What Does a Wedding Planner Actually Do?
Photo Credit: Linnea Marie Photography
Planning a wedding can be an exciting journey, but as you start thinking about all the details, decisions, and research involved, it can quickly become overwhelming. With a full-time job or other commitments, finding time and energy to plan a wedding can be challenging, even with a helpful family member. But what happens when a family member’s opinions become too much or the wedding weekend arrives and they want to enjoy the fun? This is where a wedding planner can step in and alleviate the stress, guide you through the decision-making process, and ensure that you and your loved ones can fully enjoy the day.
What is a wedding planner?
Wedding planners are industry experts who can offer invaluable resources to create a personalized, beautiful, and seamless event while respecting your budget. A planner allows you, and anyone else involved in the planning process, the chance to focus on the overall details and what most consider the “fun” parts of the planning process (menu tasting, design, etc.) while they handle the logistics and back and forth details with the vendors involved.
Wedding Planner Duties and Responsibilities
Many planning companies, like Eco & Ivory, offer a variety of packages ranging from Wedding Management to Full-Service Planning and Design. These packages may vary between planning companies, however, at the core of what all these packages include is ensuring the wedding day runs smoothly. Sounds simple, right? The reality is your planner will spend anywhere from 30-40 hours on an event management package and 150+ hours for a full-service package, plus around an average of 12 hours straight on your wedding day alone! Let’s briefly break down the high-level difference between an event management package and a full-service package and what a planner might be responsible for in each of these offerings:
Event Management
I can’t speak to what all wedding planners do, but for this service, Eco & Ivory:
Starts helping you with the planning process around 4 months prior to the wedding
Assists in communicating final details and logistics with the vendors you selected
Creates a comprehensive wedding weekend timeline to share with vendors as well as you and your wedding party
Is on-site on the wedding day setting up, directing vendors, and ensuring the timeline is being followed and the day runs smoothly
(As an eco-friendly wedding planner) Works with you and the vendors to make simple tweaks to increase the sustainability of your event
(Related Post: What to Expect from a “Day-Of” Wedding Coordinator)
Full Service
Again, I can’t speak to what all wedding planners do or offer as part of their full-service package, but Eco & Ivory:
Is with you from the beginning, sometimes even before you have selected a date and location
Assists in establishing a vision and realistic budget
Connects you with professional vendors to bring your vision to life and will review all contracts
Communicates all details and logistics with vendors throughout the entire planning process
Helps create a cohesive design based on your vision and budget
Is there to guide you during the planning, providing etiquette guidance on aspects such as invitations, family situations, and wedding day flow
Creates a comprehensive wedding weekend timeline to share with vendors as well as you and your wedding party
Is on-site on the wedding day directing vendors and ensuring the timeline is being followed and the day runs smoothly
Plus, as an eco-friendly wedding planner, Eco & Ivory helps with sourcing sustainable venues, vendors, and suppliers along the way, as well as coordinates with you and your vendors to see where simple adjustments can be made to increase the sustainability of your event
Other Wedding Planner Duties and Responsibilities
While planning packages offer many essential services, there are countless other tasks that your planner can do to ensure a stress-free and enjoyable experience for you and your loved ones. Some of these unknown services are:
Works behind the scenes to arrange the donation of your leftover florals if possible
Stops the band from warming up/doing sound check during your ceremony (if reception is close by)
Stays behind after the ceremony to help call out all your extended family to ensure they are around for pictures
Makes sure you get appetizers, dinner, and your favorite beverage in hand all night
Makes sure there is a plate and forks by your cake before you cut it so that your ceremonial slice has a place to go
Helps out photographer/videographer to get the perfect shot (throws veil in air for wind blown shot, holds extra lights, crouches behind you holding dress so it doesn’t get dirty, etc.)
Magically gets all your personal items packed up and where they need to go post-event
What does and Eco-Friendly Wedding Planner Do?
An eco-friendly wedding planner takes on even more than the wedding planning duties and responsibilities listed above. In addition to those responsibilities, an eco-friendly wedding planner will also take on things like:
Having a network of sustainable vendors and resources to connect you with
Helping you budget for a more sustainable event
Assisting you with securing an eco-friendly venue and vendors
Suggesting more sustainable catering options
Designing your event in a more sustainable manner and helping you to source more sustainable wedding decor
Coordinating with your venue and vendors to make simple adjustments to increase the sustainability of your event
And planning ahead so that the clean-up process for your event is as sustainable as possible (from arranging recycling to floral donation and more!)
(Related Post: Why You Should Work with an Eco-Friendly Wedding Planner)
What is a Wedding Planner?
Ultimately, a wedding planner is an essential investment that brings expertise, experience, and peace of mind to your special day. Trust your planner and know that they have your best interests at heart.
Realizing a planner sounds good right about now? I’d love to chat and answer any questions you might have about hiring a planner!