3 Types of Wedding Planning Services and Tips for Choosing Your Best Option
You have options when it comes to hiring a wedding planner in Colorado. Will you go with full-service wedding planning for help planning your perfect day from start to finish? Or do partial or month-of services fit your lifestyle and budget better? Keep reading to learn the three types of wedding planning services and tips for choosing the best option for you!
1. Full-Service Wedding Planning
Full-service wedding planning is basically your one-stop shop for all things wedding-related. Think of it like having a personal assistant whose sole job is to make sure your wedding is flawless. Full-service planners handle everything: from picking out the perfect venue, coordinating with vendors, and managing your budget to ensuring the day itself runs smoothly. They're there to tackle all the big decisions right down to the tiniest details. It's their job to stress about timelines, contracts, and centerpieces so you can focus on the fun stuff, like cake tastings and dress shopping!
At Mountainside Events, our full-service wedding planning package includes:
Secure and research optional venue inquiries
Locate and reserve specialty vendors
Coordinate all rental requirements
Event design and decor
Day-of-event coordination
Invitation and guest management
Assist with guest lodging accommodations and transportation
Wedding website design
Unlimited consultations
Pros of Full-Service Wedding Planning
Stress Reduction: Wedding planners eliminate much of the stress involved in planning a wedding by taking care of the details and dealing with issues that arise.
Time-Saving: They handle all the logistics, allowing you more time to spend on personal preparations or honeymoon planning!
Expert Knowledge: Wedding planners have extensive knowledge about vendors, venues, and trends, which can help you make informed decisions.
Budget Management: They can help you set and stick to a budget, negotiate contracts, and get the most value for your money.
Day-of Coordination: On your wedding day, they manage the timeline, coordinate vendors, and handle any last-minute problems, allowing you to fully enjoy your day!
Considerations of Full-Service Wedding Planning
Cost: Hiring a full-service wedding planner can be expensive and may not be within everyone's budget. (However, a good wedding planner will save you money by keeping you within budget, recommending cost-effective vendors, utilizing industry discounts, preventing unnecessary expenses, and potentially saving you up to 20% off the total wedding costs, thus often neutralizing their own fee.)
Control: If you prefer to have total control over every detail, you might find it difficult to delegate to a planner. However, a good wedding planner will actively listen to your ideas and preferences, offer expert advice when needed, and execute your plans meticulously while still handling the logistics and coordination.
Communication Issues: If you and your planner have different tastes or communication styles, it could lead to misunderstandings or dissatisfaction. One of the best ways to pick the perfect planner is to read reviews from past clients!
2. Partial Wedding Planning
Partial wedding planning is a fantastic option for couples who want to be hands-on with their wedding but need a little professional help along the way. It's a middle ground between full-service planning and month-of coordination. With partial planning, a wedding planner may help with specific tasks such as vendor recommendations, design ideas, budget management, or timeline creation. It's a flexible service that can be tailored to your needs, so you get the support where you need it the most while still feeling in control of your big day.
At Mountainside Events, our partial wedding planning package includes:
Secure and research optional venue inquiries
Locate and reserve specialty vendors
Coordinate all rental requirements
Customized vendor referrals
Event consultation and advice throughout the planning process
Event design and decor
Day-of-event coordination
Pros of Partial Wedding Planning
Customized Help: You can choose which aspects of the planning process you need help with, tailoring the service to your specific needs.
Budget-Friendly: It's generally less expensive than full-service planning, making it a great option for couples on a budget.
Expert Insight: You still benefit from the planner's expertise and industry connections for the parts of the planning you need assistance with.
Less Stress: By taking some tasks off your plate, it can significantly reduce the stress of wedding planning.
Considerations of Partial Wedding Planning
Limited Assistance: They may not be available to assist with every aspect of wedding planning, which could leave you with more tasks to handle.
Availability: Depending on their schedule, they may not be as readily available as a full-service planner would be.
Additional Stress: If unexpected issues arise in areas that the planner isn't handling, you'll have to manage them yourself.
3. Month-of Wedding Planning
Month-of wedding planning, also referred to as day-of coordination, is a service where the wedding planner steps in about 6-8 weeks before your big day. At this point, you've done most of the heavy lifting in terms of planning and booking vendors, but you need a professional to tie all the loose ends together. The planner will confirm details with vendors, create a detailed timeline for the day, and manage any last-minute changes or emergencies. On the wedding day itself, they'll oversee everything from setup to teardown, allowing you to fully enjoy your special day without worrying about the logistics. It's an excellent option if you want to plan most of your wedding yourself but need some expert help to ensure everything runs smoothly when it matters most.
At Mountainside Events, our month-of wedding planning package includes:
Final meeting up to 8 weeks prior to your event
Detailed event timeline and venue floor plan
Decor plan
Managing all vendors
Up to 10 hours of pre-planning
10 hours of planning the day of your event
Handling vendor invoices on the event day
Assisted set up and tear down
Ceremony coordination
1-2 in-person meetings
Limited event consultation
Pros of Month-of Wedding Planning
Peace of Mind: They handle the logistics of the day, allowing you to fully enjoy your wedding with less stress.
Expert Execution: They ensure all your carefully made plans are executed correctly and on time and deal with any last-minute issues or emergencies that might arise, preventing potential chaos.
Budget-Friendly: It's generally more affordable than full-service or partial wedding planning services.
Considerations of Month-of Wedding Planning
Limited Involvement: They're not involved in the early planning process, so you’re on your own for some of the biggest, most important decisions.
Extra Cost: While more affordable than full-service planning, it's still an additional wedding cost to factor into your budget.
Are Full-Service Wedding Planners Worth It?
Whether or not full-service wedding planning is the right choice depends on your budget, wedding vision, and how much support you want in the planning process Consider your schedule and responsibilities (work, school, family, social, etc.) leading up to your wedding, and honestly answer whether you have time to add the nitty-gritty details of wedding planning to your to-do list. Couples not working with a wedding planner can expect to spend 200-300 hours planning their wedding. If you don’t have an extra 200-300 hours to spare, hiring a full-service wedding planner is an excellent choice because they can cut that number in half.
3 Tips for Choosing Between the Types of Wedding Planning Services
When it comes to deciding between the types of wedding planning services available, consider these three things:
1. Your Schedule
If you're juggling a hectic schedule, full-service planning might be your best friend. At Mountainside Events, we’ll handle everything from start to finish–think venue selection, vendor coordination, decor planning, you name it.
2. Your Budget
Money matters, right? If you're working with a tighter budget, a partial wedding planner might be your go-to. At Mountainside Events, we can help where you need it most, whether that's negotiating contracts or coordinating all of the moving pieces on the big day.
3. Your Stress Levels
If you're cool with handling most things but want to ensure a stress-free wedding day, a month-of planner could be your hero. At Mountainside Events, we’ll swoop in during the final weeks, tie up any loose ends, and make sure everything runs smoothly on the big day.
What’s the Average Cost of a Full-Service Wedding Planner?
The average cost of a full-service wedding planner ranges from $4,500 to $12,000, depending on the location, experience, and complexity of the wedding. Contact us today for a custom full-service wedding planning package and price.
How Much Does a Partial Wedding Planning Package Cost?
The cost of a partial wedding planning package also varies, starting around $2,500 on the low end and ranging up to $10,000, depending on the company. Contact us today for a custom partial wedding planning package and price.
What’s the Price for Month-of Wedding Planning?
Lastly, the price for month-of wedding planning, you guessed it… depends! You can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000, depending on what’s included in the package. Some month-of planners enter the scene just four weeks before the wedding, while others offer a bit more hands-on planning assistance. Contact us today for a custom month-of wedding planning package and price.
Looking for a Full-Service, Partial, or Month-of Wedding Planner in Colorado? You Found Us!
So, you're tying the knot in Colorado and need a hand with the planning? You're in the right place, my friend! Here at Mountainside Events, we've got your back whether you need the full shebang from start to finish or someone to swoop in for the last two months and bring it all together. Our extensive experience and passion for creating memorable events make us the perfect partner for your special day! The best way to get an exact cost of our services is to complete our contact form and hop on a consultation call. Once we hear your wedding vision, we’ll be able to tell you the cost to bring it to life.