why hire a wedding planner?

This is a first in our “Ask the Experts Series”. Periodically we will interview some of the top wedding professionals in the industry to share their area of expertise with you. Please email us if you have any questions for any of our experts!

This interview is with the beautiful and talented Sarah True of True Event.

What is the advantage of having an Event Coordinator?

There are many advantages to hiring an Event Coordinator. Most importantly this is what I do for a living. It is my career, my passion and as a result I have spent time building relationships with the best vendors. I continuously stay on top of the latest fashions and trends and spend hours researching. By doing so this allows my clients to save time. It is with my expertise, that I can advise you on selecting the right vendors, areas to save money and help to allocate the budget appropriately. I offer a level of efficiency, professionalism and expertise to the event planning process that can only be gained through years of experience. For many of the same reasons one would typically hire a Realtor, an accountant, a contractor or a lawyer to assist with a significant transaction, these are the same advantages that a professional event coordinator can offer. This is one of the biggest days of a couple’s lives. An Event Coordinator allows you, your family and friends to be guests at your wedding and enjoy the planning process from start to finish. An event is ultimately a collaboration of multiple professionals working together to execute one’s vision for the event – the caterer, the florist, the photographer, the musicians, etc. The event coordinator is the one person who’s sole interest lies in making sure that all of these separate functions come together to ensure that event is executed in the vision of the bride and groom.

photo by adeline and grace

What do you say to brides who think that they don’t have room in the budget for an event planner?

I think every bride should work with an event coordinator. Budget should not deter a bride. However, it is extremely important to start with an overall budget. We build ourselves into that budget without compromising your overall vision. We advise you on the best way to use the money you have budgeted and the appropriate vendors to contract so that you aren’t wasting your time in the process. Planning a wedding should not be a frustrating process. However it can become frustrating when an impulsive, emotional buying decision is made without any planning, and suddenly a $30,000 wedding has already allocated $10,000 to one vendor, which is probably not the most effective use of one’s budget.

photo by toby morris

Can a bride hire an event planner even after they have selected many of their vendors?

Yes, but the ideal time to hire an event planner is at the very beginning. Selecting the team for your event is the most crucial part of the planning and designing process. Because of our experience and through the hundreds of weddings and events we have done over the years, we know the vendors that work best together to ensure a flawless event. It also helps with the proper allocation of the budget. Hiring an event coordinator does not mean you have to let go of this process completely, it is a joint effort. We work together to hire a group of vendors that are the best fit for you and for your event.

However, if a bride already has the majority of their vendors selected they should not underestimate how much a coordinator can assist throughout the planning and design process of bringing it all together and in the final execution on the day of the event. After spending so much time, money, and effort selecting your vendors, you will want to make sure that all the moving pieces come together to create a spectacular event, but also that you will not be responsible for managing this process on the day of your wedding. Hiring an event coordinator after you’ve selected your vendors, while not ideal, can remove a significant amount of the stress associated with making sure all of the small details that make a good event great, are executed properly.

photo by maggie conley

xoxo TWD