The real question is "why DON'T you need a wedding planner?" We have some serious advice shooting straight from the hip!
Here are some things to think about!
1. On your wedding day, there are specific roles and yours is bride. Not planner, not manager, not setup crew, not supervisor. Be the bride! You won't get this opportunity again! Enjoy every moment to the fullest!
2. Wedding planners have relationships with vendors! Do you want to google "wedding photographer" and sift through hundreds of web sites? Wouldn't you rather rely on an expert's advice on which photographers might capture your style and budget? Who has time to visit EVERY DFW or Austin wedding photographer's web sites, much less meeting in person? Also, vendors like working with wedding planners! We have an ongoing relationship, so they're more likely to respond to us quickly. They know we make their jobs easier!
3. We've read wedding contracts before! Wedding contracts are unlike any other contracts. How long is your service? How many people are the vendors bringing? Do they require a meal? What's allowed in a venue? What's not allowed? How many guests does it include? What is included?......
4. During your wedding planning process, you get to deal with 10-20 vendors all the time if you don't have a planner! On your wedding day, you have vendors coming to you repeatedly asking, "what's next?"
5. The venue coordinator's job is the VENUE. They manage their staff, their building, their maintenance, not your wedding day flow.
5. Do you and your mom get along all the time? Enough said. ;)
6. We wear many hats - wedding planner, coordinator, wrangler, mediator, counselor, scheduler, emergency management.......again, be the BRIDE! We'll handle the rest!
7. At the end of your wedding day, you're married! Focus on your marriage! We'll manage the wedding!
Catch this cool video by Marc Roberts showing our Austin wedding planner, Jen, and all the fabulous vendors punting on a wedding day! Start watching around 6:17 to see the beautiful reception set up outside and then Jen appear around 6:50.
Spoiler alert: we moved an outdoor reception that was completely set inside in one hour. Notice how happy the bride is! She's not concerned whatsoever! She's being a bride! She knows we've got this!