by Catherine Oz

Created on: June 03, 2009   Last Updated: June 05, 2009

Planning a wedding can be as complicated as running a three-ring circus. Wedding planners are the competent ringmasters of this romantic, flowery world, making sure everything from the elephants (the caterers) to the clowns (your relatives) are in the right place. But the question is: Do you really need one, or are you going to spend extra money on something that you could do yourself for free?

To discover whether or not a wedding planner is right for you, simply ask yourself:

- How big is my wedding? How many vendors do I have? If your dream wedding involves twenty close friends on the beach and a quiet luncheon afterwards, you'll be able to take care of every single detail yourself. But let's say your dream is a large, formal wedding with 100+ guests, a formal sit-down dinner, a photographer, a band and more that can get as complicated as a theatrical production, and you and your fiance might appreciate someone there to make sure everyone's fed and all of the things happen at the right time.

- How much planning do I really want to do? If you're a crafty, DIY-type or a micro-manager who wants to make sure every detail is correct and gets a thrill out of entertaining, a wedding planner might be completely redundant and actually get in the way.

- Am I having family issues? Let's say you're not Bridezilla, but your Mom is terribly worried about the shade of the napkins matching the shade of the imported Tahitian orchids, and you envision a Clash of the Titans before the end of the month. A wedding planner is experienced in navigating thorny family waters and coming to conclusions that will fit both feuding sides, making for a more pleasant experience for everyone.

- Is my future husband/wife supportive? Do I have bridesmaids / groomsmen that have time? Planning a wedding is a big deal. Even if you're totally committed to something complicated, most of the planning will fall on your shoulders if your fiance isn't interested. The wedding planner becomes the person you can call on any time to help you when you're overwhelmed. Facing a big deadline at work and don't have time to call the florist? Have the wedding planner do it. If your partner is just as enthusiastic as you or you have some relatives that want to help, a wedding planner might not be needed.

- How good am I at handling crises? Anything can go wrong at a wedding and often does. At my wedding, we were told the day before that we might not be able to serve alcohol because of a permitting issue.

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