What exactly,does a wedding planner do??

In, general a wedding planner can provide the following services:

Listen carefully from the very beginning to learn your wedding vision, and then be your advocate for realizing your dream in the best way possible.

Help you set a budget, and help you commit to helping you stick to your budget.

Help you with venue selection.

Help you select reputable suppliers, and vendors, such as florist, the caterer, photographer, videographer; advise you on vendor contracts and handle any negotiations.

Coordinate communication between vendors, suppliers, and sites, so that, for example, the florist knows when and how to obtain access to the ceremony site to decorate.

Create a time line to keep everyone on schedule, both pre-wedding and on the wedding day.

Serve as referee, friend, budget adviser and watch, etiquette expert,shopper,detail manager and organizer.

Coordinate your rehearsal with officiant.

Supervise all the last-minute details of your wedding day.

What is the typical cost of a wedding planner?

You don't have to be among the wealthy to hire a wedding consultant,planner, or coordinator. Costs for a planners' services depend on what the person does for you. In general,a wedding planner who provides full service will either charge a flat hourly rate or a flat fee. A good rule is to allow 10 to 15 percent of your overall budget to be spent on the services of a wedding planner who does everything for you. Try to avoid consultants who attempt to increase their fees by adding extras or who have under-the-table agreements with suppliers and vendors. It's best to look for a consultant who provides wedding packages at fixed rates, or charges a flat fee based on services you request.

Say Yes To The Dress!!!

When you are choosing your wedding dress go into this experience with an open mind, don't' be afraid to try on different styles of dresses try on as many dresses as you like until you feel that you have your perfect dress, trust me you will know when you have found your perfect dress. When you go to try on dresses you should not take too many people with you too many people equals too opinions which may distract you from finding your perfect dress; their style may be different from your style, you have to to choose what you love. Please consider your venue when choosing your dress, if you are getting married at a church or sanctuary you may not want to choose a backless dress or anything too sexy. You should set a budget for your dress and do not try on dresses outside of your budget the reason I say this is because you may find a dress you love and it will break your heart if you cannot afford it, or you may decide to purchase the dress and it could break your budget, and you don't want to do that you always want to stay within your budget that you set for yourself. My advice to all brides is try on different dresses that you love and once you feel that you found your dress.... Say Yes To The Dress!!

Don't cheap out on photography

Photography is the most important investment in your wedding, at the end of the day all you will have to remember your wedding day are your pictures, and you don't want to regret the photographer you chose. I recently done a wedding my client hired their photographer before hiring me. They told me they paid 500 dollars for full coverage and they had already paid him in full my mouth hit the ground, that immediately set off red flags for me no good photographer is that cheap!! On the day of the wedding he arrived on time, then left for batteries when he came back he missed my bride and getting dressed. The ceremony was very beautiful my bride and groom wrote their own vows which brought everyone to tears I noticed the photographer was no where to be found I started to look for him to ask him how come he was not getting those shots he was siting down watching as if he was a guest!! I pulled him to the side and told him to get those shots he got up got a few shot and sat back down, I had to look for him throughout the night telling him what shot to get. As the night came to an end I went to load the up the gifts for my bride and groom. I came back to get ready for the grand exit with bubbles and he was gone!! I was very disappointed my bride and groom didn't seem to mind too much. I don't think they paid attention to what all he missed but they will notice when they get their pictures back that he missed so much of their day. I don't blame my bride and groom because a lot of couples who are not familiar with the wedding industry have no idea how much certain things cost. I would say photography is one of the most important investments in your wedding, you should hire a professional, do your homework, go to their website and view their work, do not make your decision based on who is the least inexpensive base your decision off of their work. Please don't cheap out on your photography you will regret it in the long run.

How to choose your wedding party

When you are choosing your wedding party take your time and choose the people in your life who are most important to you. Participating in some one's wedding is both a pleasure and a responsibility. When you are considering which family member or friend to include in your wedding think about your expectations and how much you are going to depend on your attendants, here are some things to consider when choosing your wedding party: your attendants should be reliable, considerate and responsible, and do what it takes to make your day go as smooth as possible, but remember to treat your attendants with respect and listen to their opinions especially when it comes to their attire you want to make sure they are comfortable and happy also, remember to give them a gift showing your appreciation to them for being there for you. When choosing their gift personalize it show them you put some thought into it they will really appreciate it!! And don't forget when you send out your thank you cards send your wedding-party one also telling them how much you appreciate them for being a part of your day tell each of them the most important thing they did for you that made your day memorable, special, and perfect.