10 Reasons to Hire a Professional Wedding Planner

A few weeks ago, our good friends at Synergetic Sound and Lighting, asked Erin for some insider tips on why you should hire a professional wedding planner. You can head over to their blog to see the top 10 reasons or read on below. If you head over to Synergetic's blog, be sure to check out their brand new website! It's really interactive and has great information on it!

You've got the groom, you've got the ring...what comes next can be quite overwhelming! Planning a wedding while juggling work, school, family and friends can be tough and many couples can get stressed pretty early on. Most couples have never planned such a large event and may not be aware of all the details that are involved- enlisting the help of a professional wedding planner is a perfect solution! Many couples think wedding planners are only for those with huge budgets having fancy weddings. The truth is, most wedding planners have various levels of service and nearly every couple can find the help they need within their budget!

Here are 10 reasons hiring a professional planner will be the best decision you make for your wedding!

1. Save money and manage your budget.
A professional wedding planner knows what things cost, knows where to find deals and knows how to get the most bang for your buck. Building your budget with an expert is going to ensure you allocate those funds in the manner best suited to your priorities. A planner can actually save you money by helping to negotiate your vendor contacts to get you a great deal. If you splurge in one area, a planner can make suggestions on ways to cut corners in other areas without sacrificing quality, giving you the wedding you always dreamed of.


2. Save time and build a Dream Team in the process.
Researching wedding professionals takes a lot of time out of your already busy schedule. Wouldn't it be great if that task was made easier by having a huge pool of potential vendors trimmed down to a handful of fitting candidates? Having a wedding planner on your team does just that! Professional planners have worked with the good, the bad and the ugly and can help narrow your search to those that would be a perfect fit! We enjoy helping couples find the right vendors and love building teams of professionals that are easy to work with, fun to be around and can enhance the overall experience of your wedding day.

Carley and Adam's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Childress Photography

3. Stay focused and have fun.
With so many details to manage, planning a wedding can make your head spin! Having a professional in charge of tracking those details can be a complete lifesaver. At Proud to Plan, we have at least 3 planning meetings with every client. During these meetings, we review every aspect of your wedding day and provide you with lists of what is still outstanding. This allows you to stay focused as the big day approaches, which makes planning a lot more fun!

4. No Bridezillas here! Stay stress free and savor the process.
The difference in the stress levels of a bride who has had a professional help plan their wedding and one who has not is VERY noticeable- especially during the final stages! The bride without help is frazzled, frustrated and just ready for it to be over- this is one of the most joyful times of your life, this shouldn't be the case! A good planner will make the planning process a fun one! Hiring a professional ensures that your timeline has lots of extra padding built in, your vendors are all on the same page and the day unfolds exactly according to your expectations.

Casey and Will's Wedding
Photo courtesy of 217 Photography

5. Get your own, personal Wedding Expert.
There are a million questions that will pop up when you're planning a wedding. Enlisting an expert that has years of professional experience is invaluable. Anytime a questions pops up about etiquette, protocol, logistics and ideas, it's great to get an unbiased opinion from someone that has been there and done it and knows how each decision might impact the wedding day.


6. Mediator: the must have middle-man
Having a professional handle the many unsolicited ideas and opinions from family members is a great sanity saver! Because the wedding planner isn't emotionally invested, they can help speed along decision making without hurting any feelings. You certainly don't want to offend your future mother-in-law or create bad blood with your own mom. Leaving the difficult decisions in the planners hands will remove the sense of conflict, create compromise and ensure the day is always about YOU.


7. Unique ideas for personal touches.
Do you hate cookie cutter weddings? Have you been to a dozen weddings and they all seemed the same? Do you have ideas to make the details personal but aren't really sure how to carry out those concepts? Planners are a great resource for creative ideas. They will listen to your dreams and inspiration and will develop a plan of action. They know what is well received by guests and how to best incorporate each component into your big day.

Amy and Sean's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Leave It To Me Photography

8. Advocating for you, Always.
Your church might have someone that helps with weddings, your reception venue might have a coordinator, but make no mistake about it, these folks do not play the same role as a wedding planner. A hired planner acts as your advocate before and during the wedding because they have you, their client's, best interest at heart. They develop timelines for the day and confirm your vendor arrangements. They are a driving force behind your creative ideas. They are your eyes and ears on the wedding day, making sure all you are expecting is carried out according to plan. Because they have been involved in all aspects of planning, they can make decisions on your behalf that fit your expectations. A good planner will focus on the details which allows your other vendors to show off their area of expertise- whether it be photography, music or great food service!

Kyle and Olin's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Philip Gabriel Photography

9. Be the bride. That's it. 
If you're worried about managing the details, you won't be enjoying the day. Hiring a planner allows the newlyweds to savor every moment of their wedding, without having to worry about a thing! At Proud to Plan, we ensure there are multiple teams in place to execute every detail. You don't have to be the one to ensure all VIPs are present for photos, you don't have to be the one to check on a late limo, you don't have to be the one to wrangle your rowdy bridal party...and neither does your mom, sister or maid of honor! Our coordinators are there to do all the brunt work, you just get to be the bride and enjoy your day!


10. Protect your investment.
You hire a real estate agent to help you find a house, you hire a lawyer to help with closing...why would you spend so much time and money planning a wedding without professional help, too? Wedding can be costly and having a planner on your team will ensure that every dollar spent is worthwhile and the planning experience is pleasant. Don't be the frazzled Bridezilla- hire a planner and have the wedding you always dreamed about!

Amanda and Andrew's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Carden's Wedding Photography

If you want to have the impressive event your guests will be talking about for years to come, a professional wedding planner is the answer. As soon as you start putting plans in place, set up a consultation with a planner- you'll be happy you did!

-Erin Proud, Owner and Principal Planner of Proud to Plan

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Bridal Undergarments

When it comes to planning for your wedding, one of the most exciting parts is shopping for that perfect dress. But not everyone thinks about what goes under the dress. 

Depending on the type of dress you get, you may or may not need a bra or you may be able to get one built into the dress. If you decide to go the bra route, there are a number of options.

A bustier is a nice option if you want to be sucked in and pushed up a bit. They make bustiers with low backs that won't be seen, no matter how low cut the back of your dress is. 

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Another option is a strapless bra. If you don't need the coverage a bustier provides, or your dress doesn't allow for it, a simple strapless bra could be perfect. Although if your dress is a halter, or has some thin straps or straps that cross in the back, a convertible strapless is a nice option since you can use the straps in any way to suit your dress and, in the process, give yourself some extra support.

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If your dress is too low in the back for anything, or you don't want it to be seen through your dress, a backless strapless bra, like this one, might be perfect for you. Remember to talk to your seamstress when you go for your fitting, they can recommend a perfect bra for your dress. Also remember that once you are fitted in your dress with a specific bra, that's the bra you will need on your wedding day! You don't want you dress to not fit correctly because there is a different bra underneath.

When it comes to panties, it all depends on what you're comfortable with and what your dress allows for. If you have a very fitted gown you might be better off with a thong or something seamless. If your dress doesn't limit you, go with what you're comfortable with! You can go with a classic bikini or boy shorts, lacey ones are or embroider panties with "Mrs", or something cute.

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If you want your dress to appear a bit fuller you may want to consider a crinoline, petticoat or hoopskirt, as it will help fluff out the bottom of your dress. You can also make it a bit more fun by dying it to match your color scheme or personality.

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-Becky

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Wedding Cakes

Unlike the saying goes, you really can have your cake and eat it too on your wedding day! Your wedding cake is one of the sweetest (literally) aspects of your wedding, so make sure you plan ahead and do your research so you can be happy with the results and your guests can have happy taste buds. Here are a few things to keep in mind when deciding on your wedding cake:

Flavors and Icing: Mix and Match

He loves chocolate, you love vanilla- not to worry, it's very common for different tiers of wedding cakes to be different flavors giving your guests an option. Pick at least one layer to be basic chocolate or vanilla, for those guests who may have simpler taste buds, but don't be afraid to choose another flavor out of the ordinary. For this time of year, spice cake or carrot cakes with cinnamon buttercream icings are very common, mousse cakes are common in the winter, and fruit filled cakes are common in the spring and summer. Fondant is slowly becoming a thing of the past as couples opt for the more homemade and natural flavor of buttercream icings. Make sure you also ask your bakery what their most common combinations are. 

Vicki and Brad's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Shooting Stars Photography

Tastings: Satisfy your taste buds

Warning- this may be the only thing your man might actually want to take part in, the cake tasting. Once you have done your research, contact your top one to three bakeries and set up tastings, if you do more than three, it might make your decision harder. Most cake tastings are around one hour so there is time to discuss flavors and you can often bring a total of three to four people- it never hurts to get a second, third or fourth opinion! Most bakeries suggest that couples order their wedding cake six months in advance, so don't be afraid to make contact early on.

Shante and Jason's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Sean Marshall Lin Photography

Size: Too much of a good thing is never enough

You can never have enough! But, here are some guidelines to help you decide how large of a cake you might need. It's best to speak with a professional baker first, but it's always good to go in having done your research. Don't be surprised about how many slices you can get out of one cake, traditional wedding slices are 2" x 1"- around the size of a deck of cards, which is smaller than the usual slice of birthday cake. 

Round Tiers

6"- 14

8"- 25

10"- 39

12"- 48

14"- 77

16"- 100

18"- 127

Square Tiers

6"- 18

8"- 32

10"- 50

12"- 72

14"- 98

16"-128

18"- 162

Kirsten and Matt's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Misty Dawn Photography

Inspiration: Be inspired...

You obviously want your cake to reflect your wedding theme and decor, so grab a few samples and look up designs to show your wedding cake designer so they have a better feel of what you're looking for. Inspiration can be pulled from the bride's wedding gown, the groom's tie, centerpieces, bridal party flowers, your wedding invitations, monogram, whatever it may be. You'll be surprised to see what a great cake designer can do with just a little to work with. If you're having trouble thinking of something, look to the season to decide.

Erica and Gene's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Timeline Weddings

Design: Let your imagination run wild

Gone are the days of the columned wedding cakes with ivy going up the side, couples today are sticking with either the traditional three tiered cakes, going for a topsy turvy look of a lopsided cake for a fun twist, or bagging cakes all together and doing a dessert station instead. Whatever kind of cake it may be, the designs play a huge part of the overall look of the cake. Here are some design elements to consider and discuss with your cake designer. 

• Ribbons
• Painting and airbrushing
• Lace
• Ruffles and pleating 
• Sugar flowers
• Real flowers
• Fondant cut-outs
• Color

  

  Bev and Chuck's Wedding
  Photo courtesy of Lindsay Docherty Photography

Groom's Cake: Just for him

A lot of brides are doing something a little extra for their new hubby. By surprising the groom with a groom's cake, themed specifically to his style and taste, you are sure to win some new wife bonus points- which you can of course redeem later. Typically, grooms cakes are usually darker and heavier looking than traditional wedding cakes, which are often white and light. The groom's cake should be completely opposite in flavor and design of the wedding cake, but should also be his favorite flavor and highlight some of his favorite past times- sports teams or hobbies for example. It's also most often served at the rehearsal dinner to keep it separate from the wedding cake the next day. Fun fact, the groom's cake began as a tradition in the South.  

Stacey and Justin's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Sofia Negron Photography

Top Tier: Save some for later

If you want to stick with tradition, save and freeze the top tier of your wedding cake to be enjoyed either on your first wedding anniversary or for the christening of your first born child. The tradition started in England- and back then many cakes were made from nuts and liquors- making them easily preserved. Today, keeping your cake tasting just as fresh may be a bit more of a challenge, especially since most couples are waiting a few years to have children. So typically, today's couples keep their cake frozen for a year and enjoy it during their first wedding anniversary. If you're trying to keep it for a year, make sure to wrap it in several layers of saran wrap and tin foil and even put it in a Tupperware container. If you get back from your honeymoon and are still dreaming about your wedding cake, don't hesitate to open it back up, after all, every day of your marriage is a celebration!

Kaylan and Dan's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Lloydlee Heite

Cake Stands: Tying it all together

Add a little something extra with a traditional, vintage, modern or unconventional cake stand. Your wedding cake designer may have stands you can use, but websites like Etsy have great cheap options that you can always reuse in your new home. Cake stands can also be used to divide up the different flavors or layers of cake, giving you a tall cake that will also be steady. The cake stand below can be found at Sarah's Stands. 

Melissa and Carl's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Childress Photography

Trends: Keeping up with the Jones'

The 2011 wedding season is almost over, so chances are, if you're reading this blog for wedding tips, your big day is sometime in 2012. Get ahead of the curve and keep in mind these new 2012 cake trends with the overall theme of 2012 being chic and romantic. 

• Flavors- Red velvet was the top cake flavor for 2011, but couples in 2012 will look to more unique flavors to surprise their guests, try pomegranate or fig filled cakes. Other unconventional flavors lately have been chocolate hazelnut, chocolate orange, lemon, peanut butter & jelly, almond, and banana!
• Design- Up, up and away, cakes for 2012 are getting bigger and better- not to mention higher. Think big and tall when designing your cake for 2012!
• Simplicity- 2011 was filled with very detailed cakes- lace, ruffles, designs from brides dresses, but in 2012, the details will take a back seat and the taste will step up to the plate, literally. Picture more white or ivory cakes with hand painted elegant designs and monograms. 
• Flowers- Always a trend, flowers are a perfect addition to any cake design. In 2012, more uncommon flowers and color combinations will be seen- think pastels with a pop of color.

Nell and Scott's Wedding
Photo courtesy of John Shetron Photography

Price: Getting the most bang for your buck

Although I am only speaking in generalizations here, the average cost of a wedding cake for around 100 people is $500- though this cost varies depending on your design, flavor choice, and the cake designers notability. Lower end cakes can cost around $2 a slice, mid-range cakes around $5-6 per slice and high end around around $10 or more per slice. Also remember to include delivery charges, cake toppers, a cake cutting knife, and possibly a cake stand into this cost as well. If you're trying to save with your cake consider these tips:

• Use the venues preferred baker, which will often include some sort of discount
• If you don't plan on keeping your top tier, using it to feed guests instead
• Get a close family member or friend to make the cake for  you
• Have one layer of the cake be real and used for the cake cutting but the rest be synthetic- but make sure you of course have a sheet cake in the back

  

  Casey and Will's Wedding
  Photo courtesy of 217 Photography

If you're totally lost after all these cake lessons, take this quiz, from our good friend Martha to help you get a start. 

Also be sure to check out our blogs about Cake Toppers by Nicole and Alternatives to a Traditional Wedding Cake by Amanda for more ideas!

-Caitlin

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Get to Know Proud to Plan: Becky

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Childress Photography

Tell us about yourself: 

I'm originally from the Boston area, but moved down here to be with my husband. I love to create and craft and want to be Martha Stewart when I grow up, you know, without the whole jail thing. My husband is my best friend and my daughter is the cutest kid in the world. I'd do anything for my family and friends and wish they all lived closer. Oh, and I have a ridiculous sweet tooth. 

Where do you live?: 

I live in Pennsauken, NJ, with my husband Matt, our daughter Addie and our cat Riley.

Give us three words that best describe your personality:

Loyal, fun and creative

How did you get involved in the event industry?:

I've always enjoyed planning parties and events and decided to see if I could make a career out of it. I was bored with my desk job, so I did some research and got a job at at a small wedding planning and floral design firm. I worked my way up and became general manager. I planned and executed events and designed bouquets, boutonnieres and centerpieces. I'm glad I left my steady job to try it out because I love working in the event industry, and it turns out, I'm not too bad at it. 

What's your favorite part of a couple's wedding day?: 

I love the moment when they see each other for the first time. It's such a pure and intimate moment. 

When you're not doing events, what do you do?: 

I am a work at home mom - I split my time between my family and being the Sales and Marketing Manager of a local DJ and Production Company.

Do you have any hobbies? Or what do you do for fun?: 

I spend time with family and play with my daughter. I don't get a lot of me time, but I love to meet up with friends and scrapbook when I can. And I LOVE sports, so there's usually a game on in my house. 

Fun question, If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?: 

Only one? Anyone who knows me knows I like food, a lot. Telling me I can only eat one food for the rest of my life is cruel and unusual punishment. 

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