As Planned / Working with a Wedding Planner
By Lisa Loy
You are standing on the threshold to a new life. The scene before you is beautiful, just as you imagined it would be. You are looking into the eyes of your betrothed
and you are surrounded by the smiling,
sentimental faces of gussied up family and friends, all present, to share in your celebration of love.
They can feel your happiness. You are radiant and ready to fully enjoy the day. No thoughts of the many preparations and details march into your mind. Or do they?
The planning required to pull off a paramount event isn't an area of expertise for many people. And when that event is as personal as a wedding, your composure can be tough to hang on to when all the details don't behave.
Last year, local bride and successful graphic designer, Nealy Hansford, chose not to contract with a wedding coordinator. Because of her work, she already had contacts within the business community and being local, she knew the lay of the land. She also has a demanding job, and it was hard to find the time to focus on the many details.
"But I really found I needed someone during those last few weeks leading up to the event," says Nealy. "That last month is really critical, and no matter how long you've planned in advance, it still comes down to absolute mayhem. It was hard to nail down all the particulars of the day, months in advance, because most vendors don't even make the time for you until it's down to the wire, and that's when you, as a bride, need that time for yourself.
"And the day of my wedding, I felt I couldn't fully relax, because I was the one making sure the DJ played the right song at the right time, and we cut the cake at the right time, and the champagne was ready to be poured at the right time, which it wasn't.
"Anyway, all that being said, I'm a
scattered, unorganized, spacey person, with a mother that was out-of-town and the
sensitivity not to burden my friends with bossy requests, so I think it was doubly hard for me without a coordinator. But despite all the craziness, I had the best time of my life, and no one other than me knew that things didn't go exactly as planned."
Bryn Harris, a counseling and educational psychology instructor at the University of Indiana, was also perfectly capable of planning her own wedding, even from a distance. But she chose to engage the services of a professional.
"Primarily, she was another set of eyes and ideas. Since I don't have sisters, and I am the first of my friends to get married, she was great to have as a sounding board. I
had a lot of my own ideas, but she helped
simplify and solidify everything.
Like Nealy, Bryn chose not to ask a friend or relative to help.
"I realized that it's a lot harder to really ask for what you want when it's a relative. You don't want them to be away from the wedding festivities."
Her planner made sure every detail
was addressed, right down to the napkin
folding. She reconfirmed every detail with the vendors a week before the wedding.
"It saved me so much time!"
Together they prepared for potential glitches, and, because Bryn wanted her
ceremony to be on the beach, they had
previously selected two backup locations. Bryn's planner proved to be an experienced navigator when the weather failed to
cooperate on the big day.
"She figured that all out and had everyone ready. She organized the wedding
parties and the guests very well. She also handled getting a bunch of stuff transferred from the original wedding site.
Although Bryn felt it was expensive, about $70 an hour, she felt it was necessary because she lives so far away.
If you don't live on the Outer Banks, hiring a planner is an excellent idea. I got a very small package of 20 hours and that covered a lot!"
But planners can also save money according to Marie Castro Russell of Bordeaux Events.
"We are able to negotiate directly with the vendors we use most and are usually able to secure better prices for the brides."
Karen Kelly of Coastal Events Coordinators agrees.
"The existing relationships between planner and vendor can help save money. I like to try to widen my relationships, but I know the service and dependability of the people I use consistently. Those are the people more willing to work with our brides on a budget, and I don't hesitate to call them to ask for special consideration."
Outer Banks wedding planners are also familiar with locations and necessary permits. They know to check the tides for a beach wedding, and suggest a sound front location for a sunset ceremony. They are familiar with the perks and quirks of our broad array of wedding locations.
The process with most Outer Banks wedding planners usually
initiates with a general consultation over the phone or in person to understand the wishes and needs of the bride and groom. At Bordeaux Events, Marie says their next step is to discern which package will work best for the bride. 
"Once our contract has been signed and deposit is made, we then go into a more specific consultation to determine which are the best vendors for the bride. We work on their budget, scheduling, and checklist throughout the year to make sure we have all the vendors secured with contracts and deposits.
"Depending on the package, we then show up to coordinate the rehearsal and/or rehearsal dinner, and the ceremony/reception the following day. We have exclusive tracking programs, design layout programs and budget worksheets we use for the bride while planning her wedding. She has access to these at all times with constant updates via email, phone and personal meetings when she comes down to the Outer Banks."
Coastal Events' Karen Kelly also believes a meaningful service to her clients is in the area of bookkeeping.
"My clients always have the option to pay Coastal Events directly or to write checks directly to each vendor. I use QuickBooks and print out 3-part checks and have all of my vendors sign for their checks. I keep a copy for the file, the
vendor gets the original and the client receives a copy. That way we are all on the same page. I think that the client likes to see where their money is going."
Bryn Harris, when asked if she could go back in time and do it all again, would she still use a wedding planner? She doesn't hesitate to answer.
"Definitely. Everything was perfect and she really allowed me to let a lot of stress go throughout the wedding planning. I trusted her and she was so much fun to work with!"
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