tips & advice
Why Use a Day-of-Wedding Planner?
Laurie Mantegari of Every Day Details sits down with New Hampshire Wedding Magazine Editor, Kristina Hathaway, to talk about why it's a good idea to hire a day-of-wedding planner.
KH: Hi Laurie, thanks for agreeing to do this interview. I meet lots of couples who would benefit from a day-of-wedding planner but aren't quite sure what this entails. Can you explain?
LM: Sure, I'd be happy to. A day-of-wedding planner is a wedding planner who is hired specifically to be with you during your wedding day to help organize and facilitate all the details. When a couple hires me, I attend the Rehearsal the night before to work out the kinks and so the wedding party gets to know me. When it comes to the actual day of the wedding, I'm there lining up the bridesmaids to walk down the isle up to boxing the center piece flowers at the end of the reception. Basically, I take care of all the little things so that the Bride and Groom can enjoy their guests and not worry about the photographer not taking enough photos or when to hand the check over to the DJ.
KH: Weddings rarely go off without a hitch. But is sounds like you're there to try and make sure it does without the Bride and Groom getting involved in the messy stuff.
LM: Right. For example, at one wedding, the Father-of-the-Bride was ready to deliver his toast and there was a mix-up with the glasses. I caught that and was able to run over behind the scenes and slip the glass in his hand as he raised it in a toast. Small things like that keep the festivities flowing and gives the Bride a peace of mind. I'm able to anticipate needs before they arise.
KH: What type of Bride and Groom would benefit the best from your service?
LM: Well, there are Brides who have a vision and know how to execute their wedding, but they need someone to take care of the wedding day logistics. A day-of-wedding planner is perfect for that type of Bride because I don't get into the actual planning, I help make sure all the planning done ahead of time is followed through. They don't want to be calling to see if the Groom is at the
church, finding out why the flowers haven't arrived or gathering the
wedding party for a final photo.
Brides who have no idea what they want; where they want to get married, how to plan, how to set up appointments with vendors, they are better off with a full time wedding planner. I do that as well, but it is more involved and more costly. The great thing about hiring someone to help out with just your wedding day is that for a minimal rate, you are virtually stress free because you know someone is paving the way in front of you so that the day runs smoothly.
KH: Stress is something that can ruin a beautifully planned day. And couples have no idea what their wedding day will actually be like until they are in the middle of it.
LM: Yes! I had one Groom who kept thanking me throughout his wedding. He told me initially he was not so crazy about spending money on my services but in the middle of his wedding he realized how much work was involved with pulling off such an important event. He was so grateful that I was there to take charge.
KH: The bottom-line is that you are an experienced event planner and know what to anticipate, how to work with the vendors and keep the day on track. It seems as important as your florist or caterer or any other vendor hired for your wedding.
LM: It is because if you don't have someone there to oversee the day to make sure things run smoothly, it probably won't. Weddings are one of the most special events in a couple's life and I'm happy when I can help make it a successful one.
Laurie Mantegari is owner of Every Day Details, specializing in professional organizing and event planning. You can reach Laurie at 603.552.2819 or lmant939@gmail.com.