This is a question I’m asked very frequently as a photographer. In the last few years, many couples have undertaken a lot of the planning and decorating for their wedding ceremony. If not the couple, often it is the mother of the bride or a member of the family acting in this capacity. I have photographed a lot of weddings “crowd sourced” by couples. It is a cost effective way of getting married. They are beautiful affairs but I do tell my potential clients that hiring a wedding planner, or a the very least a day of planner, is a good idea even if your venue does have a planner.
The main reason you need a planner is this- even with a set timeline, wedding days are unpredictable. There are a thousand little operating parts on a wedding day and a wedding planner not only will take the worry of keeping everything on schedule BUT they also have seen everything that can possibly go wrong during a wedding and manage it for you. Its the thing that is hard to imagine when you are envisioning your perfect day but let me tell you, there should be a reality show for wedding planners and/or wedding photographers. What we see and experience on wedding days makes for some good stories but that said, it is best to have as many people helping you not worry because it isn’t our first rodeo. This said, sometimes brides and grooms will depend upon the wedding photographer to take on this role, but for the sake of your photos, please don’t do this to us.
Wedding planners are also genius at planning in spaces that aren’t designated wedding venues. If you are getting married at a park, a public garden, a private property, a wedding planner can help you not only make it possible but also help you make it the most magical, beautiful event imaginable. It is the spaces that are not clearly defined where wedding planners can work their magic. Not only that, but there are now lighting designers and a variety of other space planners who do some incredible things in outdoor spaces. A wedding planner will create for you something that most people can’t envision on their own because it not only takes vision but the resources, the vendors, to employ to make it happen. Many people worry about the cost getting out of hand but wedding planners can also make things happen with varying budgets.
One of my favorite wedding planners advises her clients to take a few moments after the ceremony, just the two of them together, as it will be their first moments as husband and wife. It’s that sort of advice and the creation of beautiful spaces and guidance before and during the day that create a sort of magic and make for a more natural wedding day. Everyone is more relaxed and happy when they can have time to savor their wedding which in turn leads to better images…
I know there is a draw to crowdsource or DIY everything (including photography…) but hopefully your wedding will happen only once. I would love to encourage all of my potential clients to spend money on their photography (of course) and also on a good planner.
Here are a few of my favorites…
