Hiring a planner vs DIY

By Thorn Mulli

After the engagement, the most likely thought that also runs through many couples minds is: “How are we going to get all this wedding planning done before the big day?”

This is why many brides and grooms decide to hire a wedding consultant to assist in putting together all the details for their big day.

Hiring a wedding planner has become a common thing because they help you save money, and it’s easy to pay them, as they are able to negotiate better rates from vendors.
     So what should you consider when you’re debating the pros and cons of hiring a planner as opposed to doing all the planning by yourself?

Here are a few questions you should ask before making the decision or start shopping for a planner:

Do you have the time and patience?

Many Kenyan communities call for large weddings with hundreds of guests representing the inter-marrying clans. This often takes months to plan. Similarly, small weddings will still require ample time to put together all the details. If you’re a busy person with a lot on your calendar, hiring a wedding planner might save you lots of aggravation and hassle. Even if you hire a planner for day-of activities, this might take enough off your plate so that you can stay sane in the months leading up to your big day.

Do you have the budget?

Hiring a wedding planner doesn’t necessarily have to cost a lot. Usually they charge for their service in three primary ways.

Some charge a percentage of the cost of the wedding, which can fall anywhere from ten to 20 per cent of your total budget. Some charge a flat fee and offer a fixed number of services and time they will spend on your wedding (with any overtime charged above and beyond) while others charge by the hour.

If you can afford a wedding planner, make sure you get all the costs and all the details in writing before you forge ahead.

Are you a do-it-yourself type of person?

Are you the kind that makes their own soap or stitch their own clothes? Do you get your kicks by creating things from scratch? Do you spend hours at craft stores sifting through piles of felt and bins of buttons? When it comes down to it, would you rather make something than buy it?

If you answered yes to one or even a few of these questions, then you like to do at least some things on your own. For many brides, creating the favours, invitations, centrepieces and dozens of other wedding-related items is truly a dream come true. So if you’re the crafter or independent sort who relishes doing things by self, then hiring a wedding planner may not fit your style. Instead, you can use a planning binder or online wedding software to help you manage all your details.

And in case you hire a planner, just ensure you have clearly defined roles, so you don’t get in each other’s way.

Do you like details?

Are you a detail freak or a big-picture person? A detail freak will want to do a lot of things by themselves, but it does not mean they cannot hire a planner. On the other hand, a big-picture person would most likely require a planner. Just remember that if you choose a path outside of your comfort zone, you may find yourself second-guessing yourself at one point or another.

Do you like negotiating, haggling and bartering?

Think of buying wedding services and items like shopping for a car. In many cases, the service or product in question doesn’t really have a fixed cost and is definitely negotiable, even if it doesn’t seem like it is. So you should ask yourself this: Do I like haggling and negotiating, or would I rather leave this to somebody else? If you enjoy or even relish the back-and-forth, dodge-and-parry of haggling over a price and negotiating terms, then you may revel in doing it for your own wedding.

If you’d equate haggling with visits to the dentist or filing your tax returns, then you might want to hire a wedding planner to do it for you. A key advantage in the latter is that wedding planners are accustomed to haggling with wedding vendors and can easily tell you what you should pay for a service and when it is way overpriced.

 

 

Do you like planning parties and events?

Although a wedding often has a religious component to it, in the end what you are really planning is a party. Some people love developing guest lists, creating invitations, planning food offerings and entrees and the like. If you love parties and all they entail, then planning a wedding is right up your alley. But if you much prefer attending parties, but dread planning them, then a wedding planner may be your future.