Do I Need a Wedding Planner for a Small Wedding?

Unplugged Wedding 1

Do you want a small, private ceremony? Perhaps you're hesitating to employ a wedding planner because you're not sure if the expense is justified. And, isn't cutting costs by having a smaller wedding the whole point? Need help planning your wedding? Check out our list of Wedding Event Planners here.

A smaller wedding doesn't necessarily entail a smaller wedding budget, but in many cases that is the case.

Table of Contents

Why Should I Hire a Wedding Planner?

The services of a wedding coordinator are warranted and owed to you. A wedding planner is a need for any couple planning a wedding. Weddings are stressful, and no one needs any more stress than they already have to deal with during the planning process.

To have the wedding of your dreams, you must have a wonderful team in place to make your plans a reality. Therefore, it is essential to hire a specialist to organise the wedding. To be fair, it is not always the case. While a wedding planner is useful in many ways (from coordinating with vendors to helping secure favourable terms with reception halls), their services aren't required in every case.

You may not need a wedding planner if you are on a low budget, are planning a small wedding, or are on the fence about turning control over to someone else. Another option is to engage a day-of coordinator to assist with any final preparations that need to be made for the event.

Difference Between Coordinator and Planner

why should you consider hiring a day of wedding coordinator1

This is the million dollar question! Many people, sometimes wrongly, call themselves wedding planners. Let's get this straightened out. Coordinators and planners are both fairy godmothers that want to make sure your wedding goes off without a hitch, but the difference lies in how hands-on each one is.

Planners are typically involved early on, before crucial choices have even been made. They help you with virtually every detail, from picking the perfect location to determining the look and feel of the event to drafting a budget to researching and vetting potential vendors to coordinating the logistics of the big day. They perform all of those duties, as well as those of coordinators.

One month before the big day, coordinators step in to save the day. You may say it's time for Jesus to take the wheel. You've done all the hard work, and now it's all neatly wrapped up for you. They make a schedule for the big day, coordinate with all of the service providers, make sure everything runs smoothly, and keep an eye on the little things. They will organise the bridal party, bustle the dress, announce when the exciting parts of the ceremony will begin, and cue the DJ or band so that you can just enjoy yourself.

Coordinator

It's important to note that professional planners are not limited to just one subset. Even if they don't do much in the way of advance preparation, a day-of coordinator can assist get your ceremony and reception set up and running smoothly. They can also aid in the coordination of the wedding's logistics. This may involve assisting vendors with set-up or guiding the bridal party and guests to their designated locations at the appropriate moments.

An onsite coordinator acts as a partial wedding planner at some sites. You have the option of working alone with the coordinator or bringing in your own wedding planner. If they are in charge of numerous events on the weekend, you may not receive the same level of attention.

No matter what kind of planner you end up hiring, you'll need to sit down with them to discuss your needs. In order to avoid any confusion about who is liable for which aspects of professional services, everything should be set out in their contract. Since this is such a long-term commitment, feel free to request contact information for previous customers whom you can email or phone for feedback.

What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Wedding Planner?

There are numerous advantages to hiring a wedding coordinator. Looking for a Wedding Event Planner? Look no further, Vines of the Yarra Valley have you covered.

If you and your future spouse are feeling overwhelmed by the number of things that need to be done, consider hiring a wedding planner to help.

A professional wedding planner should be up-to-date on the newest wedding trends and have extensive industry experience. That's right; they're event planners. When you have a million options and need some direction, this can be a lifesaver.

Last but not least, a wedding planner is responsible for making your big day seem stunning and running like clockwork. You can relax and enjoy your day with loved ones knowing that the venue has been properly decorated for the ceremony, the photographer is in place, and the servers have been instructed on which appetisers to pass.

What Are the Disadvantages of Hiring a Wedding Planner?

There are more positives to hiring a wedding coordinator than there are cons. By employing them, not only will they carry out your vision for the perfect wedding, but they will also make your life easier in the lead-up to the big day. However, you should also be aware of a few potential drawbacks.

Involving a wedding planner will relieve you of a substantial amount of stress and work. Working with others and relinquishing some control can be difficult if you have a Type-A mentality. If this sounds like you, it's crucial that you find a wedding planner who is a good fit for you and your style, and in whom you have complete faith for the big day.

When you talk about the cost, it is expensive, especially if they have a lot of expertise, wedding planners are a necessity. It's possible that hiring a wedding planner could cause your already inflated prices to balloon even more. If this describes you, it would be wise to invest in a day-of planner or enquire about having the services tailored to your specific requirements.

Why a Small Wedding Needs a Planner

Time-Saving

Some future Mrs.'s find great joy in organising their wedding. To outsiders, it may sound stressful. As much as the former may describe you, there will come a time when it is no longer entertaining. You'll probably lose more time than you planned researching wedding-related details.

A planner that offers comprehensive services will handle all necessary investigation and communication. Now you're down to just making the enjoyable choices! Do you have any idea how even the simplest of projects may grow and change over time? Things like arranging a wedding fall within this category.

Recommend Vendors

It is quite difficult to narrow down the pool of potential wedding vendors to a manageable size. There are more than four thousand professional photographers active in my immediate vicinity, with many of them focusing on weddings. Moreover, what evidence do you have to support your claims?

Everyone these days has a fantastic-looking website, glowing Yelp reviews, and a booming Instagram feed. If that weren't the case, they wouldn't have a business to begin with!

You can get all the details you need from a great wedding planner. Only those merchants with which they have had positive encounters will be recommended. Your planner will be aware of any suppliers who have a history of being difficult and will give you the heads up.

Utilize the expertise of a wedding planner to have a stress-free special day.

Save Money

One reason to engage a wedding planner is to cut costs. However, let's consider the logic behind this seemingly counter-intuitive statement. Everyone is worried about their finances today. Not having a wedding planner is a simple way to save money.

Now think about all the ways a planner can help you save cash. (Without even considering the priceless benefit of relieving stress).

To begin with, they will only recommend merchants that are within your price range. Planners have no incentive to attempt and sell you unnecessary services.

After that, they'll have a look at your must-haves and provide you advice on where costs might be reduced or alternative resources found.

A bride may become so engrossed in the preparations that she stops considering other possibilities. She can do without the favours, the expensive flowers, and the live band if she has to.

As a result of being able to provide services often done by other suppliers, many wedding planners also offer savings. Floral arrangements, custom stationery, and catering are just some of the extras that some planners include.

If you don't have to pay for the minimums of several different companies, you could save a significant amount of money. There's a chance they'll have a lot of signs and decorations you can use.

You can save a lot of money by holding an intimate wedding in a nontraditional location. Those unique, intimate spots are impossible to find without the help of a planner.

To Help Plan Your Wedding

A lot of future Mrs. Clauses have extremely specific wants and needs. A wedding planner is useful whether you already have a clear idea of your ideal wedding or need assistance narrowing it down.

If you've done any research into weddings, you've probably come across Instagram feeds and pinboards that are meticulously organised to showcase stunning examples of wedding decor.

The problem is that you have no idea how to implement the ideas on your Pinterest board. A planner can help you visualise the process, evaluate the feasibility of your ideas, and estimate the associated costs. If you're planning a small, private wedding, you can take inspiration from any number of sources.

It's not simple to put all those concepts into action. A wedding planner, contrary to common belief, will not merely impose their own personal style on your big day. If you're planning a laid-back, boho-style backyard BBQ, you won't be releasing a thousand white doves on a mountain at dawn. A good planner is attentive and provides realistic suggestions for achieving your goals.

To Review and Negotiate Vendor Contracts

A wedding planner has likely read dozens of contracts and can see red flags quickly. However, a planner's value is demonstrated even before the contracts are signed.

Indeed, the services provided for the wedding wish to be used by the planner again. Make no mistake, they put in 110% effort into every wedding, but they'll go the additional mile for a planner who sends us, say, ten weddings year.

To Make a Timeline and Stay on Track

A trained wedding planner can develop a foolproof timeline that will accommodate all of your needs. They will coordinate with all suppliers to ensure that everyone has enough time to finish their tasks. They will suggest ways to make the most of the time allotted, as well as offer advice on effective methods. They are experts in their field; you can trust them with your planning needs.

Your planner is aware that events rarely unfold as expected and has contingency plans in place.

To Be the Day’s Main Contact

how to communicate with your wedding vendors1

It's customary to address correspondence to the wedding planner. The florist, DJ, and guests will all be greeted by your planner without bothering you. Yes, even the ones that always show up two hours early to the wedding.

Small weddings might be disorganised due to a lack of space and a lack of attention to detail. No matter how you and your spouse choose to spend time together, you'll cherish this opportunity to be present. When a trained expert is called in to fix a problem, it usually is. On the day of your wedding, you should focus only on the things that truly important.

To Mediate Family or Vendor Disputes

The last thing anyone wants on their wedding day is for trouble at home to arise. However, weddings are intensely personal occasions that often reunite relatives who may not otherwise have occasion to interact. Sometimes it's difficult to maintain a cool head when things heat up.

A planner might act as a mediator to make things go more smoothly between disputing parties. If your family is anything like mine, drama may arise out of nowhere. It's odd, but sometimes the presence of someone who isn't related to you might help keep suppressed emotions in check.

An experienced wedding planner, however, will have anticipated such an outcome. If you want them to intervene, it is not outside of their competence. The planner you hire will truly fight for you. They want to ensure that your day is perfect in every way. That almost usually requires extra effort.

Solve Issues

Breaking news: on your wedding day, not everything will go as planned. It's certain that issues may arise that, despite meticulous preparation, simply couldn't be anticipated. Even the most intimate of weddings is still a highly charged emotional experience, full of complexity and unpredictability.

It's not a big deal when your team includes a skilled planner. Planners for weddings are, in a word, ninjas. They're not just the ones greeting and assisting guests; they're also the ones by your side. They are also, mysteriously, working behind the scenes with all the suppliers and every backup plan imaginable.

Your Venue Coordinator

Possessing a coordinator or events person at your venue is fantastic. However, this is not intended to take the place of a professional wedding planner. You might get lucky and have a great venue organiser, but they are still employed by the venue. They'll be looking out for the establishment's best interests. That's not to say they don't wish you well on your wedding day. But their applicability is restricted.

A wedding planner who works independently (as opposed to for a larger company) can help with a wide variety of tasks. Organizing your wedding involves a lot of little details, including trying on dresses, picking out invitations, figuring out how to get to the venue, and booking a limo. A great planner is not just good at serving a venue; they have many skills and experiences to offer.

An on-site coordinator may not be able to assist if the issue is unrelated to the location of the event. After supper, or after the cake is cut, the coordinators of the venue will leave. As soon as the last guest leaves, the real work begins. You definitely don't want to be responsible for garbage collection. That, or you'll be charged extra if you don't leave the facility by the designated hour!

To Bring You Peace and Enjoyment

You can mentally divide yourself in half with the help of your planner. You defer to them to worry, make decisions, and handle all the weird situations that arise.

Your degree of tension will have a greater impact on the atmosphere of a small wedding. You should expect an increase in the frequency of fast queries once you take charge of and direct proceedings.

There won't be a planner to handle things, therefore it's up to you to do it all. Don't try to play the role of decision-maker, manager, greeter, or person in charge on the most important day of your life. Ineffective multitasking is the problem. One buddy might be fine, but would you really want to put that much pressure on a family member for 10 hours? Given the scope of the project at hand, it's fair to call this effort.

One of your greatest options is to hire a professional and their staff to handle the situation for you.

You've probably heard that the day would fly by in a blur of feelings, and that's exactly what will happen. The emotions you feel will be the most memorable aspect of the big day.

You should take the time to appreciate it all. Set aside your concerns about a wayward DJ, awkward centrepiece placement, and lighting 50 sparklers. These inconsequential issues, which deplete your energy if you try to handle them on your own, will be handled covertly.

FAQs About Wedding Planner

One of the biggest reasons it is recommended to hire a wedding planner is because they know the wedding industry, brides, and the right questions to ask.

Most brides have an idea for their wedding, and they want to make it big, but they don’t know all of their options, so it ends up staying pretty normal; because planners know what can be done, they can help the bride who isn’t quite sure, dream up something incredible.

A planner will have insights about vendors and relationships that undoubtedly benefit you, ultimately saving you money. Maybe, it’s not even a matter of finance. You could be a busy working couple who doesn’t have the 250 or so hours or so spare that it takes to plan a wedding.

Knowing who your ideal client is will help you choose the best style for such a momentous meeting. For all other meetings, it’s okay to get a little more casual. Try to stick with business casual, but don’t be afraid to wear a nice pair of jeans or to display some colour.

A day-of-wedding coordinator is responsible for ensuring the wedding day or weekend is executed perfectly. Their roles include overseeing vendors, managing the timeline, and overcoming last-minute challenges during the festivities.

Wedding planners do a lot. 

First, once hired, you won’t have to worry about finding the right vendors or venue or figuring out which cake designer to call or meet with. Instead, your planner will do this for you, and all you have to do is show up and say yes or no. 

Planners take the stress out of planning your wedding and get the boring stuff out of the way so you can focus on enjoying your engagement time and planning the fun and exciting parts!

Conclusion

A wedding planner's assistance is your legal right and responsibility. A wedding planner can be helpful in many ways, but it's not necessary in every circumstance. Wedding planners and coordinators are like fairy godmothers who want everything to go smoothly on your big day. Hiring a wedding coordinator can help you save time and energy in many ways. They organise the day's events by making a timetable, communicating with vendors, and monitoring the finer points.

A competent wedding planner will be aware of contemporary tendencies in the wedding industry. If you hire a wedding planner, they will take on a lot of the burden and worry of organising the event. In addition to alleviating stress, hiring a wedding coordinator will streamline the planning process. Some soon-to-be Mrs. take great pleasure in planning every detail of her big day. Hire a wedding planner to ease your mind and your wallet.

They can suggest opportunities to save costs and recommend new sources of funding. Having a small wedding in a less conventional venue can help you save a lot of money. When you hire a planner, you may also be able to save money on optional services like flower bouquets and paper goods. A modest, intimate wedding can take inspiration from a wide variety of settings and traditions. You can get some perspective on the process and determine whether or not your ideas are realistic with the help of a wedding planner.

You can put your planning needs in their capable hands because of their expertise. Those who organise weddings are like ninjas. They are not only working with suppliers and contingency plans in the background while guests are being greeted and helped. A competent planner has numerous assets beyond merely the ability to serve a location well. The most important day of your life is not the time to try to be in charge of anything.

Content Summary

  • Do you want a small, private ceremony?
  • And, isn't cutting costs by having a smaller wedding the whole point?
  • The services of a wedding coordinator are warranted and owed to you.
  • A wedding planner is a need for any couple planning a wedding.
  • To have the wedding of your dreams, you must have a wonderful team in place to make your plans a reality.
  • Therefore, it is essential to hire a specialist to organise the wedding.
  • You may not need a wedding planner if you are on a low budget, are planning a small wedding, or are on the fence about turning control over to someone else.
  • Another option is to engage a day-of coordinator to assist with any final preparations that need to be made for the event.
  • One month before the big day, coordinators step in to save the day.
  • Even if they don't do much in the way of advance preparation, a day-of coordinator can assist get your ceremony and reception set up and running smoothly.
  • They can also aid in the coordination of the wedding's logistics.
  • An onsite coordinator acts as a partial wedding planner at some sites.
  • You have the option of working alone with the coordinator or bringing in your own wedding planner.
  • There are more positives to hiring a wedding coordinator than there are cons.
  • However, you should also be aware of a few potential drawbacks.
  • Involving a wedding planner will relieve you of a substantial amount of stress and work.
  • If this sounds like you, it's crucial that you find a wedding planner who is a good fit for you and your style, and in whom you have complete faith for the big day.
  • Things like arranging a wedding fall within this category.
  • If that weren't the case, they wouldn't have a business to begin with!You can get all the details you need from a great wedding planner.
  • Utilize the expertise of a wedding planner to have a stress-free special day.
  • One reason to engage a wedding planner is to cut costs.
  • Not having a wedding planner is a simple way to save money.
  • Now think about all the ways a planner can help you save cash. (
  • You can save a lot of money by holding an intimate wedding in a nontraditional location.
  • Those unique, intimate spots are impossible to find without the help of a planner.
  • The problem is that you have no idea how to implement the ideas on your Pinterest board.
  • A planner can help you visualise the process, evaluate the feasibility of your ideas, and estimate the associated costs.
  • If you're planning a small, private wedding, you can take inspiration from any number of sources.
  • A good planner is attentive and provides realistic suggestions for achieving your goals.
  • A trained wedding planner can develop a foolproof timeline that will accommodate all of your needs.
  • They are experts in their field; you can trust them with your planning needs.
  • It's customary to address correspondence to the wedding planner.
  • Small weddings might be disorganised due to a lack of space and a lack of attention to detail.
  • A planner might act as a mediator to make things go more smoothly between disputing parties.
  • If your family is anything like mine, drama may arise out of nowhere.
  • If you want them to intervene, it is not outside of their competence.
  • The planner you hire will truly fight for you.
  • They want to ensure that your day is perfect in every way.
  • It's not a big deal when your team includes a skilled planner.
  • Planners for weddings are, in a word, ninjas.
  • Possessing a coordinator or events person at your venue is fantastic.
  • However, this is not intended to take the place of a professional wedding planner.
  • A wedding planner who works independently (as opposed to for a larger company) can help with a wide variety of tasks.
  • An on-site coordinator may not be able to assist if the issue is unrelated to the location of the event.
  • After supper, or after the cake is cut, the coordinators of the venue will leave.
  • You can mentally divide yourself in half with the help of your planner.
  • There won't be a planner to handle things, therefore it's up to you to do it all.
  • Don't try to play the role of decision-maker, manager, greeter, or person in charge on the most important day of your life.
  • One of your greatest options is to hire a professional and their staff to handle the situation for you.
  • The emotions you feel will be the most memorable aspect of the big day.
  • You should take the time to appreciate it all.

About The Author

Scroll to Top