The easiest answer to this is that chances are you have never planned a wedding before, or even an event of this size. I have. I have the knowledge and expertise that only someone who has planned a wedding before can possibly know. I’ve been there before and can help point you in the right direction and save you some time and money in the process.

The more detailed answer is that wedding planners do so much more than you think we do. Budgeting, venue searching, vendor selection, contract reviews, creating a timeline that works for what you want but also what your vendors need, corralling your wedding party and sending them down the aisle, even things behind the scenes that you don’t know about and probably never will. (If you get the chance to ask me about the “Pinterest Fail” cake, please do.) I am also the point of contact for everyone on the day and can make decisions for you so you don’t have to because I will know exactly how things should be and how you would want them. On top of all of that, you need to look at the time involved. Research shows that it takes an average of 250 hours to plan a wedding from start to finish. That’s a lot to add to your everyday life, no wonder people get so stressed with wedding planning. Just with my wedding management package alone, I spend an average of 35 hours on each couples wedding day.

A wedding planner is there from start to finish. They help you with everything that has to do with your wedding and keep things organized and progressing as you plan. Depending on what you want they can be involved every step of the way or serve as more of a consultant throughout your planning process.

A wedding consultant is just that. Someone that you can reach out to and ask questions of while you are planning your wedding.

A wedding coordinator is someone who generally comes in closer to the date of your wedding to help finalize the details and run your entire day. But it does get a little tricky really defining it as every coordinator does things differently. Some only come in two weeks before, take the reins and run the show. Some come in a month before and get a little more involved with the last month of planning to make sure things are set up right for the day. Then there are coordinators like me who dread the term “day-of” or “month-of” because I firmly believe that someone cannot come in a couple of weeks before your wedding and take over one of the biggest days of your life and have it run smoothly. On top of that, I wouldn’t want to because that would be entirely too much for me. Coordinators who offer wedding management generally come in two months before your wedding to finalize all your details, create your timelines, and then run the day.

What am I you ask? Well, that all depends on what you need. I serve as a planner for some couples and a coordinator for the rest, but I ALWAYS serve as a consultant for each and every one.

Venue coordinators are wonderful and can really be beneficial to your wedding planning. But they only handle the items that are directly related to the venue. They will not create your wedding day timeline, confirm with your vendors the week before, run your rehearsal, or keep everyone running on time throughout the day. A wedding planner works together with a venue coordinator to make sure everything is done right at the venue and then your wedding planner handles all the rest.  Check out this blog for more information!

Nope. When a couple asks me for a referral for a certain type of vendor I ask determining questions to help me better understand what exactly it is they are looking for. It’s at that point that I know exactly the best vendor for them, send them a few options or do a little research and find one. Even if it’s someone I have never worked with before, my job is to help you find what you need.  This service is something I help all of my couples with, no matter the package they hire me for.

Any and All.  I love working with couples who are creative and don’t want the traditional wedding.  The more unique, the better.

It all depends on what you are looking for me to do. If you are looking for wedding management, then no less than two months, but I have worked with less. For full service, I recommend a one-year minimum. Now that doesn’t mean to wait to book with me as my calendar fills up.

I ALWAYS recommend booking the moment you decide you want to work with me. That way your date is marked in my calendar and no one else can book me in your place. Plus, from the moment you book you have access to me for help as you plan your wedding.