Psssp . . . You Really Do Need a Planner

Hello brides, grooms, birthday men and women, bridal party squads, mothers to be,  fiancés, god-mommies and anyone planning a celebratory event . . . You Really Do Need a Planner or a Day of Coordinator at the very least. I know many will disagree and that’s ok. But I know what I know and I say this after having enlisted the help of friends and family members for years as I planned my own wedding and themed birthday extravaganzas for my daughter. What I learned from doing that is that they would have welcomed the opportunity to be a guest and enjoy themselves at these amazing celebrations.

I know that everyone wants to save money where they can, but the truth is that nothing is free and everything you opt to do yourself is going to cost you somehow. It will cost you in time, peace, patience, enjoyment and real money. In planning your event, it’s not just the logistics that you have to contend with. It’s the people. Your 10 vendors, 65 guests, family on both sides, best friends, clergy person, spouse and significant other. Everyone means well, but they will tug at everything you’ve got before it’s all over and you will not be happy.
 
I’ll share a personal experience.
     
​This year I threw myself a Birthday Brunch and I made it “a thing” as my daughter calls it when I do more than a little something. Customized evites with limited spaces available were sent out. I invited 99 people (literally) with only 34 spaces available. **Close your mouth, that’s how you get people to respond quickly with only 2 weeks notice.**  And respond they did. So, 3 days before the Brunch, I sent out an update to the invite.  I told my VIP guests that I would be unreachable 24 hours before the event because I would be preparing this wonderful experience for them. So, for the next 2 days, they could ring, text or email me off the hook with any and every question they had. My guests began to make fun of me, as only they could because of this missive. I was here for it all because it just created more buzz around what the heck I was planning and increased their excitement for the celebration. Yaaaaas!
 
But I issued this edict because I’ve watched many of my clients endure last minute calls, bad news updates and shocking questions leading up to the start of their event and that was not good. This threw off their whole #mood and frustrated them greatly before their wonderfully planned event. I did not want this before my event so I was good with the update I sent them.  But true to form, I received 2 calls during that “do not disturb” period – what the heck? What did I do? Asked a friend to call one and I just texted the other one the information she needed.  But I reminded them of my request and we all laughed about it over a fabulously planned brunch.
 
What I learned is what I already knew and try to share with potential clients who are on the fence about investing in themselves . . . Hirer a Planner or Coordinator because it will save you in unimaginable ways. Planners and Coordinators are filled with so many valuable resources that you’ll come to appreciate when we start to work together. We can also save you money because of the relationships we’ve developed with our vendors who pass the savings onto you. Finally, as much as you’ve planned, there are always things you haven’t thought of that Planners and Coordinators pick up on immediately and it can make the difference with the type of experience you and your guests will have at your wedding or event.
 
So, without a doubt, You Really Do Need a Planner! You'll be all the better for it and your guests will appreciate it too.