What Is A Wedding Planner?

A wedding planner is the person responsible for helping clients plan their wedding from start to finish or specific wedding activities. Your wedding planner is like your best friend when it comes to your wedding. They’ll also be like your fairy godmother when it comes to your celebration.

What Is the Task of a Wedding Planner?

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The main function of a wedding planner is to plan, design and execute all aspects related to the wedding. They listen to the client, understand her needs and vision about the wedding, create a budget and negotiate contracts with the suppliers.

The wedding logistics are also in their hands. They will coordinate the setup and breakdown for each provider. They will also create optimal timeline and make sure that the wedding day activities run smoothly. Any unforeseen events that may arise during the wedding, the wedding planner will solve it without the couple or guests even noticing.

Services of A Wedding Planner

Today the services of a wedding planner are many. Now we will talk about the most common ones. They range from advice, creation of budget, search for venues and suitable suppliers, styling of the couple, organizing and to accompany the menu degustation, makeup and hairdresser trials.

The wedding planner is the person who accompanies and guides the bride and groom during the months prior to the wedding, often up to two years in advance. Thanks to her experience in the sector, she knows how to minimize time, where to start, how to create a payment schedule, and keep the bride and groom on top of it.

They also offer partial wedding planning or coordination only on the wedding day depending on the needs of the couples.

How Much Does A Wedding Planner Charge?

It should be noted that each wedding planning company is different and specialized in different areas. Some prioritize more design and styling, others are specialized in Asian weddings with more than 300 or 400 guests, some offer only coordination on the day of the wedding and others offer a comprehensive service of planning, execution, design and coordination of day B.

Normally, wedding planners charge based on their experience in the sector. But it is also true that it will depend a lot on the area they live. In some areas of Spain, a wedding planner can cost from €1,200 for a full wedding service, while if we talk about Madrid, Barcelona or Marbella, the price starts from € 1,800 to € 5,000, € 7,000 and more.

The price of a coordination is between € 800 and € 1500, depending on the number of guests, distances, logistics and if the wedding will be executed by one or more coordinators.

Why Should You Hire A Wedding Planner?

When couples begin to organize their wedding, most of them do not know where to start. They often have no contact with this sector and although at first glance it may seem like an easy task, I assure you that it is more complex and stressful than it seems.

Today couples work and have very little time to research the market, find the optimal suppliers, the ideal venue that fits with their budget and many other tasks. That’s where a professional wedding planner comes in, they are easy to organize and hire. Here are five more reasons to hire a wedding planner:

1. Because she is the person who advises and accompanies you throughout the entire process. You can discuss with her all your concerns and needs as she will be watching over you at all times.

2.Because she knows the sector, works with several suppliers and knows how to negotiate with them. She recommends the ones that best suit your  needs and budget

3. It saves you time in management, logistics and unnecessary search for a multitude of suppliers that do not adapt to your needs and that will only waste a lot of time.
4. They are organized, know the venues and always have a plan B, C and D if necessary, having the ability to resolve all unforeseen situations that may arise.

5.According to statistics, a couple that organizes their wedding without the help of a professional invests between 300-400 hours. Whereas a wedding planner can cut these times in half and this is due to their expertise and knowledge of the sector, therefore a wedding planner is certainly a profitable investment.

How to Choose Your Wedding Planner?

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The responsibility of organizing a wedding is an emotional roller coaster for couples. Some days will be stressful because of preparations, others full of happiness and so on. That is why it is important to have a person who understands you to help you to carry out this process with tranquility and harmony.

All our couples experience these feelings, nobody better than a wedding planner to understand what you are going through. The task of choosing your perfect wedding planner will not be easy since each one has a different personality and way of working. Some couples choose the wedding planner according to their age, others pay more attention to the work they have done. And others are simply guided by recommendations from friends or family.

My advice is that you look for a person with whom you have a connection. This is quite an important point since there are many months of preparation and you have to feel very comfortable at all times.

She should, of course, be a professional who knows how to listen and provide optimal solutions to your concerns. Keep in mind that the wedding planner becomes your friend and confidante, and must be a good fit for your personality.

Types of Wedding Planners

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The idea of a wedding planner was born in the United States approximately 50 years ago. Yes, 50 years, while in Spain it has only been a few years. But it has come to stay and today it has become a need for many Spanish couples.

The term wedding planner is often confusing with “wedding coordinator”. And is important to note that there are different types of wedding planners, each one specializing in an area.

So, a wedding planner is a person who is dedicated to planning the wedding, searching for suppliers, creating timelines and other aspects related to planning the event. A wedding coordinator is dedicated to coordinating the wedding day. She does not have to know about planning, design or styling of the venue.

A wedding designer or stylist is the person in charge of the design. Choosing the colour palette, suitable furniture and combining all the elements so that everything is in harmony. Unlike the coordinator, she does not have to know the planning. Her main task is to stylize the venue so that everything is perfectly combined.

Our Latest Wedding Planner Jobs

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In our latest works you can see different styles of weddings, each couple is unique and all our weddings are personalized. We are LGTB friendly and proud to celebrate love freely. Each couple is a unique story and they leave traces in our hearts. Take a look at our proposals and don’t forget that our designer can personalize every last detail in order for you to have an original wedding.

The Difference Between an Inhouse Wedding Coordinator and An External Wedding Planner

Without a doubt, this is an issue that always creates a lot of uncertainty. Couples tend to doubt as to whether they need an external wedding planner or to continue with the one that the venue offers them for free. It’s time for the truth!

An internal wedding coordinator is a person who is specifically in charge of the details related to the venue. Although they make sure that the ceremony (in case of being symbolic), the reception and the catering are carried out as scheduled, they always work from the point of view of the place, not from yours.

On the other hand, pay attention to this. For example, if you decide to have a religious ceremony, remember that the in-house coordinator will not handle the church reservation or documentation. They will coordinate your entry and exit, receive guests, and guide them to their seats. They will also decorate the pews with flowers and arrange the order of the mass.

She will not coordinate transportation from the church to the venue, nor will she coordinate with the vendors you have chosen on your behalf, the organization of pre- or post-wedding events. Her hours are generally Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00 and outside these hours, she cannot be contacted even in case of emergency.

A wedding planner external to the venue is responsible for the full organization of all aspects of the wedding. She plans, designs and coordinate the wedding from beginning to end. She creates the roadmap and is in contact with all the suppliers making sure that they all arrive on time, executing their work in an impeccable manner.

She is in charge of reserving the church and informs you of the steps to follow and necessary documentation to do the registration of the marriage coordinates your entrance and exit from the church. She receives the guests, coordinates the buses and leaves the wedding generally after your first dance.

For any emergency she is available on weekends or evenings at night. Please note that this does not mean writing or calling during her sleep time. But if you have an emergency, she will be there to solve it.

Note: the external wedding planners work in synergy with the venue’s internal wedding planners. There is very good communication and complicity, after all, they both want your wedding to be spectacular. And without any inconvenience thus ensuring double peace of mind.

Wedding Planner Online Vs Physical Wedding Planner

The online service is perfect for those couples who want to plan their own wedding but would benefit from the assistance of experts to find the perfect venue for their big day as well as to define other important aspects.

It consists of online consultancies and mentoring for those couples who do not know where to start or perhaps they are in the middle of the process, but they begin to have doubts and concerns. Keep in mind that this service is 100% online, which implies that on the wedding day you will have to take care of the coordination of the suppliers and be aware of all the details.

It is very common to delegate certain aspects to relatives and this in my opinion is a big mistake since they have a responsibility behind them and this prevents them from enjoying your celebration without worries. Not being used to dealing with suppliers, respecting the roadmap, this can bring stress and discomfort, therefore I recommend hiring a coordinator and leaving all the details in their hands.

On the other hand, a physical wedding planner, as the term suggests, is someone who is present in person from the beginning to the end of the wedding. Her task is to cover absolutely all the details, she will be aware of you at all times and to all the suppliers taking care of all the unforeseen events to perfectly coordinate the roadmap or the well-known timeline.

They will answer all the questions and doubts that your guests may have without them bothering you on the most important day of your life. They will also be responsible for paying those providers that charge their services in cash and ensure that they fully comply with what was promised.

They’ll check all the elements of the decoration, the canapés of the cocktail without you or your family noticing. Your only task will be to enjoy, I tell you from experience that this day flies by.

Tips and Tricks for Future Couples

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The wedding process can be stressful, I’m not going to lie to you, more than once you are going to have discussions about this. The nerves are on the surface because you’ll be expecting the presence of many people and we want everything to be perfect.

Although it sounds a bit selfish, my first advice is that you think of yourself. Unfortunately it will be difficult to please all the guests. The reason is very simple, we are all different, we like certain colors, themes, food, decoration and an endless number of other differences, do not forget that the wedding is yours and therefore you have to feel identified with it.

So that no one can give you unwarranted comments about your wedding, a very good trick is to keep the chosen menu, color palette and more elements a secret. Just give a little hint with the paper invitations, but keep everything else is a surprise.

Another tip would be to hire a wedding planner or a wedding coordinator for the day to handle negotiations with suppliers, logistics, assembly and disassembly plans, etc. Want a tip for choosing the one that best suits your needs? Here it is: she should be a straightforward, passionate professional. She should also be open, communicative, and give you the feeling that she’s a trusted friend.

Attention! Things You Should Not Ask Your Wedding Planner

Undoubtedly this are some quite interesting points to discuss, many couples or relatives ask for things that are out of place and that all wedding planners should refuse to comply with.

1. Deal with family problems.

It is very common for differences to appear, perhaps your mother does not like flowers, your aunt wants to help decorate, but your mother-in-law also wants to get involved. When so many people want to coordinate according to their criteria, things can get complicated and put the couple in a commitment.

Asking your wedding planner to fix these problems is not the solution, nor is it for family members to call them directly. Remember that the wedding planner service includes several hours of work that are exclusively dedicated to the wedding and not to family problems.

2. Replace a DJ with a homemade pen drive

Many times, couples want to save the DJ fees, they think it is better to take a pen drive to the venue. They think that the wedding planner is aware of its operation and when it should play x song. The wedding planner is not a sound technician and has too many tasks to be in charge of the pen drive. She will not be responsible in case the songs are poorly ordered or just not working at the time.

3. Work more hours than your contract stipulates

Keep in mind that a wedding planner has more couples to attend to and if you require more hours you will have to pay an extra price for it, just as if you ask the venue for one more plate of food, or that the photographer stays 2 more hours.

4. Believe that the wedding planner is available 24/7

This is a fairly common mistake, although every time Couples understand that the wedding planner is a person and has their own life, as well as more couples to manage, suppliers, negotiations, etc. You can’t expect him to call you back at 1:30 in the morning or answer your WhatsApp at 4:30, they are hours of rest and you have to respect this.

5. Be aware of the toilets

As unusual as it may seem, there are couples who ask their wedding planner to look at the toilets, replace the paper or fix the baskets with products. For this you have to hire cleaning staff since they are not tasks of a wedding planner, remember that she is present so that the planning, execution and coordination of the wedding is fulfilled.

If You Don’t Hire A Wedding Planner, Do This!

Have you decided to be your own wedding planner and take care of all the organization and planning? Congratulations, it will be a challenge and not everyone is willing to try it.

The first thing you should do is research the market very well, set a budget and a guest list. Once you have in mind a budget for the entire wedding, start looking for venues. This task will take time since it is one of the most important steps. Once you have chosen the venue, start hiring the most important suppliers, such as the catering, photographer, florist.

I advise you to send an RSVP because you can’t make the guest list until you know the guests who will actually be able to attend your wedding. We estimate that you will have at least 20/30 fewer people and if it is a wedding destination it may be even more. So before printing the paper invitations it is good to have a more realistic number.

Make it very orderly, create payment calendars, save receipts and contracts for each supplier, define the color palette according to the venue and your personality, choose the decorations, specify the menu test, dress and suits, ladies’ dresses, makeup and hairdressing and establish meetings with suppliers.

Three or four months before, send the paper invitations, create the seating plan, make an appointment for the beauty treatments and try to rest as much as possible, the days before your wedding you will be anxious and it may be difficult for you to sleep.

If you are interested in this profession look at my post on how to be a wedding planner

Have you organized a friend’s wedding and have you loved the process? Or maybe you are getting married and you would like to be your own wedding planner but you do not have experience in the wedding sector? I invite you to try our wedding planner course with which you will achieve the knowledge you need in organizing events and thus dedicate yourself to this wonderful profession.

The contents of each topic are designed to help you plan step by step, create a roadmap, payment schedules, assembly and disassembly plans, inspirational mood boards, programs that make it easy for you to manage all the details.

There are also tips on how to attract more clients easily, how to charge for your wedding planner services and things to keep in mind when planning a national wedding or destination weddings.