Friends of McG : Wedding Planners

When we hear that one of our brides is working with a wedding planner we trust, we legitimately do a happy dance around the McG office. So often, when there’s no wedding planner, that becomes our job, too… and honestly, we don’t mind. It goes with the territory. But knowing that we’re coming into a situation where we’re going to be able to rely on a professional to keep the party rolling on time and all that jazz? Oh man, it just makes life so much easier.

I understand that not everyone has room in the budget for a wedding planner, but I truly believe that the good ones are worth their weight in gold. And for a person like me, no amount of money is too much to be able to just show up to your wedding and enjoy it. In my opinion, investing in a professional wedding planner is one of the best things a bride can do for her sanity, and we have a list of them in all price ranges that we recommend frequently.

For this new installment of our “Friends of McG” series, we asked two of our favorite wedding coordinators to chime in here on the blog and tell us why they do what they do. I hope you’ll find it as interesting as I did!

We’ll start with Jennifer, of Altar Ego Weddings, who was a blast to work with most recently at Kendall & Albert’s Grand Prairie soiree.

How do I love wedding planning?  Let me count the ways.  The #1 reason I love planning weddings is I get to provide brides with a valuable “product” – stress relief!  Hiring a wedding planner allows the bride to do all she needs to do on her wedding day – look pretty and get married.  That’s it!  She doesn’t have to worry about who goes where, who’s doing what and if everything’s on time.  She gets to enjoy her day, from special moments with her new hubby to celebrating with family and friends.  She gets to take in all the beauty of the venue and décor she’s chosen without worrying about a thing.

She also doesn’t have to wonder if she has hired the right vendors.  I get to use my expertise to match brides with perfect vendors.  Brides all have different personalities, budgets and wishes.  I meet all different kinds of vendors who can meet each unique need.  I also love suggesting ideas to brides.  These might be décor they haven’t thought of, unique ways to incorporate special items or techniques for maximizing budget outlay.

I love having brides trust me with their special day.  I have been a bride and want to look at everything through the eyes of my bride.  She has the highest expectation and I look forward to meeting it perfectly on her day.  We only get one chance to knock it out of the park for a bride!

Thanks Jennifer!Looking forward to seeing you again!

We also got a fantastic response from Shelley, of Escada Weddings, who we worked with recently at Keri & Patrick’s Dallas brunch wedding. Shelley’s experience and attitude kept this non-traditional event flowing in the absolute best way, and her insight into the “behind the scenes” part of the business is invaluable.

By the age of 18, I had attended more weddings than most people attend in a lifetime and I have my Indian culture and our vast, seemingly never-ending network of connections to thank for that. Having attended all kinds of weddings – from small, intimate, 50 guest affairs to large, not so intimate, 1000 guest extravaganzas – it is safe to say that I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of all things weddings. It is also safe to say that all this wedding exposure turned me into a complete sucker for the bride in need. So I decided to combine my love for entrepreneurship and my organizational skills to create a service that allows brides and grooms to enjoy the process of planning their wedding while allowing me to do what I do best: create, organize, manage and execute!

So… why hire a wedding planner? Besides the fact that we’re the best thing since sliced bread, you, as a bride/groom-to-be, need to:

Save money. While wedding planners aren’t free, the money you will save will be substantially higher than the money you spend on hiring a wedding planner. Planners have connections and resources to refer you to quality vendors whom you can trust. Furthermore, they have the expertise and knowledge required to negotiate good deals to ensure that you get the most for your money.

Understand the importance of chaos control.  It’s a common sense principle. When there are multiple parties involved in any situation, a leader is necessary. And without a leader, liaison, or mediator, you’re asking for chaos and disorder. Having a wedding planner is essential in order to ensure a smooth flow of events so that you, as the bride and groom, don’t have to worry about whether or not your DJ is ready for the cake cutting while having to signal your photographer across the ballroom to make sure they’re ready to shoot.

Be a guest at your own wedding. It doesn’t matter that your cousin just got married. Or that your best friend has great style. Allow involved parties to do what they do best. For your family and friends, that means letting them enjoy your wedding day as much as possible by celebrating with you. For your wedding planner, that means taking care of each and every detail to ensure perfection as far as it can be achieved. And for you, it means sitting back, relaxing, and soaking in every moment of your special day.

Brides/grooms that don’t hire wedding planners usually end up paying for it, albeit not financially. I think that most of us would agree that a monetary payment for a wedding planner is far more desirable than having to pay emotionally (read: regret) for not hiring one. Like I always say, you just can’t put a price on having a peace of mind. Wedding planning might bring with it a few compromises…but peace of mind should never be one of them!

Oh man, that last line… can you say PERFECT?? That is so true.

Thank you ladies both for your time and insight, and for the way you put your heart and soul into taking care of our brides. I firmly believe that you’re worth every penny you charge, and immeasurably more.

And brides, look at the budget, tweak the numbers, and consider hiring a planner. It’s an investment you won’t regret!