Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/223347
realadvice Hiring a planner for the full wedding planning, as opposed to a day-of coordinator, should cost around $5,000, says Bishop. "If you're paying less than that, they're probably pretty new to the planning process. In town there's a wide range of experience, with some new planners and some seasoned, so there's a large price differential," she continues. "It's important to note that the price difference is equated to experience, so understand that the cheaper planners are cheaper for a reason." THE RIGHT PACKAGE Wedding planners typically offer a range of packages that can include planning a whole wedding, start to finish, or coordinating the day of the wedding only. The difference is in the time they spend working for you. "If you value your time, are working full time and want your evenings not to be consumed by the wedding, full planning becomes valuable," Bishop says. "The planner takes on the burden of time of corresponding, researching, budgeting and planning, while you can just make final decisions. But if you have the time to dig in, or have a mother who wants to take it on, do that." It's much better to get a planner involved from the beginning, cautions Peters, to help everything run so much smoother. "But at the very least, spend $1,000 and get a day-of coordinator. I don't know how girls can do this without help, I really don't," she admits. "Even if it's the smallest gift you give to yourself, give yourself a dayof coordinator so you don't have to worry. Your planner takes care of all the last-minute problems." And sometimes, those problems aren't so small. Bishop relates how the island venue for a client's wedding was hit by lightning and burned to the ground. It was August 30, just two days before the wedding, and the venue was where most guests had planned their accommodation. Bishop re-planned the wedding at a new venue on the Friday morning before the wedding was set to take place. "It's an extreme example that anything can happen," she says. "And when something like that does happen, it's nice to know you have someone with experience on your side." rw 22 real weddings planning guide 2014 p20-23_Choosing Wedding Planner.indd 22 13-11-26 11:56 AM