My hat goes off to the DIY Bride.  I applaud their efforts in creating their dream wedding and at the same time saving money.  However, there is one thing that is a troubling trend that no one talks about and that is the DIY Bride who thought she could do everything herself and employ all her friends and family to help out with the wedding.  Unfortunately there are times when the DIY Bride realizes that her friends and/or family cannot or will do everything she envisioned to be done.  As a result, many brides will have a major meltdown because everything isn’t done; usually it is a couple days before the wedding or the day before the wedding.  DIY Bride becomes a “Bridezilla” and many mishaps occur in which the DIY Bride didn’t quite envision!  On many occasions, someone will contact a wedding planner/coordinator like me or one of my colleagues and want us to become a fairy godmother, wave our magic wands and pick up the pieces from the DIY projects and coordinate the wedding.  We are more than happy to do this, but why have this heartache and instead hire us in the first place?

How can a DIY Bride incorporate a wedding planner/coordinator into her budget?  First of all, the myth about the wedding planner/coordinator must be debunked.  Here are the myths about wedding planner/coordinators:

1.  Wedding planner/coordinators are for the rich and famous

It used to be that hiring a wedding planner/coordinator was something for the rich and famous. Today though, it’s becoming increasingly more common for everyday brides and grooms, with everyday budgets, to hire a wedding planner/coordinator. Hiring a wedding planner/coordinator can actually save the DIY Bride money in the long run and those savings enables to her to hire a wedding planner/coordinator.  The wedding planner knows where to find bargains and help the DIY Bride save money!

2.  What is the difference between a “Wedding planner/coordinator” and a “Wedding Coordinator”?

A) Wedding planner/coordinator – A wedding planner/coordinator helps bring the DIY Bride’s vision of her wedding day to life. He or she takes care of all the details from the initial consultation up through the last dance at the wedding and beyond.

B) Wedding Day Coordinator – A wedding coordinator is for the DIY Brides who like doing all the legwork and planning of their wedding, but they just don’t want to worry about details the day of the wedding. A wedding planner/coordinator will step in, and take care of making sure all the details are in place the day of the wedding.

3. How can a wedding planner/coordinator save me money? 

If you’ve ever been a regular customer at a local store or restaurant, you know that it has its benefits. You get extra goodies, special treatment, and special deals. A wedding planner/coordinator acts in the same capacity. This is one of the ways they save the DIY Bride money. It’s not that vendors overcharge brides (of course some do), it’s that wedding planner/coordinators are repeat customers who know how to ask for favors and discounts. Similarly, they know how to check vendors’ contracts to make sure that all DIY Brides needs are included, and prices are reasonable.

The other way wedding planner/coordinators save the DIY Bride money is by understanding what is and isn’t needed for an event. For example, if the DIY Bride is having both wedding cake and a sweet table, does she know how big the cake should be and how many sweets should order? Probably not, but the wedding planner/coordinator does and can keep the DIY Bride from over-ordering, thus saving money.

4. What does a wedding planner/coordinator do?

Wedding planner/coordinators can create emergency and contingency plans for the DIY Bride.  One of the main reasons to hire a wedding planner/coordinator is so that the DIY Bride doesn’t have to worry about anything the day of the wedding. For example, if the limo that is supposed to pick up the wedding party is stuck in traffic or the wrong cake shows up, the wedding planner/coordinator will handle this.  These problems are both handled without stressing out the couple. Also, the wedding planner/coordinator is able to contact the vendors and arrange for refunds for the couple.  This is another benefit of hiring a wedding planner/coordinator.

Hopefully after reading this post DIY Brides can truly understand that wedding planners/coordinators are NOT the enemy, but can make their wedding day stress free!

I had the great privilege to assist Marci Bridgeford and Lisa Deniz of A Joyous Occasion at a wedding at the Citizen Hotel.  Marci and Lisa were fantastic in mentoring me and showing me the ends and outs of a high end wedding.  Marci and Lisa both paid close attention to detail and I loved how the wedding flowed flawlessly!  Thank you Marci and Lisa for taking me under your wing.  I hope to work with you in the future.

Blooms by Martha Andrews was the florist for the wedding and I love her work!  I have worked with a number of florists but Martha at Blooms by Martha Andrews rocks!  Her creativity is to the 10th power.

I also like to acknowledge the Citizen Hotel.  The staff there worked diligently to make sure that the transition from the ceremony to the reception in the Terrace Room came off without a hitch. They are also very helpful and friendly and no task is too big for them.

The Citizen Hotel is across the street from Cesar Chavez Park in downtown Sacramento.  When you walk into the hotel, you think you are in a boutique hotel on the East Coast.  The wood paneling on the first floor in the reception area is fabulous.  If you are in area, check it out.

Last but not least the linens came from Mimi & Co and the chiavari chairs from Classic Party Rentals.  I love what they both do! Mimi & Co has some great inventory and can turn a room from boring to wow.  Working with Classic Party Rentals is always a pleasure because of their customer service and follow up.

Marj is a great photographer and knows how to bring out the best in a person.  She makes you smile and forget that you are taking photos.  She is professional and first and foremost a perfectionist when it comes to photos.  She will not take ownership of bad photos.  If you want to learn more about Marj, here is the link to Stella Photography:  http://www.stellasweet.com/index2.php