We all know that wedding planning can be quite the marathon – from the moment that gorgeous ring is sitting on your dainty ring finger, the questions begin… “When are you getting married?” “Did you pick a venue yet?” Ummm, sorry world, I was just staring at my ring for the last hour, I wasn’t really looking at a calendar. I remember the feeling of trying to balance life and wedding planning without going completely batty in the process because let’s be honest, you only get to be engaged once. First and foremost I think that current brides are under immense pressure to produce the perfect day from start to finish. Whether the pressure is internal or put on you by those surrounding you, it’s a real thing and can drive you bananas as you try to navigate the murky waters of planning a party for your closest friends and family. 

They say pregnancy brain is a real thing but I think bridal brain is just as real! The year we got married I must not have slept. I had moved to a new city, worked a full time job putting in 50+ hours a week, started a Midwest wedding blog, began a photography business, trained for a marathon, and adopted a puppy. Yeah, we were a little crazy and I was a mega busy. When I look back at that year, I kind of questions how I got everything done because lord knows I am exhausted just thinking about it right now. First and foremost I have to give a shout out to my hunk of a husband because he was as helpful during the planning process as he could be. He set up all of the catering, planned out the music, coordinated the suits, and listened to me babble about centerpieces and the perfect earrings. Kudos Drew, you really knocked that support thing out of the park. 

Thinking back I remember all of the little logistics one doesn’t consider when planning a wedding. I wish I would have considered hiring a wedding planner, designer or even a day-of coordinator to help take the pressure off of me and allow someone to take the reins on the wedding that I was planning from another state. Here are five reasons why I think brides should consider hiring a wedding planner to help with their big day. 

1.) You have a stressful full-time job: I remember the days I would fall asleep on the couch with my dinner plate in my lap half eaten. If you are struggling just to get by in the day to day life, hiring a wedding planner can save you many nights of pouring over contracts, sending out orders, and communicating with your numerous vendors. They can streamline the information you need to plan and can help ease the stress from the constant effort necessary to plan a wedding. As the day quickly approaches you will appreciate the helping hand and limited emails you need to reply to. 

2.) They can actually save you money: sure you might be thinking that it isn’t in your budget to hire a wedding planner. Well, think of it this way: your time is worth something. If you think of how much time you will save that you can spend doing other things you love, it’s priceless. Wedding planners have a lot of local connections, know the vendors to work with and the ones to avoid. They might be able to get you discounts or help streamline your wedding day needs in order to save your budget. Wedding planners know what works and what doesn’t – maybe you could skip the candy bar and instead have ice-cream sundaes. These people live and breathe the industry so the fact that they have the inside knowledge is invaluable to someone who has never planned a wedding before (ahem, you.) 

3.) They can be the middle man when you don’t want to: maybe your mom is insisting on you having a receiving line or your mother-in-law can’t believe that you want to see one another before walking down the aisle. A professional wedding planner can help you navigate the sometimes murky waters of planning a wedding while mediating those challenging conversations. Sometimes it helps to have a listening ear and someone who is on your side! Wedding planners will always be the voice of reason for you and can help you get through the woes of planning a wedding that involves joining two families. 

4.) The can help you deliver a cohesive wedding story: Do you have a million ideas for your wedding day? Can’t decide if you want peach or persimmon bridesmaid dresses? Contemplating have one bridesmaid or ten? Having someone to help you refine the details of your day is something every bride should consider. From cohesive wedding stationary to the perfect color story, wedding planners can help you refine the details so that you can focus on the moments. In today’s Pinterest nation it is so easy to get overwhelmed with all of the current ideas out there, hiring a wedding planner will help you streamline the necessities and show off your personalities on your wedding day! Even my pretty little bride binder couldn’t solve every problem.

4.) You can relax and enjoy your wedding day: Having someone there to help guide the flow of your day, round up your family members for formals, be in charge and get the guest book from location A to B is a resource you shouldn’t forgo. There are so many little logistics that so many people forget about on a wedding day from lighting the candles to the timing of the wedding speeches. Knowing that you are in good hands allows you to fully relax and enjoy each moment without worrying about who will clean up your linens at the end of the night or when you should eat your food. Just those simple little things can make a world of a difference allowing you to be present. 

Thinking about a planner or stylist? Here are a few that I love working with:

Cherry Blossom Events // Canvas Weddings // A Styled Event