In case you haven’t noticed, your wedding is a big deal coupled with a tremendous amount of decision making.  The wedding industry is infused with vendors who all want to be a part of your big day and weeding through the hundreds of options is not a task for the feint of heart.  Hiring a wedding coordinator who knows the in’s and out’s of the capital district wedding industry may just save your sanity and your budget. It’s time to hire your own personal wedding planning superhero!

(Planner Christine Wheat Bustling her Bride's Dress)

Your Very Own Wedding Planner Superhero
If you didn’t believe in people who possess superpowers, a wedding planner may just change your way of thinking. They possess the power to protect you from unnecessary spending, navigate the maze of vendors and provide you with peace of mind.  “Planners can help sift through the endless details and options and match you up with the best option for your style and price range,” said Christine Wheat (Christine A. Wheat Special Events Firm LLC). “A good planner will listen to what you like, add a few ideas and then bring back the best options for you to decide on.  They should listen and enhance what you and your family want.”

Wedding Planners have the Power to Save you Money
The investment in a wedding planner can be the very investment that ends up saving you money.  “A wedding planner can also help you create a realistic budget and payment management spreadsheet.  They can help determine what the big ticket items are and how to decide on those up front,” said Christine.  “Although planners are also perceived as a luxury vendor, it is also important to understand that planners can be a critical part of managing a wedding budget,” said Taia Younis of (Inspired Occasions).  “By helping to formulate an initial budget, recommending vendors in the appropriate price point and offering money saving alternatives, planners can actually help couples stick to their budget and reduce wasted expenses.”

Hiring a wedding coordinator may be the wisest fiscal decision you make.  “I think people are surprised at how affordable a wedding coordinator can be,” said Katie O’ (Katie O’ Events). “You have invested a lot of time and money into your wedding day and having someone there to help ensure that everything goes well is what most clients tell us is their best investment.”

Wedding Planners help you find the right Vendor
Wedding coordinators can be your very own GPS navigation system as you try to map your way through the seemingly endless options of wedding vendors.  “Planners are usually offered 10-15% discounts from many vendors, which are then passed along to their clients,” said Christine Wheat (Christine A. Wheat Special Events Firm LLC).  Planners know what the best items are to invest in and what items will not be missed on the big day and they also know the suppliers that are ‘off the beaten path’ and that can offer dependable product or service or that cannot be counted on.”

(Planner Shannon Whitney with another happy couple)

Planning a successful wedding can be created on a foundation of vendors that share your vision and compliment your style and personality and your wedding planners know and understand that.  “One of the most critical decisions a couple makes when planning a successful wedding is which vendors they will entrust to bring their vision to life,” said Taia Younis (Inspired Occasions). “Planners have the luxury of knowing who the local vendors are and which ones are doing quality work.  Planners almost act as matchmakers; understanding the needs and budget of their clients and connecting them with the best quality vendors that the couple can afford.  This can save couples hours of research or worse . . . feelings of regret on their wedding day when a vendor falls short of the couple’s expectations.”

“As a planner I help my couples find the venue and vendors who are the best fit for them,” said Shannon Whitney (Wedding Planning Plus). “I guide them through the design and decor decisions to bring their vision to reality, and I make sure there is no detail or piece of the planning that is missed or forgotten along the way.”

“There is no question; when a wedding planner is involved I can create a better video!  They take so much pressure off us vendors and allow us to do what we were hired for,” said videographer Dave Bigler of Bigler Productions.

Thanks to the great wedding planners that contributed to this article: