Why You Should Hire a Wedding Planner or Coordinator

It’s no secret that planning a wedding is literally a full-time job, and most couples getting married are busy enough with their own careers. There are countless decisions to be made and hours upon hours of scheduling and corresponding with vendors. Especially after this year with wedding details constantly changing. Whether you’ve been adding to your dream wedding board on Pinterest for as long as you can remember, or you have no idea where to begin, hiring a wedding planner will save you both time and money when it comes to your big day. 

Here are 5 reasons why you should hire a planner or coordinator.

They are flexible. 

When deciding to hire outside help to plan your wedding, it is important to consider the different options available that will fit your needs and your budget. Many planners offer customizable services that can accommodate what you are willing to spend. This is where the distinction between a wedding planner and a day-of coordinator comes in. 

A full-service wedding planner will be with you from the very beginning and every step along the journey to your wedding day. From the initial consultation, their job is to bring your vision to life. This includes meeting with vendors on your behalf, ensuring that you are staying within the budget, offering consults as needed, negotiating contracts, keeping a scheduled timeline, being available to the couple 24/7 and so much more. For some brides and grooms, this is a necessity. Most of the couples who get married here live out of state, so having someone local really aids in the planning process.

If you love weddings, or are just incredibly organized and adamant about planning your own, then perhaps a day-of coordinator is the right fit for you. Day-of coordinators are important because when it comes to your wedding day, you want to be able to sit back, relax and have all of the arrangements and timelines taken care of for you. Day-of coordinators generally come into play a few weeks to a month before the wedding where they will handle finalizing the vendors, arranging day-of timelines, setup and breakdown and making sure that your day flows as seamlessly as possible. 

They will save you time.

Today’s couples are engaged for an average of 15 months. During that time, wedding planners can spend anywhere from 80-200+ hours planning a single wedding and others all at the same time. For couples who both work and lead busy lives, it is difficult to find the hours in the day to correspond with vendors, make arrangements and appointments, create timelines, schedule rehearsals, track budgets, make design decisions, etc. There is a lot of work that goes into being a wedding planner that may go unrecognized until you are faced with the challenge, especially when it comes to the contracts. Planners already know all of these things because it is what they do every single day. Most of the time, what may take you hours, will take them a few minutes by either knowing who to call or from past experiences. Take the time to enjoy your engagement with the one you love and let someone else handle the rest. 

They will save you money.

Hiring a planner may seem like a big investment at first, but the return is well worth it. By knowing your budget and tracking it, planners can make decisions to spend your money where it matters and on what will have the greatest impact. Planners are also more likely to know the other vendors that you are working with and can negotiate deals or special rates that you may have missed out on since they are a repeat customer and you are not. 

They are experienced.

Unlike your friend who was obsessed with planning their own wedding, planners and coordinators have done this all before. Many times. They have tons of insider knowledge and seasoned wedding planners will be able to guide you through any questions, concerns or problems that arise. Another bonus is that planners and coordinators see wedding and design trends all the time! If you are tired of scouring the web for ideas, they will always have something new and original that you may not have seen or heard of before. When it comes to the day of your wedding, planners are well equipped with everything they need in case something goes wrong. A button popped off of the tux? There aren’t enough chairs? These are all scenarios that they have seen before and that can be resolved in no time, so that you will never have to worry (or even know) about it. 

They are local.

If you’re planning on getting married on the Outer Banks, the chances are high that you do not live here. The Outer Banks is a popular destination wedding location, and for good reason. There is so much to offer on this sandbar and plenty of options for all types of couples. Having a local planner grants you access to someone with insider knowledge of the area, and with relations within the community. They know the venues, the caterers, the florists, etc. They are aware of the rules, regulations and permits needed to get married on the beach or in the town you wish. Being a part of an association allows our planners and coordinators to work with all different types of vendors and they can make recommendations based on your wedding. If you still want to make the trip to the Outer Banks to meet vendors, plan on doing so during either our annual Wedding Weekend & Expo or the OBX Wedding Fest where many vendors are all in one place and venues are open to tours. 

Wedding planning is a lot, but when you are able to see and experience the final product, it will all be worth it! Browse our Planners and Coordinators, or if you have already selected a venue, check to see if they offer in-house planning services. 

Header Image: 

Photographer: Brooke Mayo Photographers

Planner: Heart of Harlow

Hair & Makeup: Glimmer Hair & Makeup

Venue: Westside Inn

Officiant, Lighting & Equipment Rentals: I Do OBX Weddings & Events

Dance floor: Metro Rental

Catering: Kellys OBX Catering

Cake: Just Desserts