Why Hire a Professional Wedding Consultant
Excerpts from "The Miracle Workers":
Pinch Hitter
A consultant can handle as many - or as few - of the wedding details as you like. Many people think the only way to use a consultant is to hire one to handle the entire wedding, from site-scouting to the honeymoon. But what if you just want the lowdown on the best bands in your area? Or you simply need someone to step in at the last minute, to help run the reception?
Consultants provide a range of services: consultations, during which they give you advice in sites, photographers, and other key elements; day-of-wedding service [coordination], meaning he or she is the on-site director of the main event; and full service, or start-to-finish care and counseling.
"Perk"-Olator
A consultant can often get you more than you paid for from caterers and florists. Since these suppliers count on consultants for repeat business, they often nurture those relationships by providing you with special service.
Money Master
Wedding consultants aren't just for big-budget parties. In fact, they can be especially helpful when couples don't have a lot to spend. Often, consultants keep couples from rushing into expensive mistakes.
Emergency Technician
Consultants can also perform the occasional miracle. "I'm here to guarantee that anaything short of a national disaster will be taken care of, " says [one consultant]. [This consultant] knows the Heimlich maneuver, can give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and, if your officient doesn't show up, she's licensed to marry you too. She has raided the shrubbery when a wedding cake was delivered minus its flower decorations, and played deejay - with a boom box and guests' car tapes - when the musicians didn't show. Not bad for the woman you hired to organize your guest list.
Excerpts from "Rely On An Expert":
Advantages
The most important reasons for hiring a consultant are to save time and money. For instance, compiling a list of caterers, contacting them, then conducting the interviews before hiring the right one takes a chunk of time out of your schedule. Multiply that by the number of services you need. An established consultant has done that research and can give the information to the client.Another helpful role the consultant may fill is that of mediator. If the couple's wishes conflict with those of their parents, the consultant can provide a third-party objectivity that may relieve the stress and solve the problem.
Placing your wedding in such capable hands leaves you with more time to focus on other matters -- rehearsal dinners, out-of-town guests, honeymoon plans, and more. But if you can't squeeze these details into your schedule, you can find a consultant who will tackle them for you.
"No Extra Cost
When you hire a wedding consultant, he or she works within your budget and that includes their fee. The result, because of the consultant's expertise and contacts, likely will be a wedding worth much more than you could otherwise afford. And that's only the financial advantage. Add in the time saved (especially important to brides who work full time) the pros will far outweigh the cons. Hiring a consultant is a wise choice for engaged [couples] who are wondering how they'll be able to do it all.
Excerpts from "Why Hire A Professional":
Your wedding day is an important and complex event involving many details to piece together. A professional wedding consultant can assist you in this process by:
Determining needs and eliminating your stress. A professional wedding consultant can determine what will be required to make your day perfect and are aware of potential problem areas and will help to eliminate them.
Saving time and money. A professional wedding consultant has extensive knowledge of the wedding industry and can save you valuable time and hours of running errands and phone calling.
Recommending professionals. A professional wedding consultant will provide you with a network of talented, qualified professionals who come highly recommended.
Offering Objectivity and Responsibility. A professional wedding consultant will provide you with their professional, unbiased services and represent you so your wishes are met and you are able to enjoy your special day.
Excerpts from "Wedding Consultants":
For your wedding, there are hundreds of people to orchestrate, thousands of details to take care of, and only one chance to get it right. But relax, take a deep breath, and put things in perspecitve. If you don't know how to decorate your home, you hire an interior decorator. If you're unsure how your newly married status affects your tax position you hire an accountant. So if you don't have time or just want professional advice, you hire a wedding consultant.
"Pick a Professional
Wedding consultants are professional party planners. They are familiar with the caterers, printers, florists, musicians, photographers, and all other wedding-related preofessionals in the area. They've already done the preliminary shopping for you and have slelected what they believe to be the best choices.
Feel Comfortable With Your Choice
Look for a wedding consultant you feel comfortable working with, someone who will act as a guide without imposing her own ideas or tastes on you.
Trust Her Experience
A good consultant knows how many people comfortably fit in each room at a catering hall, where the band sounds best, how many invitations to order, and other details you might never think of.
Get Help For Any Size Affair
You can hire a consultant to help with just a few of the details or to handle the entire planning and preparation. Most consultants work on both large affairs and intimate gatherings. No matter how simple the party, there are more details than you can imagine.
Save Time
If you're on a tight schedule, you can use a consultant to pull everything together without making it look like a last minute event.
Invest In Your Peace Of Mind
What you're mostly buying when you hire a wedding consultant is peace of mind. You'll know you haven't forgotten anything, and while you might still be nervous, you won't have to worry. Someone else will be there to handle any problem that might arise.
Relax
Most importantly, your consultant must be present on the wedding day to direct the photographer, calm your caterer, and take care of those crises that befall every bride. That way, everyone can relax and enjoy themselves - especially you!