What does a wedding planner do?

Are you a great listener, have a caring personality, and love to help people? If so, wedding planning may be something you’d like to consider!

A wedding is one of the most significant and happiest events in a couple’s life. However, it can also be one of the most stressful. A wedding planner helps couples with the planning, organization, and management of their wedding. Brides and grooms rely upon their wedding planner to be a calming presence and to also have a voice of reason throughout the wedding process.

A wedding planner will typically start by meeting with the couple for a consultation in order to understand their needs and wants. This includes not only the particulars for the wedding day itself, but for any other related events (the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, the next day brunch etc). The planner will also ask what the couple’s budget is, and based on that, explain what services they can expect to get for that amount. Getting a clear feel and understanding for the couple’s taste and their overall vision is important; this is where great listening skills come into play.

The wedding planner will present the couple with a contract for their services, outlining in detail what they can expect to get. An experienced wedding planner has many contacts in the business, and has successfully organized many previous weddings, therefore is able to knowledgeably suggest reception venues that have the perfect view, or wedding locations that have an amazing feel and vibe.

They know what they can accomplish with the budget they are given, and can either introduce the couple to vendors and services that can accommodate a lavish wedding, or vendors and services that specialize in catering to small budgets. They are also quite often able to get discounts on services, which they can pass on to their clients.