Why You Wouldn't Hire a Wedding Planner

Why you wouldn't hire a wedding planner

By: Julie Hinton

As seen in The Spectrum neighborhoods

Photography by Alisha Shaw with One Memory at a Time

In these economical times we are all trying to cut back. This concept even applies towards your special day. Weddings that used to be lavish events are now turning to simplistic trends.

One thing still rings true: whether you are trying to conserve or splurge, there is a long list of to-dos before you can say, "I do." These lists can sometimes feel endless and take away from the excitement during your engagement. This is where a wedding planner eases the pressure.

Is a wedding planner right for you, your budget and your overall event?

Do not hire a wedding planner if you want to spend more money. You heard me right, you can save money with a wedding planner. In the past, planners have been perceived for only indulgent couples with money to spare. This is not the case these days.

Wedding planners are becoming affordable and can even get you discounts and special rates by consulting through them. Wedding professionals build up relationships with each other and will sometimes give benefits for referring them.

On multiple occasions I have seen free services thrown in by a vendor or a price even deducted in half because they went through a wedding planner.

Planners can also help you get more bang for your buck. They know how to cut back on certain expenses to make your event look like a splurge even though you might be on a tight budget.

Another reason you would not hire a wedding planner is if you can be in two places at once. Brides have a large roll. That is, of course, being the bride. On a wedding day it is not uncommon to have a 16-hour work day, a mop in one hand and an iron in the other.

The last thing a bride needs to do is to be steaming linen or polishing silverware before she is about to walk down the middle aisle.
Finally, don't hire a wedding planner if you already spend eight or more hours a day reading, writing, researching and dreaming about weddings.

Wedding planners are professionals that obsess over weddings, daydream about wedding and are always scheming new trends for weddings. They are full-time wedding guru's that have been doing this for years, not just for a few months of engagement.

By tapping into their skills and involving them from the beginning of your initial planning, you will be amazed at the creations that will come to surface giving you the wedding you did not even know was in your reach without breaking the bank.

And the Groom Pays for What?

Garrett and Kristi's Groomals in Down Town St. George Utah.

Picture by Alisha Shaw with One Memory at a Time.

Article published in The Spectrum by Julie Hinton.

After the family and friends have gotten to see the engagement ring and the excitement starts to settle, there is a lingering question that emerges from the bride, the groom and, especially, their parents: "How much is this going to cost me?"
Often it is automatically assumed the bride and the bride's family takes on the burden of emptying their pockets for the special day. If you are following tradition there are a few expenses that are expected of the groom and his family also.
Expenses that are the groom's responsibility are to pay for the bride's wedding ring and the honeymoon. Other costs the groom and his family are responsible for are the marriage license, the officiant's fee, the rehearsal dinner and the groomsmen attire.
An often overlooked expense for the groom is certain floral pieces. If the floral is held or worn, it is the responsibility of the groom. This includes the bride's bouquet and all the bridal parties and families boutonnieres and corsages. This is a way for the groom to honor his bride and the special people in their lives they want to recognize on their wedding day.


The traditional way of paying for things is not the only way it is done anymore. It is not uncommon these days to see a bride and groom paying for their entire wedding themselves or paying a large portion of the bill. Many couples are getting married at older ages and are more financially stable and able to contribute to their wedding.
A more modern way of figuring out who pays for what, is for the bride and groom to come up with a fairly accurate quote and have their families pick and choose what they would like to contribute.


Often the parents of the bride and groom will offer an amount they are willing to spend on the entire wedding. Anything additional the bride and groom may want at their wedding is a cost they will pay for themselves.
Another way to split up the bill is into an equal three way split. The bride and groom pay for a third, the bride's parents pay for a third and the groom's parents pay a third. This way the burden of paying for a wedding is spread out.