By Patricia Simone
For some people, the idea of hiring a wedding planner gives them hives,
thanks to Martin Short’s over-the-top character in the movie Father
of the Bride. In it, he played Fraank, the quirky “artiste” whose
wacky creative ideas blew the original wedding budget off the charts.
So we decided it was time to set the record straight—to help you
get started with your wedding preparations and uncover what real-life
wedding planners can offer.
“The first thing couples have to do is have a realistic talk about
what their respective dream wedding is,” says Carol Beaugard, founder
of Affairs of Distinction, a 20-year-old wedding planning firm in Upper
Montclair. Beaugard has coordinated numerous weddings and explains that
this step is critical because very often “her” vision is
very different than “his.”
Once you agree about the kind of wedding you want, you’ll need
to put a dollar figure on it and decide where the money is coming from.
Many times the cost is split between the couple and their respective
parents, says JoAnn Gregoli, Master Bridal Consultant (MBC) and owner
of Elegant Occasions in Morristown. To help manage your budget better,
Gregoli suggests opening a new bank account. “This way all the
money is in one place, so the couple can easily see where they stand.”
“Two of the top reasons people hire wedding planners is
to manage anxiety levels and take charge of the many details,” says
Samantha Goldberg, president of Gold Events, a planning firm with offices
in Chester and Bridgewater. Goldberg puts the kibosh on the myth that
planners inflate wedding costs, saying, a good planner can incorporate
a lot of their fees into the projected budget. “We have lots of
connections with different wedding vendors, and may be able to reduce
their fees by ten to twenty percent.”
Wedding planner Stacey Levy of Planned to Perfection Events in Bergen
County handles everything from RSVP lists and seating charts to scheduling
and negotiating rates. “I want to be the person who makes your
life easier,” she says. “I have a massive passion for what
I do and I get excited for my clients. I love seeing the end result.”
Gregoli adds that food and beverage takes the major chunk out of the
budget, so the other pieces should get allocated according to the couple’s
specific priorities. “With some people it’s a certain band,
with others it may be the flowers,” she says. “The planner
does the legwork and narrows down all the variables.”
And according to Beaugard, planning a wedding can take at least 250
hours—so here’s what the savvy wedding consultant can do
for you:
Save time—they do all the running
• Avoid headaches—they
do all the research
• Keep on budget—they
negotiate deals within your resources
• Act as creative consultants
for theme, design/colors, décor, lighting, and favors.
• Peace keeper—many
planners become a welcome buffer between nervous family members
• Organizer—they advise
you what you need to know and juggle all the details and timelines
Wedding costs can vary, depending on a wide number of factors, including
the number of guests, your reception hall, the music, flowers, invites,
ceremony programs, photographer, and videographer, says Toni DeLisi,
MBC and president of Memorable Events in Ramsey. A realistic range can
be anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 for 250 guests, though she has coordinated
weddings in the $100,000 to $200,000 range also. Whatever your budget
or theme, a wedding planner can help you stay organized and on budget,
keeping your stress levels low and maximizing the joy of making your
dream wedding a reality.