Planner or no Planner

rossgoudreauwedding · January 2012

We decided to get married in Maui...now what. I've met with a few consultants and all were very nice and could be very helpful, but do I need them? The more I look online the more I think I could plan our Maui wedding and reception on my own. Is this possible? Has anyone out there planned the whole event without the use of a wedding coordinator?

WinstonsGirl · January 2012

I'm doing mine without a coordinator. We've got a package deal with our hotel, so a lot of the planning has been done by their banquet coordinator at the hotel, but we're not using a day of coordinator. I know a lot of the girls here have hired a day of coord. They should be able to give you a better idea of what they needed

dianalynm · January 2012

I have a WC and to be honest, she's doing only a handful of things. Like Tanq, I feel like in the end she'll have only accounted for 10% of the planning. I do suggest getting a day-of coordinator so you won't have to stress yourself out on your actual wedding day, but I definitely feel that with dedication and organizational skills, it's easy to plan on your own. If I had a choice, I would've opted to go for a day-of coordinator only...

destiny1108 · January 2012

It depends on where you are having your event and how much time you have to plan. We had a private estate,worked long hours and didnt have alot of time to plan our destination wedding so having our WC was a MUST have. In the end she saved us money in many areas we would not have thought about

mauidandy · January 2012

Some of my vendors offered discounts through my WC. She was very helpful in suggesting things I never would have thought of. I was able to ship a TON of stuff ahead of time and she kept it at her office, which was so helpful. She took care of all of the details and I didn't worry about a thing leading up to or on the day of my wedding. I'm a huge planner and did a lot of research on my own, but I was so happy to have her help. It made the entire process so easy! I'm sure you could do it on your own, a lot of girls have done that. IMO, having at least a day of coordinator would free up your time and let you enjoy the day more.

breaness · January 2012

We had one and it was really nice to not need to worry about anything. Just show up and have it all happen for you. I don't know who half of our vendors were (flowers, etc.) since the coordinator just took care of it all, but it all turned out perfectly.

kimmykupcakes · January 2012

I don't have one and haven't felt at all like I've needed one. Having a middle man for me would have driven me crazy.

rmontpas · January 2012

We are eloping but we do have a WP. It is a small family company and she is taking care of all the details for a reasonable price. We have never been to Hawaii so I feel more comfortable having her to help me.

AKWinterBride · January 2012

We had a planner for our private estate wedding and she was worth every penny!! She didn't make any decisions for me, or try to push my wedding in any direction, she simply helped out with recommendations for vendors and she dealt with all the vendors and setup the day of the wedding. Our wedding was completely stress free because of our coordinator, I would hire her again in a heartbeat!!

kaesha · January 2012

I did without. It seemed like such a waste of money to me. We had 31 people at a private estate and we did just about everything. Having said that, I'm a drama teacher, so mounting products is kinda what I do. The biggest key, IMHO, is solving the issue of transitions. Most people overlook this part, and that's when DIY affairs LOOK DIY.

So, after breaking the day down into sections (we broke ours into: set-up/welcoming guests/ ceremony/cocktail hour/dinner/dancing/departure), figure out who needs to be where and when, and really who's in charge of each section. For example, during the ceremony, our officiant was obviously running the show. At the end of the ceremony, he made an announcement to guests about what would happen next, which was the cue for the caterers to take over and for guests to wander over to the cocktail area.

I was in a wedding this summer where the ceremony took place on a cliff overlooking the ocean and then we had to wait around for hours for one of 3 cars to show up to shuttle us back to the reception site. Yes, 3 cars for 100 guests. So, that's what I mean about sorting out the transitions.

I mean seriously, as long as the caterers know what they're doing (and they should, that's their job), your officiant knows what they're doing and your dj - if you have one, we didn't - knows what they're doing, I really don't think they're necessary. We just handed out a schedule, reviewed the timing with everyone a few days before the wedding and let people do their jobs. And honestly, it wasn't high stress for us at all. I'm SO glad we didn't spend our money on a coordinator as it meant we could spend the money elsewhere.

jtoly · January 2012

The Reverend marrying us is actually our coordinator. Her company does it all! Everything was mostly planned in one phone call and now I just keep adding features! I think I may now add the sand ceremony.

rossgoudreauwedding · January 2012

Thank you everyone your posts are very helpful. for those who had private estate weddings are you able to tell me anything about any special permits that were maybe needed to host reception? I know the music needs to end at 10 pm for any outdoor events are thereany other things I should be aware of as far as rules?

After another night of internet research I think a day of planner is the way to go. can anyone recommend a great coordinator? I've meet with a few and I think Iknow who I like but I'm still open to recommendations.

destiny1108 · January 2012

our WC was from Hawaii Weddings and Events, they were awesome and used by lots of ladies on the bord. We had to get liability insurance for the property and liquor liability insurance which our caterer got..

twie3230 · January 2012

We're using Cherise w/ The Perfect Wedding Maui and I really rate her. She is really nice and very easy talk to; and she has brought to my attention so many details I hadn't thought of when planning. My fiance and her must talk at least two times a week sorting out details here and there and he thinks she is great also (I have been really busy with work, so I do all the research and luckily my fiance does all of the implementation. Lucky me!). If you don't have the time to do all of the ground work yourself, you want someone who can give you first hand advice inre venue and vendors (and can show you photos of what it looks like), and is there to remind you of what needs to be done or general things you may not think of, then a coordinator is such a big help. Also, I just want to show up on the day and not have to think about where the caterer is or whether the place cards have been put out, etc.

Our wedding is only a month away, so I'll be sure to post reviews. But as of yet, I'd recommend Cherise without hesitation.

AKWinterBride · January 2012

We also used Cherise with Perfect Wedding Maui and loved her - she was worth every penny!! For me it was worth it a million times over to have her there, cause as Brea said - I wanted everything to just happen. I was not interested in trying to corral everyone to try to get things moving smoothly, or to worry about any of the setup or decorations. Cherise is so sweet, super organized, and has a true flat rate system. Recommend her a thousand percent!!

Planner or no Planner

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