When you’ve been planning your wedding for weeks, months and even years, and you’re looking forward to the big day, you understandably want everything to be just perfect. However, in order to make sure that all is just how you imagined it would be, there’s a lot to do, especially in the final few weeks and on the day itself.
The question is, do you really want to spend your wedding day working and worrying OR would you prefer to relax and enjoy the day knowing that everything is being take care of? If the latter sounds like the more preferable option, then read on as I explain why so many couples are now choosing to hire an independent ‘on the day’ wedding planner.
An ‘on the day’ wedding planner is exactly that – they’re with you for the day of the wedding (and sometimes even the day(s) before/day after if you’re having a marquee wedding) and it’s their responsibility to look after everything for you/instead of you. Your planner won’t be involved with all those pre-wedding arrangements, but they will meet with you in the run up to your wedding to talk through the day in great detail. Most on the day planners will put together a schedule for your wedding day and will also take the time to speak to your suppliers and venue ahead of the date to confirm any arrangements and final details.
On the day itself, your planner will welcome and coordinate your suppliers, will make sure that the décor is looking exactly how you imagined it would be and they’ll also ensure that the day is running to time. They’ll deal with guests, answer queries and handle all of those wedding day jobs discreetly and efficiently. If there are any problems, you won’t know about it and if, at any point, you need anything at all, your planner will be there to assist.
So why do couples hire wedding day coordinators? Well, modern weddings now include so many elements, suppliers and details that there’s a lot to do and even more to look after. If you’ve planned your wedding, you want to make sure that the day runs exactly how you imagined it would and by having a wedding planner on board it means that you can hand over your plans to an experienced professional, thereby giving you both freedom and reassurance in equal measure.
More and more couples are also holding their weddings in ‘blank canvas’ venues, including marquees and tipis. These venues are brilliant because you’re able to completely tailor them to your own personal requirements, but the big question is – who will run the day for you? The answer is of course an on the day planner!
An on the day planner is also independent. Unlike in-house coordinators, your chosen planner has no-one’s interests at heart other than yours. You are their client, they care only for you and all they want is for you to have the wedding that you’ve worked so hard to plan. A venue coordinator can have divided loyalties, needing to look after the venue and stick to their rules as well as running your day.
With an independent planner, you also know exactly who will be looking after you. Despite the changes in the wedding world, some venues still hand couples over to a banqueting or events manager on the wedding day itself. This means that although you might have built a rapport with your wedding coordinator and told them all your plans, they’re not actually there on the big day. With an on the day planner however, you’ll meet them, have contact with them and, most importantly, see them on your wedding day.
Your wedding day planner will also come with a huge set of skills and an impressive wedding day emergency kit. Whatever happens won’t be a problem and whatever’s needed will be provided.
So, when it comes down to it, why should you hire an on the day wedding coordinator? The simple answer is so that you can make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime occasion and have the perfect day that you’ve been looking forward to for so long.
Upcoming Wedding Exhibitions:
The Hatfield House Wedding Fair, 3 June
The Norwich Wedding Show Evening Showcase, Holiday Inn Norwich, 28 June
