The last blog post of our wedding series is a good one! Hayley Yost, the mastermind behind Hi-Line Events and Rentals, wrote this piece on why you might want to consider hiring a wedding planner! I have seen her in action and let me tell you, she will take a big load off your plate!!!! Let’s not waste anymore time and we will just dig into this awesome info!

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Why hire a wedding planner? That is a question that gets asked a lot. The first step in answering that question is to explain the difference between an event planner and a venue manager. Most brides don’t fully understand the difference, which creates confusion and come the big day, lots of stress.

A venue manager just worries about the venue. If tables aren’t set, decorations aren’t out, your cake doesn’t show then you or one of your family members must deal with it…unless you have me! Many think the venue manager will make sure everything is ready to go and that all vendors showed up on time. That typically isn’t the case; they only must ensure the venue is available and in working order at the times that were contracted for and agreed upon. All the little details are where a wedding planner comes in. As an event manager (aka wedding planner), I help make sure all the little things are taken care of. It would be my job to make sure all decorations up and everything is ready for the ceremony and reception to begin.

It’s important to really look at what needs to be done for a wedding, not just the design and which vendors need to be booked, but all the little details. A good way to gage what I really do is to look at the wedding “To Do List.” Many brides are comfortable booking vendors, designing the wedding, and even doing prep work but there is usually just as much or more that must be done the day before or the day of the wedding. That is where I come in. Many brides think they can get it all done, or their family can, which may be true but you risk cutting something out because you don’t have enough time or having a friend or family member miss the ceremony. There are a few venues that I work with as a venue manager when I don’t have a different event planned. I’ve had many proud DIY brides choose not to use my services beyond the venue manager. It was tough watching family members not be able to get ready for the wedding or miss part of the ceremony because they needed to finish getting things ready for the reception. Hiring a “Day of Coordinator” (which is one of my offerings) would have eliminated that and cut down on a lot of stress.

I’ve done full service planning (I plan everything), limited planning (only help book vendors and setup as needed), design and setup, or Day of Coordinating (helping with the “To Do List” just the week of the wedding). It will benefit any bride to hire me for whatever services will benefit them, based on their time and strengths. Since I work with many vendors, I also help them out in whatever way they need. Some wedding parties tend to wonder during photos, if I’m available, I keep track of where they have gone so when it is their time for pictures not much time is wasted looking for them. I also help alert any affected vendors of any time changes or changes to the original plan. Brides shouldn’t be the ones running around adjusting schedules and going between vendors if there is a problem, they should be enjoying their day. I am the one that will run around and take care of these things. I am aware some brides look to a friend because they think a friend (or family member) can do that. I’ve also seen it back fire when a problem arose and the “wedding planner friend” decided she was only in charge of the schedule and the problem “wasn’t her problem, they could figure it out.”

Some brides know from the beginning that they want a wedding planner, great!! I love helping with all the details and designing if needed. Other brides realize it as the wedding quickly approaches. It is never too late to call. Even if I’m booked for the day of, I can help in some other way and help sort out some details. I do single consultations for those brides who want to do it all but want to make sure they are getting all the details they need at the beginning and for those last-minute brides who realize they didn’t plan well or simply can’t do it on their own. I enjoy the rush and stress of planning and love being able to take that stress away from a beautiful bride. It can take 2 months or 2 years to plan a wedding, each one is different. A wedding can also be lots fun and little stress to plan, with my help of course 😊, or it can be lots of fun mixed with lots of stress (that for some masks all the fun), it is up to each bride.

-Hayley Yost, Owner of Hi-Line Events and Rentals

You can reach out to Hayley on her Facebook page, which you can find by clicking here or by visiting her website right HERE!

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