Planning a Wedding is a Time and Money Balancing Act

Balancing Money and Time to Plan Your Wedding

1.  Truth #1.

The reason why weddings seem so expensive is because there are so many moving parts and elements that need to be put together.  They all cost money.

We all excel at different things and absolutely can't stand other types of chores, jobs, duties, etc.  The same goes for planning a wedding.  Why spend your valuable time on something you hate.  I know that with the DIY craze, it would be easy to fall into that trap that gets bigger and bigger.  The trap that comes from saying, "I can do that myself!"  Yes, maybe you can, but do you love doing it?  If not you're likely to add unnecessary stress.  

2.  Rephrase your stress points.

If you catch yourself saying, "I need to do this" or "I need to do that", rephrase it to "it would be preferable if I did this or that".  Surprisingly, it lowers the priority a little or even makes you think it's not necessary to do the "this or that" at all.

3.  It's okay to let go!

I've read somewhere that the average (usually a bride) spends the equivalent of 7-1/2 weeks of 40-hour work weeks planning a wedding.  That is a lot of time and energy.  It takes some of us longer than others to realize that it's okay to hire some things out and realize we can't possibly come close to being as talented as the professionals in all of the categories we need.

4.  Time Management and Planning.

The things that couples don't realize when they are planning a wedding is that a lot of the DIY projects take place very close to the wedding.  Especially the flowers, making your own cake, etc!  Regarding the flowers, it doesn't matter whether they are of the "wear and carry" or "decor" categories..they take up time when you least have it.  That's not even including the tasks that people procrastinate on, constant interruptions and all the mini celebrations that are taking place at that time.  

5.  You only get married once.  Ideally!

If it's difficult for you to think about hiring tasks out, think again.  You wouldn't expect to be able to put braces on your teeth by yourself.  We hope we only get married once so you shouldn't have to justify handing out some headaches.

6.  Invest where it counts.  Determine your "dreads!" 

You can hire people to do everything from addressing your invitations, keeping track of RSVP's, cleaning up after the wedding, childcare on site at your wedding, theft protection with coat-check companies who will guard your gifts and your guests' possessions.

My biggest suggestion would be to hire a "Day-of Coordinator".  (there really is no such thing which is to your advantage).  A "Day-of Coordinator" actually does most of what a Wedding Planner does except find vendors for you.  You will want to look for one who will contact all of your vendors, verify your contracts to see if your plan actually matches what is in the contract, will tour your venue, conduct a rehearsal (might cost extra) and do their best to inhibit behavior from anyone that could risk you not getting your deposit back.  They will create a realistic timeline so that they day flows smoothly since they know the wedding industry and what the vendors need to do a good job for you.

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Check out our other programs for couples planning a wedding or needing wedding officiating, individuals planning events and businesses who want to market through hosting events.

Weddings:  When DIY Morphs into DYI

Do-It-Yourself projects are a great way to personalize a wedding or any celebration. To rephrase a famous quotation. "The path to stress is paved with good intentions!"  I am an obsessed DIY person who hates to relinquish any project that I could just do on my own.  No kidding!  That ranges from painting the house to getting someone to help me with all the things I never can find time to get around to doing in my business and at home.  So I understand the DIY mentality or creativity bug.

DIY sounds so enticing primarily because I hear "ka-ching!" only in the direction of me saving money! That's my first gut feeling anyway!  Are you like me when you are in the middle of a DIY project and you begin to think, "What did I get myself into?"  Sometimes we are better off to just admit defeat!  Get out while you are ahead or stop before going deeper into the hole.

That is the point that DIY becomes DYI.  The acknowledgement of the transition from Do-It-Yourself to "Do-Yourself-In".  It's when you realize you:

~Bit off more than you could chew.

~Went in over your head.

~Didn't say no to one more idea or project.

~Looked at one too many Martha Stewart magazines.

~Pretended once again to be Superwoman!

What is the cure?

I think it is when we truly realize that time is money!  Realize that we have enough stress and we deserve to give ourselves a break from doing all things, being all things to all people and just........           r e l a x!

The same goes for planning a wedding.  As a Wedding Planner I don't offer a product, I offer a feeling or peace of mind!  I hear these statements all the time!

~"I'm so relieved!"

~"I'm so glad you know what to ask!"

~"Thank you for saving me so much time!"

~"Thank you for saving me so much money compared to what you cost!"

~"More people should hire a Wedding Planner!"

~"I didn't worry about anything on the wedding day!"

Greatest of Days has ways to help couples plan their weddings with so many programs you never even thought of!

It boils down to this.  If you are not nice to yourself, who will be? When I first heard that I found it really disturbing.

Give yourself a break.  Only take on what you love to do.  There is such a thing as money well-spent!

Wishing you the greatest of days!

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DIY Weddings! Decisions, Decisions!

This is an introduction to a series of blog entries you will be able to read that will serve as a reality check to make sure that your DIY decisions are really going to save you money or not.  We'll cover one type of vendor at a time.  Also, there will be some alerts on having friends or family take on specific roles that professionals usually do at a wedding.  This isn't to say that they wouldn't have spectacular talent or  that there aren't some things that you've always dreamed of doing on your own for your wedding.  I just want you to look out for your own best interests.  This is not a day you can do over!  Perfection is a lofty goal and perfection is different things to different people and most would admit it is rarely achieved 100% of the time. That is life!  Relax and enjoy!  

Many people will tell you that they can perform particular tasks for your wedding.  You might be surprised at how you can make things so much less stressful by hiring a person who does this for a living and don’t assume anything on their prices.  Most professionals will find something you will be pleased with that will fit your budget.  Here's a tip!  Remember these people have to make a living and showing respect for their profession will make you a lot more points than starting out with trying to get their price down before you even talk to them.  The perfect vendor is not always someone with a storefront.  It might be someone you would never ever know about!  A Wedding Coordinator can give you a selection of vendors to choose from including those you would never know about!  

We all want to save money whenever we can, but if we end up paying more in the long run or creating a bad experience, what are we really saving?  Everything boils down to what you don't know can hurt you. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what you should know about various aspects of your wedding if you don't use professionals. You might want to really stop and take the time to consider the costs in time and money.  Stop... and be honest with yourself first to make sure that you are not making a decision you will regret years later if you hear yourself making any of the following statements.

“I can do that!”  

“I have a friend who does that!”  

“That looks easy enough to do!”  

“I don’t think that will matter”. 

“I don’t have the money for that”.

“I think that _____ would enjoy doing that!”

"My brother has a band".

I look forward to helping you make a decision regarding the option of DIY or non-professionals for your wedding.  We'll talk about invitations, photography, music, flowers, wedding gowns, food, selecting a venue, decor, favors, wedding coordinators, alcohol, bar tending, officiants, cakes and who knows what all else!!  Stay tuned!

You may use this material as long as you include credit and a link to this Greatest of Days Blog and the Greatest of Days website.

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Janis Flagg