If you recently got engaged (congratulations!), you’re probably wondering…should I hire a wedding planner? This isn’t necessarily something you have to decide on immediately. There are a variety of wedding planning services available, such as my power hour calls for professional help along the way. But it’s definitely a good idea to start with a clear idea about your strengths and weaknesses before it’s really too late to hire help. I’ve compiled a helpful list of questions for you to consider when deciding whether or not to hire a wedding planner.
Are you naturally organized?
This is a major one, for obvious reasons. Be real with yourself here, and no rose-colored glasses! We all have different levels of organization. Maybe you work in HR or you’re always the go-to scheduling person for group trips. Those are some hints that you might be great at planning your own wedding! Are you organized enough to pull off a major event? If that’s not you but you still want to go the DIY route, consider asking a more planning-oriented family member or friend to keep you on track. Perhaps you don’t have anyone in mind and feel uneasy about all that lies ahead. In that case, I’d recommend hiring a wedding planner.
How big is your network?
A wedding is a production with a lot of moving parts and it will take quite a few people to make your wedding dreams a reality. For the DIY route, you’ll essentially need a crew of trustworthy friends and family that can replace the role of wedding planner and their staff. The reality is that you won’t be able to be everywhere at once. You will need to rely on your network to execute many elements of the wedding. Do you know that people will step up when you need the help? Do you value their opinions? You’ll need to feel confident in these answers, or else you and your partner could be floating alone in an ocean of tasks.
What’s your budget?
Also related: are you good at sticking to a budget? This is important to consider because you don’t money to cause any stress between you and your partner or families. Establish a budget early on. Check to see if hiring a wedding planner fits into that budget. If not, then you may want to choose DIY. Just make sure that you regularly track expenditures and communicate clearly with all involved parties. You can always call me for a wedding planning power hour to keep you on track, at a fraction of the cost of a full-service wedding planner.
Do you and your partner have similar visions for the wedding?
Perhaps you’ve already dreamed of your wedding day together for years before even getting engaged! Then that’s a great sign you’ll work well together on planning all the details your wedding. Do you have similar decor styles? If the answer is no and you’re not exactly sure how to meld your preferences into one cohesive event, then a wedding planner could be a better route. They will know how to combine all the elements from a neutral perspective.
Are you a natural leader?
For a DIY wedding you won’t just be tasting cakes and choosing table linens. You’ll also need to coordinate other people. Do you feel comfortable in this role? Or does the thought of organizing people terrify you? Think about your experiences in leadership positions and whether this is something you want to take on in the context of planning your wedding.
Are you good at multitasking?
A wedding planner is a master at multitasking. Is this something that you’re used to? Or do you stick to one task until it’s over? For the true multitaskers out there, you would probably feel at ease planning your DIY wedding. If you have trouble keeping track of various tasks and contacts, perhaps you should hire a wedding planner, or stick to my helpful wedding planning checklists!
Do you perform well under pressure?
Your wedding day is full of emotions and no matter how smoothly everything goes, you’ll be feeling some nerves. For the couples who choose to plan their own wedding, there’s the added pressure of ensuring that everything comes together in time. When you’re under a tight deadline, do you dive in and starting checking off tasks? Or do you get overwhelmed and avoidant? This is important to know about yourself before you decide to tackle everything on your own.
Should You Hire a Wedding Planner?
I hope this list gave you some insight about how to decide whether or not to plan your own wedding. There are definitely pros and cons to both, it’s all about what works for you. If you’re looking for helpful professional advice along the way, consider scheduling a planning power hour with me! I’ll walk you through any roadblocks you’ve encountered along your wedding planning journey.
