I have always wondered what exactly wedding planners do. I figure out arranging weddings for others must be a very exciting job but I also guess a lot of unexpected and undesirable things might happen.
I basically would like to know where they advertise their services and if they are well paid (I obviously imagine they can only work part-time!)
So any wedding planners here? Anyone willing to share awkward experiences or funny anecdotes? I would love to read them.

We didn't hire a wedding planner for our wedding, but we did have someone from the Bahamas resort where we got married who did the day-of planning. I would totally recommend a day-of planner (even if it's just a friend or relative), because the last thing you want to worry about on your wedding day is whether the DJ is set up or if the cake got there.

How interesting! I didn’t know such a thing existed! I also like the idea of having someone you trust to plan things for you: more practical and defiinitely less expensive!

Have you checked out theknot.com? I believe you can find a wedding planner there. I am planning my wedding without a wedding planner (so I can spend more on a photographer and other aspects of the wedding) and am relying heavily on my maid of honor (family member) to be the "day-of planner."

:)

Lol! I don’t need a wedding planner now, not for the time being at least…
I just wanted to know what her job was like :)

That's a beautiful cake in the photograph you found! Did you palette it yet? :)

Hi, indigo!
No, I don’t feel like making palettes right now but you could feature yours here if you made it for me. :)

I am a wedding planer in Argentina. It is a well-paid, very funny.
The ugliest part is when I have to work with hysterical brides who change every time the mood and tastes.
Sorry for my English, not long ago that I use it = P

great advice here. We had a family member and my photographer-friend kind of took over this as well.

aepstein wrote:

We didn't hire a wedding planner for our wedding, but we did have someone from the Bahamas resort where we got married who did the day-of planning. I would totally recommend a day-of planner (even if it's just a friend or relative), because the last thing you want to worry about on your wedding day is whether the DJ is set up or if the cake got there.

Why not check out the top wedding sites and blogs and your local phone books or wedding shops. The most relevant for you would be your local wedding accessory (dresses, jewelry, cakes, flowers, etc.) providers or local bridal shows. It sounds like you are wanting to get into the business.

speakin_colors wrote:

I have always wondered what exactly wedding planners do. I figure out arranging weddings for others must be a very exciting job but I also guess a lot of unexpected and undesirable things might happen.
I basically would like to know where they advertise their services and if they are well paid (I obviously imagine they can only work part-time!)
So any wedding planners here? Anyone willing to share awkward experiences or funny anecdotes? I would love to read them.

Lol, molly! Not really planning to get into the business; just curious to know what it is like and maybe wishing to be told some funny anecdote about it.
Anyway, thanks for answering. Really kind of you! :)

I was my own wedding planner and many people said that my wedding was one of the best they've ever been to. I've been putting tons of thought into my wedding since I was 4 years old so of course it turned out amazing!

I'm here! I'm here! I'm actually delighted to see your question because I do want to raise awareness of what wedding planners do.
I'm a wedding planner based in Ireland and can tell you we do everything! I just this minute finished getting quotes for and planning activities for the guests of one of my couples' wedding weekend.
I am now going to put together some colour palate ideas(mainly for my blog) but I have used them in the past for couples and myself when I was doing my logo.
Wedding planning is a full time job! We may only have weddings on weekends but there is so much to do and organize and information to gather.
I wrote this for my blog. have a look! Aislinn Events blog post. and contact me if you need. Even to answer questions in general.

hey annie! just entered your blog! i really love the Wedding Photographers section! very nice work! :)

I am a wedding planner from Malaysia and yes, you can be well-paid, depending on the budget but it is not a job for the faint-hearted!

Basically, with the initial meet-up with the potential client, the planner must be able to read what the client desires for their wedding day. Decipher that into a proposal (at least, that's how I work) and if they accept it, the ball starts rolling then. From then on, the speed of planning gradually builds up from slow to fast pace to "I-Don't-Know-Why-Am-I-Doing-This-Wedding-Planning-Service" part at the last 2 weeks prior to the wedding day. On the day of event, you're the first one in and the last one out, ensuring every single detail of what you and your client had planned for falls beautifully at the correct moment and time and your client smiling happily - that's the best part of being a planner.

@sundancer, I remember after I got married it crossed my mind to become a planner. I think because you've done the planning you think you can do it for someone else. From watching "Whose Wedding Is It, Anyway," I could NEVER do it with the demanding brides. I'm sure, though, that they show the craziest of their clients, but still!!

It's definitely helpful to have the maitre d' helping out, too. The only bad thing was there wasn't a groom's cake and the batteries in the boom box didn't work. Otherwise, we got a perfect day!

mollybermea wrote:

great advice here. We had a family member and my photographer-friend kind of took over this as well.

aepstein wrote:

We didn't hire a wedding planner for our wedding, but we did have someone from the Bahamas resort where we got married who did the day-of planning. I would totally recommend a day-of planner (even if it's just a friend or relative), because the last thing you want to worry about on your wedding day is whether the DJ is set up or if the cake got there.

My former firm got involved with wedding planning ONLY ONCE. A beloved member of my staff was soon getting hitched herself and found the opportunity for us. How hard could doing color coordination for a wedding be? The wedding planner was worth every chunk of money she got and more in my opinion. And she made a chunk on this wedding. We got paid too but OMG. Does the show "Bridezilla" air where you are? Our client was much worse than anything they would dare air on that show! I hope she was sterile and did not have children.

Love this approach to wedding planning by the way.

That sign is too funny. You should submit that to one of the late night entertainment shows. I know David Letterman did funny signs...he has since retired but you could send to one of the others. That is great.

In October I did my first wedding. I have been approached many times to do this sort of thing and have never taken the adventure. Mainly because of my job in the financial and residential lending industry. Time was not something I had much of. However, now that I am home more I finally gave in and I really enjoyed it. However, it was a small wedding and I took care of all the details from the photos to the Honeymoon. In a typical setting a planner would not be able to tackle as much as I did...especially on a larger scale I am doing 4 more in 2011 and so I will get a better feel. I am doing a large one mid year where I have to hire an assistant. So we will see.

I just make invitations (handmade) for weddings baby showers ect. on top of working a 9-5 and juggling kid hubby and my addiction to this site =) Lucky for me I can sneak in my colorloving addiction while at work! I just started a good friend our my hubbys wedding invites yesterday and this will be one of the largest weddings ive done invites for but still in the idea stage I will be sure to post some pics of the process as I go..