Some brides hear the term destination wedding planner and immediately think that they don’t need one. After all, they assume that they can handle most of the responsibilities of a planner. Plus, why add an additional expense to an already bulging destination wedding budget. Plus, they assume that they will get lots of help from their family and friends.
What most brides don’t realize is how time-consuming it is to plan a destination wedding. It’s hard enough holding down a job, maintaining family relations, social commitments, and spending time with your fiance. When you add the complexity of a destination wedding (for 20, 30 or even 100 people), you are flirting with disaster.
Before you make a quick decision on whether you need a wedding planner or not, consider the advantages of having one.
Why you need a destination wedding planner
Do you really want to spend the last few months before your wedding worrying about all the hundreds of little details or would you rather have a professional handle them in half the time?
Here are some advantages to hiring a professional destination wedding planner:
- Whatever you pay for a wedding planner will come back to you in the way of savings. Most wedding planners are expert negotiators that can cut a better deal with vendors than you could by yourself. Plus, many enjoy special pricing with certain vendors and they will pass the savings onto you.
- They can help you decide on a good hotel for wedding guests. In addition, they can help get group hotel rates and block rooms as well.
- They have a ton of experience and will be able to give you insider tips about what to do, what activities your guests will enjoy, the best places for a sunset wedding, and the best wedding venues in town
- Access to inaccessible vendors. Looking for that perfect photographer for your destination wedding? Many vendors are booked up to two years in advance so getting them will be out of the question. However, your wedding planner may have some inside connections that will land you the photographer you really want.
- Many destination wedding planners are travel agents and can book airfare for you and your guests. This is a real time saver for everyone.
- They have the time to devote to planning your wedding and you, in most cases, will not.
- A good planner will help you avoid terrible vendors. They do this for a living and know which vendors are reputable and provide a quality product.
- You know the little details that we all hate dealing with. Your destination wedding will have 10,000 of these details. A good wedding planner will ensure all of them will be taken care of without having to ask you a million questions, leaving you to enjoy the final months before your wedding.
- A planner will be there the day of your wedding to deal with last-minute details and to deal with any emergencies that may crop up.
With all these advantages above, it’s a wonder why some brides are hesitant about hiring a destination wedding planner. Most wrongly assume that hiring one is extremely expensive.
But don’t planners cost an arm and a leg?
Destination wedding planners can be hired for a hour, a day, a week or for the entire wedding. The length of the time the planners works for you and the scope of work they do is entirely up to you.
For example, if all you need is help finding vendors for your destination wedding and you’re short on time, book a planner for a day. They can recommend several vendors that provide quality work, saving you hours of research time.
And if you need help planning the whole thing, they can do that as well. You can expect to pay them anywhere from 15 to 20% of the entire bill. While that might sound like a lot, remember that a planner will more than cover the cost of their fee by getting you discounted rates from vendors.
And before you continue to scoff at this fee, answer the following questions as honestly as you can.
Questions to ask yourself before deciding whether you need a planner
- Do I have the time to research the half a dozen vendors I will need?
- How much time per week can I really devote to planning the wedding?
- Do I have the time to take a special trip so I can visit vendors like caterers, florists, and hotels?
- Do I have the know-how to negotiate contracts with the caterer and a photographer? Do I know how to get group hotel rates and negotiate terms?
- Do I know what to look for in vendor contracts?
- Who’s going to deal with last minute issues? Do I have a family member who will travel ahead of time to ensure that everything is in order?
After answering the questions above, most brides will agree that a destination wedding planner can be very handy. To learn more, read “How Much Does A Destination Wedding Planner Cost?”
What should you do next?
Learn more about hiring a planner for a destination wedding
How To Select A Planner For A Destination Wedding
How Much Does A Destination Wedding Planner Cost?
10 Questions To Ask A Destination Wedding Planner