There are many myths on wedding planners and a big one I come across is that some believe a planner’s job is to simply beautify a wedding. While that is a small aspect of what our job entails, trust me – it also covers a whoooole lot more that is much more vital! Hiring a planner can seriously make a difference between having the day go smoothly and one with tons of mishaps.

Credit: Jeff Brummett Visuals

Even if you are the most organized person on the planet and decide against getting a planner, I ask, nay, implore you to consider hiring a wedding coordinator to handle things the day itself. Even though I’m a planner and planning my own wedding, I am still having the other ladies at Keestone Events coordinate. Why? Because I want to enjoy my wedding! See a previous post here on the differences between a wedding and venue coordinator.

Let me explain more below.

1. You Get Time Back

Wedding Paper Divas did a poll recently where it was found that 40% of couples were engaged from 13-18 months. 47% of couples spend anywhere from 1-9 hours per week planning for their wedding, with 40% spending 10-15 hours per week planning. Let’s take the average of these numbers to calculate. It can be said then, that a typical couple that is engaged for 15.5 months will spend around 302 hours planning if you are a couple spending 1-9 hours per week (we used 4.5 hours to calculate) planning!

If you belong in the latter group of 10-15 hours, you can allot 873 hours (we used 13 hours as a guide, not 15!) to your wedding planning. That’s nearly 37 straight days of 24/7 planning.

That is a lot of time. This doesn’t include time dedicated to DIY projects, thrifting and searching for those perfect pieces to be in your wedding either.

Here’s where a planner comes in handy – we do the nitty gritty so you can focus on your job and have actual free time! We map out a solid plan, match you up with the right vendors, handle communication, design work, checklists, so on and so forth. This gives you back the most precious commodity of time. Plus, you can actually focus on your job too, knowing that someone is handling all the details for you.

2. Taking Care of Emergencies

Credit: Stephanie Brazzle Photography

Things can get unexpected during a wedding. It is the planner’s job to ensure that this either gets fixed or goes unnoticed. There are two types of emergencies I have seen while at weddings:

1. Big hiccups – (real life examples here!) – I had a couple who wanted a very intimate wedding. Due to unforseen circumstances, their guest count dropped from 35 to 20. The original caterer decided to drop out of the wedding in less than two weeks because it was too small and ‘not worth their time’. Yes, I am quoting this verbatim! Long story short, I was able to find another caterer that stepped in to save the day and offered more than what the previous caterer did! Guests didn’t know a difference and the bride and groom did not have to sweat this because by the time they were told the predicament with the first caterer, there was a replacement lined up instead of them having to find another vendor on their own.

2. Details – At Keestone Events, we arrive with a giant emergency bag that has everything you can think of, from a sewing kit to medicines to a garter. We typically use said bag in 90% of the weddings we’ve done just because you never know what occurs! We’ve had to construct a pin-on boutonniere into a makeshift corsage so it doesn’t snag on the delicate dresses the mothers of the bride and groom have worn. We’ve had to get mud stains off a wedding dress, rush to get medication for an allergic reaction from a guest, retrieve bug spray, the list goes on.

The last thing you want to do as a bride / groom is deal with these situations that happen while you want to enjoy the day and have everything go smoothly. By having a planner, you leave the headaches and stresses to people who know how to handle it.

3. Money Kept 

Many wedding planners are exceedingly well connected in the industry. We have built up relationships with trusted vendors who we know are professional, dependable and do one heck of a job.

We’ll know who to pair you up with once we hear your wedding vision and what’s important to you. I’m so proud to state that our couples have never had a complaint about who we introduce them to because they have connected so much! We also know if a vendor specializes in something they might not necessarily advertise and which budget bracket they fall into.

4. Mediation 

Weddings can be stressful. Arguments and opinions are frequent whether it’s your significant other, family or overly helpful friend. By having a planner, you get an objective, unbiased opinion that should typically be the most effective because weddings are something that we do rather frequently!

Often times at Keestone Events, we find ourselves as the buffer and have extinguished many a ‘debate’ before it becomes a full fledged wildfire! When a planner is present, it truly helps lift the burden from family and friends who can then in turn enjoy your wedding.

5. You have the Final Word

A planner works for you, the bride and groom. We plan based on your ideas. At Keestone Events, we listen to your vision and get the ball rolling in finding the right venue and vendors. We aren’t just a planning company either – we also do a lot of design work and present you our ideas on what could enhance your big day.

We communicate that vision to the other vendors and ultimately, make sure that it is your dream that comes to life.

6. Assisting You Cheerfully Every. Step. Of. The. Way.

• Need a sounding board? We’re it.
• Need advice and ideas? Ask away.
• Emails and questions from a million different vendors? We are your funnel.
• Questions from your guests? Have them ask us!
• Need timelines, itineraries and floor plans? We’ve got your back. In fact, we make sure to pass this out to all the other pertinent vendors so everyone is on the same page and all questions will be directed at us.

7. We Want You to Enjoy the Process

One of the greatest feelings in the world is when a couple tells me they have really enjoyed their wedding planning experience. From orchestrating the rehearsal to packing up items at the end of the reception, we are here to make sure nothing gets overlooked. Having a planner allows you to be fully present at your own affair. After all, everyone is celebrating you getting married to your best friend. Why not enjoy it instead of worrying about whether the getaway car arrived in time or not?

Being in this industry, we have seen a lot and our knowledge and personal experience proves it. Rest assured knowing that you are getting an unbiased, professional guidance and that we are here for you!