Congratulations, you’re engaged! When it’s time to sit down and start planning your wedding, it may seem overwhelming. In today’s world, there are so many checklists, timeline generators, and other tools out there that can help couples plan their wedding. However, there are many reasons why you should leave this to the professionals.

A wedding planner is someone you can rely on, who is with you every step of the way, and can take the stress away from you on one of the biggest days of your life. Here are some benefits of hiring a wedding planner:

Bring Your Vision to Life

Wedding planners can help you bring your vision to life. Have a color scheme and vibe you’re going for? Your wedding planner can help you pick out all of the elements you need to make your vision a reality. They work with you to find the perfect wedding party attire, flower arrangements, linens, decor…the sky’s the limit (well, really your budget is)!

It can be hard to go from, “I like blue and green, and I want a fairytale feel” to “bridesmaids are wearing pastel blue, these are the exact shape, color, and style of bouquets I want, I want white tablecloths and pastel blue napkins” without the guidance of someone who has put many visions together for happy couples.

Create the Best Vendor Team

Vendors can make or break your wedding day. It is crucial to have the best people working in the background to make sure your wedding day goes beautifully. Having photographers that match your vibe, a venue that looks Pinterest-perfect, and a florist that can create stunning arrangements based on your vision board can be difficult to find on your own.

A wedding planner has connections with vendors they’ve worked with in the past and have seen them in action. If they don’t have someone in your area, who’s available, and matches your budget, or if you’re looking for something unique, they can do all of the leg work to find you the best person. Planners know what questions to ask to make sure they are the right fit for your day, and they can read over contracts to ensure everything you need is in there.

Provide Expert Level Organization

The best wedding planners are the ones who are highly organized. They have tools, a client management system, and excellent communication to help you (and them!) stay on track. Planners help make sure nothing falls through the cracks – there is so much that goes into a wedding that people might even not know they need. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from a couple – “wow, I didn’t even know I needed to think about that.” Take the stress of remembering every little thing off of you by going with a wedding planner.

A wedding planner also helps you figure out what you need to do when. Some elements of planning of wedding need to be done in a certain order, like determining your budget and guest count before booking your venue, caterer, and other vendors. There are also elements that are not as pressing and can be put off towards the end (like designing a seating chart). Working with a wedding planner will help you figure out what you need to focus on instead of looking at a sea full of sticky notes of things you need to get done.

Letting You Focus on You

This is possibly the most important reason to hire a planner (or at least a coordinator) – you get to focus on yourself, your new spouse, and your loved ones on your wedding day! You do not want your mom and sister having to set up your decor or manage your vendors on the day of your wedding. You also need someone to run your rehearsal and tell people when to walk down the aisle.

There are so many things that a wedding planner/coordinator does on the day of that you and your family do not want to have to do. By not having one, you create unnecessary stress for everyone, especially yourself. A wedding planner/coordinator makes sure everyone and everything is where they’re supposed to be (when they’re supposed to be there), and manages any snafus along the way.

Hiring a wedding planner is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your partner. This season of engagement is supposed to be happy and celebratory, and passing off most of wedding planning to an expert can keep it that way. Wedding planners help you enact your vision, find excellent vendors, stay organized, keep the day running smoothly, and let you just enjoy the day. Do yourself a favor and prioritize hiring a wedding planner!

Vendor Credits

Photos 1-11:

Photo - Gracie B Photography

Venue - The Morehead Inn

Florist - Sweet T Flowers

Photos 12-14:

Photo - Ricky Crystal Photo

Venue - Virginia State Parks

Florist – Little Cottage Collective

Desserts – Minglewood Bakeshop and WPA Bakery