5 Ways a Professional Wedding Planner will Save You Money

If you think that a wedding planner is a luxury reserved for the wealthy, you may be surprised. As I set out to plan my wedding, I soon found that hiring a professional planner to lend a hand is actually a wise economic decision. Need convincing? Here are the top reasons a wedding planner can help you save some serious headaches – and cash:

Time is Money
Oh so cliché – but oh so true. As a bride to be, you don’t need to be told twice your time is valuable, so why waste it when it counts the most? Planning a wedding is essentially a full time job, and if you’re already a busy professional, guess what? Your work week doubled the moment you said “yes.” Trust me, your boss won't like it if you're caught surfing the net for wedding dresses on the job. Your career, your wedding or your sanity may suffer if you don’t get some help.

Set Your Budget...And Stick To It!
Once you set your wedding budget, your planner will help you stick to it. Be open about any budgetary constraints during planning sessions. Once you’re on the same page, your planner can help you determine what’s most important to you and make spending choices accordingly.

A Friend Indeed
A good wedding planner will get the most for your money by choosing the best vendors. As industry insiders, wedding consultants have built a network of reliable professionals and can make recommendations based on your style and budget. These vendor recs. save countless hours of research and can potentially avert costly mistakes (you can rest assured knowing Johnny Photographer isn’t going to skip town with your photography deposit).

Prime Negotiator
Your wedding planner will review all vendor contracts before you sign on the dotted line, catching any hidden fees and ensuring your needs are covered. As repeat clients, planners may even score you some vendor discounts. (mine was able to get me a reduced rate on our wedding transportation!)

Go Part Time
Still think your wedding budget’s too maxed out for hired help? While many wedding planners orchestrate entire affairs (which can be pricey), most can be hired on an hourly basis for services tailored to your needs. So if you find yourself stumped on invitations – a pro can come to the rescue. Another option is a week-of or day-of planner, a great alternative for the bride who plans everything herself but would like to have a professional on hand to attend to last minute details.

-contributed by Joni Lacroix-
Still not sure whether a wedding coordinator is for you? This complete guide to hiring and working with a wedding planner will help you decide.