Contrary to popular belief, wedding planners and wedding stylists are very different professions with distinctly different roles. We share the insider scoop from wedding planners Kerrie Wood at LUXE-Unforgettable Events and Kelly-Louise Phillips at Kelly-Louise Weddings.
A wedding planner takes all the stress out of planning a wedding: cue collective sighs of relief from brides the world over. “A wedding planner is a creative source, professional, good value for time and money, up to date on all the latest trends and themes, and there for you through all your wedding needs,” explains Kelly-Louise Phillips at Kelly-Louise Weddings
Planning your own wedding used to mean endless hours of research, running around and becoming stressed. Now, with the growing popularity of wedding planners, it is possible to plan your dream wedding without all the negative implications. With the help of a wedding planner the wedding of your dreams can become a reality.
– Kelly-Louise Phillips, Kelly-Louise Weddings
The average wedding takes up to 250 hours to plan. This significant amount of time is spent sourcing, meeting and negotiating with suppliers from every imaginable wedding field, including reception venues, stylists, hire companies, florists, caterers, musicians, photographers… the list goes on. A wedding planner simplifies the process by managing every meeting and ensuring that every vendor is fully briefed prior to the wedding. On the big day, the wedding planner is the director of the entire event and ensures that every vendor successfully executes their assigned task.
“In short, wedding planners take care of all the logistics,” reveals Kelly-Louise. “They take the guesswork out of the process, making planning a wedding as seamless and smooth as possible.” Kerrie Wood of LUXE-Unforgettable Events notes: “For couples that work long hours, or who have little spare time available, a professional who assists with the design, planning and management of the wedding can be a god-send.”
One of the biggest concerns shared by brides-to-be is finding reputable and trusted suppliers, hence the allure of the wedding planner. Planners are your PA and fairy godmother rolled into one. “A planner will keep track of your budget and handle all the logistics,” notes Kelly-Louise.
“A good planner will also save you money, utilising the relationships they have with wedding vendors and services, they are able to get discounts nobody else would. Our aim is to save our clients more than the cost of our fee.”
While wedding planners organise the logistics of the event, wedding stylists are consumed by the aesthetics of the wedding day – the theme, colour palette, flowers, decorations and lighting. In many cases, the wedding planner will work with the stylist to ensure the wedding style is fulfilled to the couple’s requests and stays within budget. “Specifically, a wedding planner is a professional who you partner with to ensure the practical and contractual planning process is seamlessly developed and delivered from start to finish, whereas a wedding stylist works with you to assist and determine what your unforgettable day will look like.
– Kerrie Wood, LUXE-Unforgettable Events
Indeed, each and every wedding planner has a little black book of suppliers: the best in the business. Experts at efficiency and detail gurus, they’re renowned for their organisation skills. Yes, every bride needs a wedding planner. As Kerrie Wood says, she, like many other wedding planners, work for the couple and on their behalf. “We ensure every aspect of your special event is uniquely tailored for you. We work with our couples to design a custom package to suit their exact requirements and budget and personalise their wedding every step of the way, paying particular attention to bringing your vision to reality. We answer questions, brainstorm ideas, negotiate with vendors on your behalf and manage the unexpected.” Essentially a wedding planner is the couple’s aide: guiding them every step of the way, doing all the leg work, answering all the phone calls (no more voicemail alerts during work hours!) and chasing all those last minute necessities.
However, there is a misconception that wedding planners only work on big-budget weddings. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Both Kelly-Louise Weddings and LUXE-Unforgettable Events, like most Australian wedding planners, have a range of packages available, from partial planning, on-the-day management, venue sourcing and full planning, but they can offer bespoke packages tailored to suit the requirements of the client, no matter the budget. As for involvement, the level is entirely up to you. “We work with the couple to ensure that their personal input is exactly as they require,” notes Wood. “It is, after all, their day.”
Top Tips for Time-Conscious and Stressed Brides
1. Write a list of all the things that need to be done, with dates of when you realistically plan on doing them by. Keep your list up-to-date by ticking items off and amending it as you go. The biggest priorities should be at the top of the list so you can work your way down to the least important elements
2. Prepare a guest list so you know how big your wedding will be
3. Prepare a realistic budget for your whole wedding
4. Decide on the style and location of your wedding
5. Hire a planner who knows which suppliers are reliable, available and will provide you with the perfect service within your budget
6. Consider, and budget for, an on-the-day coordination service to ensure that all of the fine, last minute details are coordinated and managed on your behalf
This article was originally featured in Modern Wedding Styling Handbook, for more wedding planning advice, decorative inspiration and unique ideas, pick up a copy of the magazine in Coles, Woolworths, newsagents and online.
Styling: Beautiful Weddings / Photography: We Are Twine / Venue: Summergrove Estate /Hair & Makeup: VIP Bridal Beauty / Flowers: Brisbane Market / Dress & Grown: Begitta Bridal and Couture / Suit: Wil Valor / Stationery: Invitation Designs by Eliza / Celebrant: Ben Carlyle / Cake: For Goodness Cakes GC / Models: Tanja Meyer & Wade Boyes