Is It Worth It to Hire a Wedding Planner?

Once the initial excitement of your engagement has died down a little and the ring has been thoroughly oohed and aahed over, it’s a question most couples typically ask. “Is it worth it to hire a wedding planner?” Quickly followed by: “Is it possible to plan a wedding on my own?” The answer to the second question is yes, it is possible, but to the first – well, it depends. Just as every wedding is different, each couple’s circumstances are unique. If you’re planning a luxury destination wedding in Ireland from another country, for example, then a wedding planner who can handle the logistics on the ground is a smart choice. You may also have read that hiring a wedding planner can end up saving you money. While that’s true, if it’s the only reason you’re hiring a planner, then you probably shouldn’t. The value of having an experienced professional on your side can’t be underestimated, but it’s not all in the bottom line.

So what IS their value? And is it worth it to hire a wedding planner for YOU? Here are a few scenarios where the answer is almost certainly “yes”.

You both have busy and time-consuming work lives

According to a 2019 study, a wedding takes around 528 hours to plan. With a typical engagement length of a year, that’s an additional 10 hours a week – the equivalent of a part-time job. For couples who already have time challenges from their regular jobs combined with busy social lives, volunteering, travel, etc., that’s a huge burden to add. The result is often less sleep, more stress, and very little quality time together. That’s not an ideal way for anyone to start their married life. Hiring a wedding planner cuts those hours dramatically, without compromising on the end result. It’s the ideal solution for busy working professionals – it’s all right there in the numbers!

You want to enjoy the wedding planning experience

Not only is wedding planning time-consuming, it has a lot of moving parts. There are multiple contracts to secure, service providers to manage, choices to narrow down. Hiring a wedding planner will take that load off your shoulders. You’ll still be in control of the way your wedding looks and feels, but you won’t have to sweat any of the small stuff. In addition, a wedding planner will ensure you’re on-track with your budget and they’ll be able to plan around any bumps in the road that may crop up along the way. When the day comes, you (and your mum and bridesmaids!) can sit back and relax instead of rushing about making final payments and decorating tables. You’ll be able to be present in this most precious of moments, knowing that the details are in safe hands.

You want to work with the most talented event professionals

Experienced wedding planners build up a network of contacts over years, basing their recommendations not only on service providers’ creative skills, but on their delivery. That makes a wedding planner’s little black book like gold. Not only does hiring a wedding planner give you access to this information, it may actually get you a booking with a hard-to-secure vendor. The recommendation of a top planner works both ways, smoothing the way for you to hire the very best in the business. The WOW-worthy results will speak for themselves!

You’re planning a destination wedding

A destination wedding adds many extra layers to the already consuming demands of planning a wedding locally. There are legal issues such as permits to consider and there may be a time difference and/or language barrier to overcome. It can also be a lot more difficult to know which suppliers to hire without the benefit of recommendations from family and friends. Having someone on the ground who not only knows the lay of the land but can advise on everything from cultural differences to the best activities for your guests will make all the difference!

You have a shorter timeline

Most engaged couples have between 12-18 months to plan their wedding, which allows plenty of scope for interviewing and securing service providers, choosing a venue, allowing a design to evolve, etc. But if your big day is in six months or less, you’ll have to cram all of that into a much shorter timeline. You’ll also have to overcome issues like availability, since some of your preferred venues or vendors may already be booked up. A wedding planner can help you find alternatives, source design elements, and make creative suggestions that can save you time.

So, is it worth it to hire a wedding planner? If any of the above sounds familiar, then yes, absolutely! And, while it’s possible to plan your wedding without one, the question rather becomes: why would you want to? After all, you can probably learn to fix a broken pipe on the internet, but you’ll be much better off calling a plumber. And in the same way, a professional wedding planner will save you time, money – and your sanity!

Slán go Fóill,

Tara

Images by Story of Eve, Kieran Harnett, Eric Kelley