What do wedding planners actually do?
Planning a wedding is undoubtedly fun and exciting but such a momentous life event can bring its fair share of stress and overwhelm, particularly if you're having a large soirée, going abroad for a destination wedding or have limited time due to work and other demands. That's where wedding planners come in, like magical fairy godmothers to take care of every detail so you don't have to sweat the small (and big) stuff.
So what do wedding planners actually do, and do you really need one? Here's the lowdown on their role from wedding planner extraordinaire and Fine Art Curation member, Madame Wedding Design. As a full-service destination wedding planner specialising in refined weddings in France, founder Estelle shares her expertise on what you can expect from a fine art wedding designer and planner, alongside this glorious editorial recently shot onboard the Orient Express heritage carriages.
Seamless scheduling
There is no set order in which wedding plans are done, but there are certain steps that most wedding planners follow to create a successful event. Full service planners take care of everything from looking for venues and sending invitations to confirming catering services and booking entertainment or planning other fun activities for guests. Wedding planners coordinate with numerous suppliers and wedding party members to ensure that everything runs smoothly and on schedule.
Gathering a great team
A successful wedding requires a great team so hiring top quality vendors is very important. Experienced wedding planners have contacts books of reliable talented vendors who will help make your event wonderful, from the florist to the bridal gown designer. Coordinating all vendors schedules can be challenging because people often have different opinions about how things should be done. Wedding planners typically take charge to help everyone get along until the big day. Wedding planners don't take their job lightly, they must keep everyone calm and stress-free, particularly the bride!
Wedding vision and design
More and more wedding planners are also designers, which means they manage the overall aesthetic of the wedding as well as the logistics. If you require help with your wedding vision, it certainly makes sense to choose a planner that offers both. We offer this double service at Madame Wedding Design to create the most beautifully special and amazingly organised events we can. Designing a wedding needs creativity, and planners can inject new ideas and the organisation to bring them to life. Moreover, they create the event brand and ensure everything looks consistent from the save the date to the first dance.
Venue scouting and management
Sourcing the perfect venue can take a considerable amount of time for couples, after all you want your special day to be remembered for years to come and the last thing you want is to make a mistake with your venue choice. Your event planner will help you with the most common factors to consider when choosing a wedding location and suggest venues that meet your requirements. Once you have made your choice, your planner will liaise with the venue over all details and attend on the day to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Budget management
Planning a wedding is expensive and it's easy to get carried away when there's so many elements involved. A dedicated professional who is familiar with the process knows how important budget management is, to avoid running over, getting into debt or hitting unexpected costs. They'll help you keep on track and avoid missing deadlines while making sure everything falls into place - all while keeping you happy and worry-free through through excellent customer service. Budget planning often involves more than just careful research and planning on part of both clients and wedding planners - it also takes considerable experience in making tough decisions to keep budgets under control without compromising quality or enjoyment.
Communication
The vendor communication side of wedding planning requires a massive amount of calls, emails and site visits and experienced wedding planners can manage all correspondence on your behalf, seeking your input when required. Wedding planners must communicate efficiently to ensure all deadlines are met, bills are paid and every vendor understands their place in the wedding schedule.
Then there's communicating with your guests to ensure everyone receives important information, such as transportation, photo session times and any other roles they make have in your big day. While guests are an important in your wedding ceremony, try to avoid giving them too much work and keep tasks simple because it can be difficult to manage all guest communication.
Wedding planners usually create a welcome letter for guests with everything they need to know, including maps, accommodation bookings, timings and key contact numbers. Guest communication often includes sending out invitations and processing the RSVPs so you know how many to expect. If a guest attend for any reason, the wedding planner lets you know so you can address the situation right away.
Executing the big day
Wedding day production is a full-day activity that involves your wedding planner and many of the vendors. On the day, your wedding planner with usually coordinate each part of the wedding and liaise between the couple and anyone else involved, such as the bridal party, family members, caterers and musicians.
Team work is key and your wedding planner will create an itinerary that specifies who is responsible for what on the wedding date itself and how the day will flow. Good wedding planners keep calm under pressure and if anything unexpected does crop up, they'll deal with it swiftly and professionally so you can enjoy your special day without disruption.
VENDOR DETAILS
Venue: Orient Express | Photography:Thierry Joubert Photography | Art direction: Estelle Bogart | Styling and design: Madame Wedding Design | Planning: Atout Coeur wedding | Floral design:Esther Lamarche Designer Floral | Hair & Makeup Artist:Modern Bride Paris | Bridal earrings: Keren Wolf | Tuxedos:Aux Corps Anonymes | Bridal shoes:Andrea Mondin | Papeterie: Papier Handmade
