by Stephanie Espiritu

Created on: October 12, 2010

It’s no secret that today’s bride is quite different than those of the 50s. Having a full time career, going to school, and in some cases raising children doesn’t allow for much “me time.” So when it comes time to plan a wedding, today’s bride can use all the help she can get.

Here is an overview of the benefits of hiring a wedding planner and where to find the most reputable.

Saving Time-The average wedding can take over 200 hours to plan so it’s no wonder why brides are in desperate need of assistance. If going at it alone they can make careless decisions based on their availability of time or lack thereof. On the other hand wedding planners can fully dedicate the necessary time that every wedding needs.

Reputable Vendors-When hiring wedding vendors, brides must select one based on their credentials and reputation, but in order to verify this information brides must interview at least 3 professionals in every wedding vendor category. This means that she will have to meet with at least 30 people just to find out a little information about them in order to select just the right florist, caterer, baker, photographer, etc. However, if a bride hires a wedding planner they should already have a relationship with  only the best vendors, so brides will not have to go through the grueling process of interviewing, as they have already been verified by the wedding planner.

Saving money-In today’s economy people are cutting back on their spending habits and when it comes to brides, there is no exception. Planning a wedding can be very expensive and although brides may think that hiring a wedding planner is an unnecessary expense, that is the farthest from the truth. Wedding planners can save brides money as they are able to negotiate with wedding vendors in order to get the best rates, fees, and services which a bride is unable to do by herself. Although it seems to be an additional expense upfront in the end the wedding planner’s services will pay for themselves.

Budgets-Before planning any part of a wedding or making any purchases it’s important for brides to know what they can afford to spend. Wedding planners play a vital role in the budget planning process as they will sit with a bride to determine how to allocate funds based on priority and importance. This wedding budget will act as a necessary guide throughout the planning process and will ultimately keep the bride financially on-target.

Sanity- Next to saving money, saving one’s sanity is probably the best benefit of hiring a wedding planner. They have the expertise and know how to pull all of the wedding elements together. For brides that handle everything on their own, they end up making costly mistakes and in the end only have poor memories of the day. Wedding planners are in the business for not only the planning process but for the coordination and flawless execution of the event. It’s a bride’s special day so she should enjoy it and let a professional handle the details.

The engagement period should be full of excitement and a time for couples to really bond with one another and their families.

Instead of planning their wedding brides should hire a wedding planner to take the reins which will save them time, money, and most importantly their sanity.

To find a reputable wedding planner visit the “Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants” at www.acpwc.com.

Learn more about this author, Stephanie Espiritu.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.