, or at least a day-of-coordinator, can save your whole experience as a bride. They'll help you organize your dream day, ensure you have excellent vendors, and keep things running smoothly throughout. For those adventure couples doing most of the heavy lifting, you'll at least want to make sure you bring on a day-of-coordinator (doing without can cause your best-laid plans to fall apart in the 11th hour, and we don't want that). So here are our tips on finding a fantastic partner for the main event.
This can be one of the most important decisions of your wedding-- a planner or coordinator can make the difference in your stress level during the early stages, on the big day, and even after it's all over. Planners help keep things in order and can be an essential connection to the rest of your vendors (a must for all destination couples). But how do you find the right one?
We consulted with three of the top planners in the Southwest, Tambra Moultrie of Tambra Moultrie Weddings, Kristin and Alley of Poppy Lane Events, and Jacqueline Grena of SunRae Planning. Here's what they want couples to know as you make your selection on such an important vendor...
Photo by *Forevermore Films
#1. Someone You Trust
You want someone who you know will get the job done! You want someone that will bring your vision to life in a beautiful and (mostly) stress-free way. Whether you have a specific vision or an inkling of an idea-- no problem! You just need someone with the know-how and the resources to bring it together.
Kristin and Ally with Poppy Lane Events summed it up nicely, "We (planners) are creative artists and we want our clients to feel they can trust and believe in us. We recommend you find a planner you love, then trust in their talent to bring it together. We know how much time it takes to plan the perfect day. As your planners, we are in it for the long haul. We will design, source and achieve your dream wedding."
#2. Someone You Can Communicate With
One if the biggest (if not THE biggest) reason brides hire a planner/coordinator is that they're doing this for the first time-- we get it! Jacqueline of SunRae Events noted, "Great communication is the key to successful wedding planning and definitely the key to minimizing stress and frustrations. Regular status updates from your planner or coordinator is peace of mind that planning tasks are being handled, vendors are being followed up with, and decisions are being made and communicated to all parties involved."
Photo by *Tanner Castro Films
#3. Someone Who Is Organized
It's true, your wedding day will be the most exciting day ever-- but also one of the most stressful if put in the wrong hands. You'll want someone who, as Tambra of Tambra Moultrie Weddings stated, "has the ability to prioritize, categorize, and conceptualize every detail of your event. Having someone with an organized mindset will always serve your investment well."
Photo by Kalena Photography
#4. Someone With These Traits
•Tambra: "Passionate"
•Jacqueline: "Adaptable"
•Kristin & Ally: "Detailed"
Once you've selected someone that fits the bill, planners and coordinators often say it's one of the best vendor relationships you'll build from the whole experience! You want someone who is customer-centric, focused, and widely capable of bringing your vision to life.
Because when it's done...
Planners are often the closest vendor you work with to put your whole wedding or elopement together. In fact, when you put the right planner in charge, you relieve the most stressful duties from friends and family who would rather support you in other valuable ways. You may even find yourself wanting to send them little messages long after the wedding day letting them know about the new and exciting chapters in your life. Funny enough, that came up with each planner we interviewed as one of their favorite parts of their work...
Tambra: "The best part is this joy doesn't end after we clean up and leave. I feel honored to receive birth announcements, text messages telling me about their new home purchase, planning visits to come back and visit, and phone calls just to catch up or even needing someone to listen and support them when life throws a curve ball. I truly have the most incredible clients and love them dearly. "
Kristin & Alley: "As wedding planners & coordinators we want your day to flow as planned. Our aim is to create a day for love, laughter and happy tears to be in abundance you'll feel long after it's over."
Jacqueline: "I love the brides that are hyped about the celebration and the ones that I'm able to build friendships within the year (or more) that we work together. I know it sounds cliché, but those friendships are so real to me and it's like watching one of my friends get married which makes my heart SO HAPPY. Not only that, but getting to see my couples AFTER their wedding and maintaining that friendship (even if it's long-distance through social media) is the best thing ever."
