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Wedding Planners?

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FightOn

Rough_Rock
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Dec 17, 2006
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Hi everyone!

Did anyone use a wedding planner for their wedding? I live in the bay area but will be having the wedding in Los Angeles. Since I don''t currently live in LA, I thought it might be easier to plan the wedding with a wedding planner in tow. If anyone did use a wedding planner, how was your experience? And lastly, if you don''t mind, could you give me a ball park range to what a wedding planner usually charges fior their services. Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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allycat0303

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 19, 2004
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Well I live in Canada, but I checked the price for it here and it was $3500 + tip for the full planning (I would only have to show up for the wedding) and she would be present the whole day directing EVERYTHING! I found that a lot of wedding planners have different packages available depending on how involved you want to be in the process. It ran from just one time consultation (at very affordable prices) to full service, where the bride doesn''t lift a finger. I think it''s worthwhile to call up a few places and discuss it with them. I''m sure like anything else, there''s a HUGE variety in prices. I''ve also got quotes where the wedding planner charged 10% of the total wedding budget (I found that a little strange, but maybe it''s standard practice).
 

Jaders731

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Oct 12, 2006
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Fighton:

I''m not sure how much this will help you.. and it definitely depends on your venue.. but where I am getting married: Seaside Florida, the venue price for both the ceremony and reception includes the services of a wedding planner. She has been incredibly helpful.. and we could not have planned our wedding without her (its definitely a necessity seeing as how we live out of the country!!)
I personally think that if you can afford one you should get it. They just take all of the major leg work out of a wedding.. say caterers for ex. If you were on your own.. you may have to interview several different caterers.. but if you have a planner... she could narrow it down to say two.. give you the best recommendations and you can go from there.. ya know?

Maybe you can find a venue that offers a planner rolled into their price.

Just a thought!
 

firebirdgold

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 30, 2005
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2,216
My destination wedding also included a wedding coordinator (planner). I really love the fact that all we have to do is make decisions and just show up.
However you are somewhat at their mercy. I got a ''family emergency going out of town'' email from mine before the holidays and haven''t heard from her since. I''m really hoping that my resort won''t need to get yet another planner as she''s their third since I started talking to them!
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My fsil had a planner for her wedding and was very happy they had one in the planning period before the wedding. But when the actually wedding day dawned, the woman was very late and didn''t do or arrange a lot of the things she was supposed to. As a result some things were chaotic. She didn''t decorate like she was supposed to, or put up direction/parking signs, or anything at all during the wedding day!
 

Jas12

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 16, 2006
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2,330
my venue is a little pricey by canadian standards but also includes the wedding planner. It was part of my decision to book with this typical resort and I figured the additional cost was somewhat justified by this fact.

I have heard the 10% rule before, so maybe planners assume the more expensive the wedding, the greater the amount of people/work??
 

FightOn

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
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31
Thanks for all the info and comments ladies!
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I am actually having the wedding at my parent''s new home. I have checked out a few websites for wedding planners in the LA area which gave me an idea on prices. Now, its just a matter of picking out a wedding planner....

Los Angeles area brides: Do you know of any good wedding planners than you can recommend?

One last question for those who have used a wedding planner. I am considering on hiring a wedding planner only for the month of the actual wedding. Has anyone every done this before? If you did, was it difficult filling them in and catching them up with the plans you have made already?

Once again thanks for all the help!
 

KristenK98

Rough_Rock
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Jan 13, 2007
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Hi there -

Just wanted to give my 2 cents. I manage all sorts of events, from weddings/banquets to major national concert tours. In your situation the only reason I''d get a wedding planner is if your future family or friends can''t help (or you don''t want them to) or if your decorator can''t. Most decorators I deal with will do a lot of planning for you - especially if they''re decorating multiple venues - and it seems to be a trend now to offer full service decorating/planning/execution.

My aunt used a wedding planner in LA while she had the wedding in Sedona, 3 years ago cost her 8k and they planned 1.5 years out. The wedding planner was very involved, including securing venue sites, decorators, hotels, activities for the family, everything. The price depends on the reputation of the planner and also how involved they are.

You might have a little trouble finding someone for the month leading up to the wedding for a reasonable price. I''ve seen brides do it down here and a couple of times it''s backfired on them and the planner has always had the line, "Well, if we had more time to plan this...." and that was their escape route for things falling through the cracks.

Hope this helps! :)
 
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