Is It Cheaper To Plan My Own Wedding?
This is a question that has been around forever and I don’t see it going away anytime soon.
So, instead of giving you the wedding planner's answer of “Of course, you should hire a planner” let's break down what is the most feasible financially and does it cost more to hire a planner. I think it is important to read through this because it can give you a better understanding of why a lot of people do hire a planner even if it isn’t considered a necessity.
Budget Breakdown
Everyone's favorite topic when it comes to their wedding, is budget! In all honesty, your budget doesn’t have to be the most stressful part of the process with proper planning. Think of it like this, when you make your budget, you most likely allot a certain amount towards your venue, towards your DJ, towards your florist, and so on. So, when doing a budget breakdown, why not take a bit out of each allotment and put that towards hiring a planner? This allows your original budget to cover the cost of one rather than feeling like it’s an additional fee or add-in. I think this is where a lot of people get stuck. They don’t want to alter or change the budget they agreed upon and adding the cost of a planner just doesn’t align with the original plan. But, with the right planner, they will be well worth building into the budget, and hopefully even help you save some money!
Time Is Money
One of the oldest sayings in the book but it couldn’t be more true. Time is money. And let’s be real, with a full-time job, one doesn’t have a ton of time to dedicate to planning a wedding always! Most of us planners do this as a full-time job to dedicate the time, patience, and energy necessary to pull off the perfect day. Studies say lots of different things when it comes to the amount of time it takes to plan the grand day, but they all agree that it takes at minimum a couple hundred hours. Those endless late nights you are spending on your to-do board are hours you could be looking forward to the big day with half the stress. The money you pay your planner will be worth it a hundred times over if you find a planner who gets your vision and is willing to go the extra mile to make it the perfect day for you both.
Experience Is Priceless
This is typically applicable to any industry. Your planner will do their due diligence and ask the questions you might not even know to ask. What happens if no one checks who is cleaning up the plates after dinner and it was in no one's contract to do so? All of a sudden you’re hit with a clean-up fee, and now you’re exceeding your budget. These questions might seem small but not only can they sometimes be the difference between staying within or exceeding your budget, but they can also be the difference between having a picture-perfect and high-stress day.
DIY, Why Not?
With TikTok, Instagram, and endless resources to help you plan your wedding, why not do it yourself? The answer is doing it yourself leads you to way more complications than you thought. It may seem fun and exciting in the beginning, but who wants to be up at 4:00 AM the morning of the wedding trying to put the finishing touches on your centerpieces? I think that the amount of resources can be overwhelming for an eager couple and can pull you in 100 different directions and all of a sudden you have ten different mood boards with all different vibes.
I think the idea of hiring a planner may seem like a waste of money to some people, but for so many people it continues to prove to be the smartest investment they made through the process. I think it is important to do what is best for you and your fiancé but at the end of the day, ask yourself, what are we capable of and how much time do we truly have? Whether you are a couple wanting to hand over the reins or one just needing some help with the details, Velvet and Vine might be able to help you with exactly what you need. Head to my inquiry page to get in touch about a consultation and talk through why hiring a planner might be the best decision you ever make.
