So you're getting hitched. Most likely you're thrilled, nervous and eager to celebrate with close friends and family in a way that best represents each other's cultures, styles and personalities. But a wedding, no matter the size, can be a time and cash-consuming event. It can also mean months of stress that lead up to a day of (hopefully) organized chaos.
Often one of the most important first decisions couples face is whether or not to bring a professional on board for some - if not all - of the work.
"We did not have a wedding planner and I regretted it," said Mary Anne Navidomskis, married in 2007. "It seems like you have everything under control until the day of. That is when you need them."
Having someone on hand to run the show and take stress off the bride and groom is one of the many reasons couples hire a wedding planner, says Cody Alcon, editor of Bridal/Quince Magazine and co-owner of EYT Event Planning and Catering. Alcon says he's helped plan some 200 El Paso weddings.
"A lot of people don't have the time or the patience to deal with all the planning," Alcon said. "Others live out of town. I get a lot of clients who want to plan a wedding in El Paso, but can't because they don't live here. Then there are others who go with planners to protect themselves from bad business practices - they don't want to get ripped off by vendors."
There are others who prefer not to pay extra to have someone do work they'd like to do on their own.
"I never considered having a wedding planner," says Lorena Sims, who married in 2010. "I love planning and hosting, especially for an event so important in my life. I guess you can say I'm a control freak. I know what I want and I know how I want it."
Sims said cost also factored into her decision.
"We were on a massive budget, so I saved everywhere I could," she said. "I was a full-time student with three little ones, but I got everything done. It was stressful, but I loved doing it."
Sims said her hard work and strict budgeting paid off. Her total wedding expenses amounted to about $5,000.
Alcon said they accommodate couples' individual needs by offering two main packages: planning from start to finish and same-day service. Fees range from $800 for same-day service to $2,500 for planning from start to finish, he said.
"Same-day service has been around for more than 10 years," Alcon said. "It works well for people who are short on cash and can't afford for a wedding planner to do all the work, but they don't want to have to stress out that day. Basically, the bride does all the work and we confirm with the vendors and help out the day of the event, so the bride doesn't have to stress."
Audrey Franco Rivera, married in 2003, said she feels her wedding planner helped her wedding run smoothly.
"She helped with the cake design, meal planning, the reception, music arrangements and moved everything along the day of the wedding," Rivera said. "She also helped guide us when our guest list started increasing, leading to increased costs in terms of servings, wait staff, etc."
Wedding planners can also advise on wedding etiquette, handle last-minute emergencies and negotiate contracts with vendors.
They also are trained to come up with creative solutions to unexpected problems.
"We once had a bride's dress hem rip; the bride was mortified," said Rick Cody, also co-owner of EYT Event Planning and Catering.
Cody said they used masking tape and double-sided tape to discreetly solve the problem.
"A lot of people think they know what they're doing, but don't realize what goes into every little detail," Alcon said.
The meddling familia
The brides- and grooms-to-be usually have relatives who would like some say in the upcoming nuptials.
"We do a lot of mediating, especially with the brides and the mothers," Alcon said. "The mom always wants something traditional, and the brides don't want that."
Alcon says they've had about eight clients who have gone to them specifically because the family couldn't agree with each other and find it's not worth fighting over.
And while a planner will lend an ear to family input, the decision, Alcon says, is ultimately up to his clients (the bride and groom) to decide.
"We were fortunate to have a close friend, who was an event planner, help us plan our wedding," said April Howard Gentry, married in May 2009. "She wasn't our ‘official' wedding planner but played an intricate part in our big day. I definitely recommend it to anyone planning a wedding."
Do you need a wedding planner?
If you answer no to one or more questions, you may consider hiring someone to help plan your special day.
• Do I have unlimited time to plan my wedding day?
• Am I able to visit suppliers during the daytime when their offices are open?
• Am I comfortable negotiating contracts with caterers, photographers, car hires, florists, stationers, cake makers, etc.?
• Am I prepared to deal with disagreements about the details?
• Can I deal with last-minute problems that may come up the day of the wedding?
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