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Wedding Planner - Someone in Your Corner on Your Big Day

Why pay someone to organize your wedding? Here are the top reasons why a wedding planner makes sense - and cents.

1. Planning a wedding is a huge time-sucking job.

Seriously; especially as the time gets closer, the myriad details that need attention can take over your life. And most of those details are simply not fun. A wedding planner gets paid to take care of all those little details so that you don't have to worry about them. That leaves you free to focus on the rest of your life - and the fun parts of planning your wedding.

2. The wedding planner is your "friend in the business".

Everyone knows that you can get a good deal on a new car when you've got a 'friend in the business'. A wedding planner works with folks in the bridal business every single day. Those merchants - florists, bakers, rental companies and others - value the business of a wedding planner. Your planner will be able to negotiate far better prices than you can as a single consumer. It's all a matter of good business and volume sales.

3. You'll get extra special treatment from everyone.

It's a corollary to the 'friend in the business' clause. A wedding planner refers LOTS of business to bridal vendors. They'll go the extra mile to make sure that you love everything they provide for your wedding - because they know that YOU may not be back next week, but your wedding planner certainly will if they do a good job for you.

4. Your wedding consultant knows how to spot a good deal.

You know how much you should pay for a pair of jeans, and the best price for a gallon of milk at the corner store. A wedding consultant deals every day with event venues, florists, cake designers, bands and caterers. She'll spot a good deal in an instant - and perhaps more importantly, she'll head off any vendors that try to take advantage of a bride's inexperience in the field.

5. You get the advantage of the wedding planner's expertise in event and wedding planning.

You want a wedding in the back yard in July. It's a lovely idea, and your wedding consultant is the one who'll know all the pitfalls to avoid and the extras that will make your day go off without a hitch. You might not think about the mosquitoes after dark, but she knows exactly how to make sure you're guests aren't slapping at the little whiners through the best man's toast. It's that specialized knowledge that will make your wedding the perfect day you envision.

6. Your wedding consultant is your advocate with vendors - and with family.

If you had a dollar for every bride who's thrown up her hands in frustration and wailed "Whose wedding is this anyway?", you could probably pay for your dream wedding and honeymoon a few dozen times over. One of the most important roles for a wedding planner is buffer between you and all the people who want to tell you how to run your wedding. Her job is to make sure that your wedding is your vision come to life, and if that means taking your mother aside and convincing her that no, really, purple tulle bows are just NOT being done this season, she'll do it.

7. You'll never know that the caterer forgot the appetizers.

Last minute emergencies are par for the course at weddings. When you hire a wedding planner, you don't have to worry about them. That's her job. She'll send someone back to pick up the appetizers, do a quick repair when the maid of honor's heel breaks and whip together a last minute centerpiece for the two extra tables that got added at the last minute. One way or the other, you'll never hear about any of it - until after the ceremony, and then, only if you ask. Her goal is to make sure that your day is beautiful and stress-free.

8. A wedding planner is there for YOU, not the convenience of the venue.

Wedding venues often offer a 'wedding organizer' as a service. While it's nice to have an organizer on site to coordinate all the various folks that are working on your wedding, a venue organizer isn't quite the same as an independent wedding planner. In most cases, the venue organizer will be working with vendors that regularly do business with that venue. There's not as much impetus to get you the best possible deal. Often, you'll be pushed to accept a 'package deal' that include catering, flowers, décor, band and photographer. The venue coordinator's allegiance is to the venue, not to you.