Wedding Planners: an unnecessary expense or worth their weight in gold?

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A current trend that I am seeing more and more of, are couples planning their own weddings with very little help from professionals. This is probably as a result of the economy and also the relinquishing of traditions such as ‘the father of the bride’ paying for the wedding. I think with the use of magazines and the internet – people believe that they have the necessary information to put their weddings together themselves. Many couples of course execute this really well, but I have witnessed some absolute disasters too! Which is so sad when it is someone’s wedding, and the only time (hopefully) that they will get married!

A wedding planner may not be as expensive as you think. Wedding planners can do as little or as much as you want. Some planners can be part of all the organisation, from booking flowers, bridesmaid dresses, venue, music and food to setting up the venue, directing members of the wedding party and liaising with the venue, registrar, vicar or band.  On the other hand a wedding planner can simply help you plan the wedding and then leave the organisation on the day to you.  Even if you decide a wedding planner is not for you I would always recommend speaking to an expert in the early stages of planning your wedding, see what is on offer and listen to the advice the planner can give.  Asking for advice from married friends and family can also be quite useful.

I personally work with Melanie Kiani from Bellissimo Weddings and Bournemouth Beach Weddings and she goes out of her way to meticulously plan every detail of a couple’s wedding – or simply one element of the wedding as the bride and groom require.  A wedding planner may think of things you have forgotten or thought unimportant and often their knowledge and expertise mean time is saved, every detail is thought through, and connections within the sector can result in discounts or the extraordinary being achieved when previously thought impossible.

Wedding planners of course are not always needed; especially if you are very organised and meticulous yourself! The trend of vintage weddings is in full swing and I have catered weddings where the bride has sourced the most wonderful mismatched vintage china from around the country.  However if you do decide to plan your own wedding, research is absolutely key.  When planning your own wedding I would advise liaising regularly with all outside contractors, keeping on top of the elements you have outsourced will result in you achieving the wedding of your dreams.  I always take the time to meet with the bride and groom several times before their big day and talk them through the different stages of catering throughout the wedding, knowledge is power and the more the bride and groom know then the more relaxed they will be when it comes to the big day.

Whether you decide to offload the stress of planning your own wedding to a professional planner or take the DIY approach and manage all elements yourself it is important to remember that this is your big day and you should enjoy it.  You will want to remember your friends and family celebrating, not hours spent stressing about something not turning up or looking as you expected.   Be realistic with your plans and most importantly enjoy yourself!

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Matt Cook

Matt started in the catering industry at just 13yrs old, working Saturday nights in the Old Granary in his home town of Wareham in the Isle of Purbecks. He then went to Bournemouth and Poole College to study for a Diploma in professional catering. He gained distinctions and moved to France working as a pastry chef at the Relais & Chateaux - Hotel de Bretagne, in Questembert, Brittany. Matt was bitten by the traveling bug and moved to Australia working for the Crowne Plaza in Darwin, Novotel in Palm Cove and finally at the Bel Mondo in Sydney as Senior Sous Chef. Upon his return to the UK, he was snapped up by Marco Pierre White working at the Talkhouse in Oxford as Head Chef and was fully involved with the setting up of Marco’s pub group. Matt worked directly for Marco, liaising with him and training all his staff. After he left The Talkhouse Matt went to Wisteria House in Lymington and finally to Bridport to work at The Bull Hotel, where he worked for 18 months before setting up Fishface Events. FishFace is happy to run any event, small or large, near and far. Matt and his dedicated team pride themselves on using local produce from local producers. FishFace is sole caterer to Beach weddings Bournemouth, and also cater at a number of stately Homes in Dorset, as well as for Unique Home Stays. The FishFace team are happy to produce all types of cuisines from classical to contemporary to suit your budget.