& why I should have known better!
Everyone makes mistakes. The light bulb goes off in your head and the palm of your hand makes contact with your forehead. Why did I do this? I should have known better! Some mistakes you can learn and correct for the future. Some mistakes you brush off because you can't do a thing about it but move on. Mine is the latter.
When Matt proposed I could not wait to start planning! Finally, I would be planning and attending a wedding where I would be the bride and get to marry a man I loved so much! There was a lot of discussion on where the wedding would take place. We partly wanted to host it in California because that was where our "beginning" began. We opted to go home to Oklahoma instead. When all your loved ones live half way across the country, you begin worrying that those special grandparents may be unable to attend. For us, having them there was very important and that ultimately led to our decision. So, we planned a wedding half-way across the country and I did NOT hire a wedding planner.
I thought I had learned enough about planning and knew many of the venues and vendors as we got married in our hometown. Planning your own wedding is absolutely doable. Many couples do it year after year. What I did not consider was what that actually meant for the day of my wedding. STRESS!
On a day that I should have been soaking up every moment, I had thoughts running in the back of my head worried about everything coming together. My poor Mother was busy doing ceremony install (along with other family and friends) instead of enjoying time with me. She didn't even have time to have her hair or makeup done. I had vendors come check in with me throughout the wedding day instead of a wedding planner who is meant to be the liaison so this doesn't happen! To keep it short, our wedding day was magical but I would have been more present in those moments if I had nothing more to do than just ENJOY IT!
Of course, I always recommend hiring a planner! But, finding the right planner is just as important as finding a planner who aligns with your budget. What is the point of spending x amount of dollars if in the end you do not work well together? At that point, it will likely feel like a waste of money. Regardless, once you find your planner, nail down the service you are needing. I promise, if you find the right planner, you WILL NOT regret hiring them.
I still do not know why I did not hire a planner... I KNEW how beneficial they were to have on your team when planning a wedding! Maybe my ego got in the way, I knew this rodeo and could handle it myself. True, but every evening I spent googling, on Pinterest, or emailing vendors, and comparing pricing. It ate up my evenings and took away time I could have spent with my fiancé. It was another part time job that I did not need.
Ultimately, if you cannot hire a Full Service planner, I highly suggest a planner who offers Event Management services. They will coordinate your day, develop a timeline, map out logistics with your vendors, and ultimately make sure nothing is undone on your wedding day. It will take so much pressure off you and your loved ones and give you that time to be present in all those special moments!