Having had an on the day coordinator on my own wedding day, I love this post by one of our regular guest bloggers, wedding planner Ali Berry.

For me, investing in a professional wedding planner to coordinate our wedding day was worth it, no question.  Multiple venues, a marquee reception 30 miles away from our ceremony venue and numerous vendors needing to find a garden in the middle of nowhere… I wasn’t going to leave this stuff to chance on the biggest day of our lives.  I wanted to relax and enjoy, and for our friends and family to be able to do the same. Given how much the average wedding costs, I am a strong advocate in spending that little extra for on the day coordination to make sure it all goes off without a hitch (ha!).  So, over to Ali…

The big day is approaching, and after having dedicated so much time to the planning and perfecting of every aspect of your wedding (not to mention the money), do you dare leave the execution of these details to chance? You are the bride and should be carrying a bouquet not a clipboard! You will need to have someone that can be responsible for putting all of the elements and details in place on the wedding day.

It doesn’t matter how much you’ve spent on your wedding, if your guests have to wait 30 minutes for a glass of champagne, if the food is cold, if the DJ doesn’t turn up, that is what they will remember.

But now that you’ve planned the perfect wedding, who will be there on the day to make sure it goes according to your plan? You’ve picked the perfect location, but who makes sure the chairs are set up the way you ordered? To act as the contact point when your vendors arrive? To let ushers know when to start seating? Who lines up your wedding party for their entrances? Who communicates with the waiting staff to instruct them to start serving? In a nutshell, who will you rely on to see that everything falls into place?

Too often, brides rely on family and friends to help carry out plans on the day of the wedding. By asking a friend or family member to take on this stressful task, that person will not be able to enjoy the event as a guest and will end up feeling like “event staff.” In most cases, your “volunteers” have little experience in this role and end up stressed and frazzled as they try to keep on top of everything that must be done to ensure that the day goes smoothly.

You spend a lot of mental, physical and emotional energy making sure that everything is the way you want it to be on your wedding day. Sometimes, weddings are the most expensive event that couples will put together. You are making a very important investment…why wouldn’t you want that event managed professionally and with ease?
Professionally trained, experienced and skilled planners are not for only the rich and famous. There are planners in all price ranges.  You want to know that your vision is seen thoughout your big day!

So if you have planned your wedding on your own, hiring a wedding professional to co-ordinate your day is not expensive, it’s priceless and invaluable.

IMAGE CREDITS – Moi! Donna Sharpe Photography