Should You Hire a Wedding Planner?

“Planning my own wedding is like taking on another full-time job! I’m super stressed and overwhelmed!” I’ve heard this sentiment over and over. And you know what? It’s TRUE. Being a wedding planner is a full-time job. They are there to take complicated wedding planning off the hands of busy brides and grooms like you.   

While I’m not a wedding planner (although I do help all my couples with their wedding day timeline to ensure they all get the most out of their wedding photography), I’ve had the privilege of interviewing a wonderful planner, Lisa, owner and principal planner of Shing Weddings. I’m excited to share with you what she has to say to some of the most commonly asked questions from couples on whether they should hire a wedding planner or not! 

Tell me a little about Shing Weddings and what kind of services you offer!

Established in 2009, Shing Weddings is an award-winning Vancouver based wedding planning company dedicated to helping couples fully and freely celebrate their love for one another on their wedding day. Our goal is to have our couples have the best “first day” possible as they start their lives of love together.  We offer Full Wedding Planning, Partial Wedding Planning, and Wedding Management experience services. We’ve also successfully planned 300+ weddings and events. Our work has been featured in the following publications: Real Weddings, Wedluxe, Burnett’s Boards, Style Me Pretty, Love and Lavender, The Luxe Pearl, Wedding Chicks, Style Me Pretty, Wedding Bells, Cultural Weddings, The Source Newspaper, World Journal, Ming Pao, Gusto TV’s show Where to I Do. Most recently, Shing Weddings was voted Vancouver’s Top Wedding Planner in 2019 by Top Choice Awards.

What is your approach to helping couples plan for their wedding? What is something unique that Shing Weddings can bring to brides and grooms for their wedding day?

Our couples describe our approach as “caring, approachable, always going above and beyond for them”, and being “part of the family.” We pride ourselves in servicing with our big hearts, passion, and throwing a memorable wedding that is filled with excitement, fun, and personalized touches.

Something unique we offer is a Bridal Extraordinaire.  On the wedding day, our Principal Planners, experienced team members, like most companies, will be on-site. We also have a designated Bridal Extraordinaire who will be by the couple’s side during key moments of the day, taking care of them.  Some tasks a Bridal Extraordinaire does on the wedding day are:

• assisting with attire changes
• fluffing the dress
• holding onto personal items during the portrait session
• keeping the couple hydrated
• keeping them on time. 

Being in diverse Vancouver, we are experienced in planning all weddings especially Asian weddings. This includes Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, Japanese. We are fluent in verbal Cantonese, Mandarin, and Vietnamese.  We know how to flawlessly intertwine customs into a wedding.

Why should couples consider hiring a wedding planner?

There are many reasons why couples should consider hiring a planner, but we feel the most important thing a wedding planner does is give their couples time.  Time to enjoy every moment of their special day with their wedding party, family, and friends.

On a wedding day, a wedding planner will ensure everything is coordinated according to schedule and resolve any issues that arise rather than having the couple take time to delegate and worry about it. 

What are the differences between the roles of a wedding planner and a day-of-coordinator? Should couples hire both? How can they decide?

We do not use the term “Day Of” services, we refer to it as Wedding Management.  It is more than a “Day Of” service, as we start finalizing a wedding with our couples 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding day.

Our Wedding Planning services include theme and concept development, budget management, assisting with vendor selections, and assistance with all preplanning. Meanwhile, our Wedding Management services, assist couples with putting everything a couple has planned magically in place and day of execution of the wedding.

If budget permits, full wedding planning service is a great option as couples will be guided along the entire planning process. However, if budget does not allow, a Wedding Management planner is great for couples hoping to enjoy their wedding day fully and freely.

How should a couple choose their wedding planner?

We are big believers in reviews! Wedding Wire and Google reviews are great websites couples can refer to when selecting their wedding planner and vendors. Instagram is great to understand a vendor’s style and see a range of their work.

Once a couple finds vendors that interest them, they should set-up a face-to-face or video meeting to connect with their wedding planner. It is crucial to get a sense of their personality. Couples should book a planner that they feel a connection with, and most importantly, can trust with their “first day” of their lives of love together.

Thanks so much Lisa for providing such valuable information!

Brides and grooms, if you are on the fence whether you should hire a wedding planner or just someone to help execute your day, be sure to check out Shing Weddings. Just contact Lisa and ask her any other questions you might have!

As a wedding photographer who planned her own wedding, I experienced first hand how much work it is to create a day full of moving parts and fitting a thousand puzzle pieces together. Fortunately, I had friends who were also experienced in planning and coordinating weddings. I cannot recommend enough at least having a professional who knows what needs to be done. They’ll take care of you before the wedding (if you hire a full-service planner), and they’ll take care of you on the day of your wedding. They’ll carry out all your plans and bring your vision to life, making sure everything goes accordingly! A wedding planner can certainly take the stress off you—and you don’t have to have an extra full-time job!

Want more tips and ideas for your wedding plans? Check out my blog!

Wondering whether you should do a first look? See this post here!

Still looking for a wedding photographer and want to chat? Click here to start the conversation!

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