direction vs delegation
The wedding industry brings in tens of billions of dollars to the United States each year. While I think a lot of couples (and parents) look at a wedding as “just one day,” the team you hire is not working for just one day. Your planner has years of experience, and depending on the length of planning with a client, our team ranges from 100 hours to 350+ hours of work. A photographer will work an 8–10-hour day and then spend 30–40 hours editing in post-production. Rentals sure, they show up to make it all look pretty, but what about all the emails, quote revisions, appointments, and mockups? The more experienced your team is, the more invested they are in your wedding. Why is that? Because at the end of the day, we are business owners, and this is our craft, our livelihood, and our passion.
So why, when searching for a planner, will a couple inquiring often say “I will plan everything and then want to hand it over for you to execute”? Does this work well in other industries? Maybe it’s because the wedding industry is creative. It appeals to couples who are eager to learn and be involved, and rightfully so, but that doesn’t mean couples know what they are doing. So the thought of wanting to take on a project planned by someone who has never planned a wedding before makes me (and most planners) want to run for the hills. It’s a mess, no matter how Type A the bride says she is.
Having a planner doesn’t mean you lose control or your creative input. It means that you trust someone who is experienced in an industry you are not, who will listen, elaborate, and refine your ideas. We spend so much time getting to know you both as individuals and as a couple so that we can effectively design and plan your wedding. It’s a collaborative process that guides versus self-taught, preps rather than fixes, and all the while we are building trust so that you are capable of letting go.
So my advice to an engaged couple is:
Do not look for someone to just delegate to.
Research and choose vendors for whom you appreciate their work, experience, and knowledge and trust they will deliver.
Enjoy the planning process, but collaborate with your vendors; they are professionals for a reason.
Here is what a wedding looks like when the client 100% trusts us as their planners from the very beginning. This wedding was held on private property so there was no blueprint. A challenge yes but for us this is what we live for! If you want a planner who gives you direction, we are your team!
Photography by Toni G. Photo // Floral Design by LC Floral
