Wedding planners help with weddings every day of the year, bringing lots of wisdom and practical expertise to the table. They know what it takes to make the big day go off without a hitch.

There are many reasons to hire a wedding planner, but here are our Top 3:

1. Perspective

Wedding planners have a good perspective on how all the elements of a wedding can come together to make a perfect event. You may be focused on hiring a band; they are focused on helping you find the perfect band for your venue, style, and budget. And the planner also ensures the band arrives on time and has enough time to set up.

2. Local Knowledge

There are a lot of players in the wedding industry, and a good wedding planner can connect you to the right people in your area for exactly what you need. Their recommendations can save you hours of research, stress and even money.

3. Problem Solvers

Your wedding planner is usually the one person that knows all the little details of your big day, and will know what to do with any situation that arises; late vendors, late guests, last minute seating changes, even an out-of-control aunt. Planners are professional problem solvers, keeping problems away while you relax and enjoy your special day.

Adding a wedding planner if your budget allows, can take away a lot of anxiety during the months leading up to your wedding, and take away the last minute-stress on your big day.

The number of guests you have at your wedding affects everything you do while planning, but creating the list can seem like an incredibly difficult task to start. We are here to help!

Wedding guests will come from all aspects and times of your life. Here is a system to pull your lifetime of friends and family into one guest list.

The Categories:

List Creation:

You and your future spouse should create your own lists that will be combined into one at the end. Take notes on the number of people associated with each name, including spouses, significant others, and children (if you are considering a child-friendly affair).

If appropriate, have your parents also prepare a list to avoid last-minute invitation requests.

Prioritizing:

Give each guest on the list a priority of A, B, or C.

A – Close family and friends that must be at the ceremony.

B – Additional friends, extended family, and professional friends that you are planning to invite.

C – Guests that would be nice to have at your wedding if your budget allows.

You now have your wedding list ready to go! Based on your budget and venue, start refining the list and adding addresses in preparation for your big day.

Weddings don’t come cheap, so figuring out how to pay for your upcoming wedding is one of the first things you need to do.

Here are some helpful hints to get you started.

Saving

If you are funding part or all of your wedding, start a savings plan today! Figure out a reasonable amount that you can save. This plus any contributions becomes your budget.

Contributions

Perhaps your family is going to help? Talk to them sooner rather than later. People often offer to pay for a specific element of a wedding, like flowers, but it can quickly turn into a budget nightmare if the amount you spend does not match the amount they were expecting. The best way for family or good friends to help financially with a wedding is to give you a specific amount of money towards the budget.

Credit Cards

Do what you can to avoid paying for any part of your wedding on credit. It can become a burden for years after the big day. It’s just not worth it and we’re in the wedding business! Also, be aware of the financial situation of those helping pay for your wedding. Don’t let your big day become their big burden either.

If you have a set overall budget, a big challenge will be keeping to it. Try your best to keep your expectations in line and be pragmatic about what you can afford.