Did you get a wedding planner?

erinm982

We have found a fantastic wedding planner who will look after EVERYTHING, but her fee is $2500.  We're operating on a fairly low budget, so we don't want to over pay for something.  I think a wedding planner is key when planning a destination wedding, but fiance doesn't think we should be paying that much. 

Did anyone do it without a wedding planner?  What's your advice?

carrieoz_76

We're getting married in HI, and we decided to hire a wedding coordinator.  We didn't absolutely have to, but I work a lot, and FI is in school, and I just wanted reduce the stress of our trip by not having to do everything wedding-related ourselves.  

She's booking all of our vendors except accommodations and reception venue (which I did in a jiff), made our marriage license appt, getting our beach wedding permit, covering teh insurance for the beach wedding, receiving our packages, getting prices, making recommendations for different vendors when we've needed them, and I've been REALLY happy with her so far.  I hear other brides complaining about vendors not getting back to them, not getting full price lists, etc., and I haven't had to deal with that at all.

Her base charge just for her services and day-of coordination for the ceremony is about $1000.  I don't know if the difference in price for what she charges versus what you've been quoted is location or the vendor or what, but I can say that I've been happy with our decision so far!

SimplyMistaken

I did not, I am getting married at an all inclusive and that comes with a wedding coordinator.  I would not have anyway, I am all about planning the details. 

I think it depends on you and how much you want to or don't want to do all of the planning. 

mxg0206

Hi, im getting married August 2011 and I went with destinationweddings.com for my wedding planner. They have been great thus far in planning everything for me and staying in contact with me with prices and such. She is handleing all travel needs for guests as well as myself and servs as a mediator between myself and the on-site coordinator at the resort I chose in Aruba. My FI and I are also operating on a low budget so we could not afford to pay anyone that amount of money. With DW.com we put down a 50 deposit for the services. You should look into them. By the way where is your wedding? And my FI doesnt want to pay too much for a wedding so we decided on a destination but its really not as cheap as we thought.

captainleela

I wasn't originally going to get one but in the end I decided to go for it and I am so glad that I did! TOTALLY worth the money IMO. $2500 does seem a little steep though. When I was looking I contacted several different ones and they all charged $1000. I thought 1K was reasonable for the amount of work she's done (and will be doing) for me.

Hoszowski

I got a wedding planner through destinationweddings.com and they've been really helpful. They've done all the planning for flights and accomodation, plus they're the middle man when I'm co-ordinating with the onsite wedding planner. There's a bit of a language barrier so they've helped finalize some things so I don't show up and get the wrong package. They're doing all the travel arrangements for the guests as well. On the plus side, they don't cost anything!!! Just an initial deposit of $50 that goes towards final travel arrangements.

mn2italy

We hired a wedding planner as part of a package. She helped us find the ceremony and reception site, welcome dinner site, hairdresser, florist and photographer. The package cost $3k and included her services, the photographer for 2.5 hours, my bouquet and FI's boutonniere.

What is included in the $2500 fee?

sweetcatastrophe

we did get a wedding planner for our wedding in aruba. we have a local NJ coordinator and she works with a partner in aruba. it's costing us $1050. this includes all communication between us, assistance for guests with travel, day-of assistance, booking all our vendors, etc. i think $2500 is a lot. does this include anything for the wedding, like a champagne toast?

JenJune3

I'm getting married in St Thomas and I didn't want to spend $9000 to get married at the hotel I'm staying at, so I went with Weddings the Island Way, and they are planning my wedding on Magen's Bay. It's all going to be really simple, and they are taking care of the marriage license and getting the officiant, etc.

Beth0413

I didn't use one - we're getting married at an all inclusive resort and using their wedding coordinator.

erinm982

She has not fully expressed what is included in the fee.  I'm waiting  to hear back from her.  On their site, it says they help us secure many different things, but doesn't say if any of those items are included in the $2500 fee, so I think it's safe to assume they aren't.  I don't think her picking out places that I may like (that I could contact on my own), is worth the $2500.  I'm waiting to hear from her to find out what, if anything, is included.  She has already sent me an email with several links to possible venus, and wants some feedback so she can give me a more definite quote.  If the $2500 decreased to $1000 or less, I think I'd be more apt to booking with her (... and if that fee had something/anything included).