Wedding Planner POV: What Couples Should (Really) Know
Planning a wedding doesn't have to be hard. The key to streamlining your way from the first call with your planner to your steps towards the altar, starts with having clarity into all facets of the journey. Let's face it - there's a lot of moving parts and many of them require a professional point of view. As with anything, the more you prepare, the better off you'll be.
If you've ever wished to be inside the mind of a wedding planner, today's your lucky day! Our master designer, Allison Newton, is pulling back the curtain and giving you an expert guide to planning essentials, budget expectations, and more - so that you can prepare and achieve all of your event goals.
Start Your Planning Early
If you want to kickstart your wedding planning on a positive and stress-free note, start early - like really early. Talk with your partner to hash out non-negotiables and flesh out a rough draft of your vision. You don’t need to have everything figured out (your wedding planner will help with that), but having clarity around your wants and needs will only make your life easier moving forward.
Here are three pieces of advice to help you get started:
You can’t do it all yourself: It’s your wedding day - of course you’re naturally going to want to have your hands on every detail. Your vision, ideas, inspirations, and approvals are both wanted and needed, but the fact of the matter is that wedding planning is a full-time job - one that you can’t learn overnight. If you want the wedding of your dreams, you need help.
Don’t sweat the small stuff: Nothing in life is perfect and there’s always a chance that not everything will go according to plan, throughout the course of your entire wedding planning journey. Don’t sweat it - surround yourself with people you can lean on and understand that nothing is as big as it may seem at that moment.
Take time to research and visit: Talk with your planner about desirable dates and venues. Getting started on these action items is essential in the early planning stage because you want to ensure that their availability aligns with your ideal time and location. Once those are in place, you and your planner can start building the design and logistical components of your event. Do careful research and schedule site visits to help you in making these big decisions.
Allison: “Don’t let this beginning stage be stressful or filled with anxiety over the endless options. Let yourself run wild with the dreaming of what could be. Allow yourself to lean into what really feels right to you and communicate that with your planner so that they can help show you what can really be a reality and what might be a farther reach.”
Planning a wedding should be one of the most exciting experiences of your life. Give yourself enough time, stay true to you, and most importantly - soak up each individual moment as they turn into your fondest memories.
Be Realistic With Your Budget
Most things in life come with a price and your wedding day is one of them. Defining a budget that you’re comfortable with, from the beginning, will be immensely helpful as you move along in the design process. Even more so, having realistic expectations for what that budget will allow you to do is going to quickly outline the level of luxury you can achieve and the scope of work that it’ll take to accomplish it.
Not only will your budget be the deciding factor on your venue and number of guests, it will also help you stay focused on your vision, vendor lineup and keep your bigger investments geared towards the things that mean the most to you.
If you’re hoping to optimize the luxuriousness of your big day, use these budget guidelines to help give you insight into what you can expect:
Luxury isn’t a buzzword: A luxury wedding requires a ton of time, attention to detail, and a budget to match. Typically our luxury clients spend a minimum of $1,500 per person for a single wedding day and a minimum of $3,000 per person for a full wedding weekend. Everyone has a total budget spend, but be sure your guest list size works within, so that you can create a once in a lifetime experience.
Define your big ticket items: There are many components that make up a wedding day. From your florals and venues to your stationary and entertainment, each comes with their own rate. Identifying your “big ticket items”, or the areas that are most important to you, will help you manage your budget and eliminate any unnecessary expenses. Once you’re able to define what those items are, your planner can work to pair you with the vendors that match both your style and your budget.
Have realistic expectations: Every couple is worthy of achieving their dream day - regardless of their budget. However, being realistic about how far your budget can go is paramount to a successful planning process. There may be things you want, but your budget just simply won’t allow for. There may be some things that your budget will allow for, but your venue or vendors won’t. Either way, extreme expectations often lead to disappointment. Do your research and talk with your planner about what is practical for you, personally.
Allison: “One of the first things we do with our couples is talk through their budget, what is the threshold that starts to scare them, what elements hold the most importance. Then we are able to customize our target budgets in each category and tailor our approach to building a strong vendor team. We won’t be using the percentages posted online, because those just don't work for everyone. Make sure whoever you are working with as your planner is helping you through these delicate details.”
As you nail down the budget for your unforgettable event, focus on prioritizing. Your wedding is not just an investment - it’s a reflection of your love for one another. Each element should embody your personal interests and values that make up who you are and ultimately led you to one another.
Trust Your Pros
Wedding designs start out as ideas and evolve into tangible creations. During the various stages of planning, you have to trust that your wedding planner and vendors have the expertise to successfully take you through the process and to your desired results.
With years of experience in the industry, we know that every wedding is different. Even if it’s not your first go-around at planning one, experienced designers and vendors work daily to make couples’ dreams come true and have a deep understanding on how to get you from A-Z. Interfering too much with their processes may disrupt the flow of your event or even cause setbacks. So, find a planner you trust and do just that - trust them.
Use these tips to help you give up any unnecessary controls and allow the experts to bring your ideas to fruition:
Be honest with your opinions: This process is personal to you and so are all of the details that make up your design. Stay transparent and be honest with your planner and any other parties involved, so that you can achieve the event you’ve always hoped for and they can have the understanding they need to make it all happen.
Be aware of deadlines: Don’t be the reason that your timeline gets off track. In order to accomplish all that you need to on-time, it’s important that the flow doesn’t become congested with past-due agenda items. Keep up to date with your planner and stay on top of any big decision days.
Be flexible and open to feedback: While the internet and social media may become helpful resources for inspiration and advice, when it comes down to your specific event, your findings may not fit your situation. If your planner advises against something or recommends a different avenue, be receptive to their feedback. Afterall, they’re job is to work with your best-interest in mind and they will provide you with the best options to get things done.
Allison: “I always tell our couples that the planning process is a set of waves - in the beginning you are at the height, making a ton of decisions. Then you will slow down, but understand we are still working in the background making things happen. Then you’ll pick back up with menu tastings and design meetings, and slow down again. Fully enjoy each of these waves and know that we are guiding you through!”
Giving up control of a precious day like this isn’t easy. However, more often than not, couples have better experiences overall when they can relax and really trust that they’re in good hands. If you’re working with the right planner, you should feel a sense of ease knowing that they have the knowledge and skillset to pull it off.
It Goes By Fast - Enjoy It!
Understanding wedding planning from a wedding planner’s perspective can be super helpful to your wedding planning experience. Consistent communication, realistic budget expectations, and an early start are some of the necessary pillars that make up a successful planning journey. Ultimately, a collaborative relationship between couples and their planner will help set the stage for the most memorable time of their lives.
The planning process can get busy, but it will also go by in a blink of an eye. Soak in every minute of design meetings, cake tastings, venue visits, and milestones that inch you closer and closer to the day of your dreams.
Get started planning your wedding or event at www.allisoneventdesign.com.
