Recently, I met with Emilie of Pink Orchid Weddings, they provide day-of wedding planning services.  She was totally great.  Articulate, detail oriented, professional and very personable.  As a photographer I’ve worked with a few day-of wedding planners.  They’re really helpful; here is a list of the main reasons I’ve found a day-of wedding planner to be helpful.

1.  A planner helps get everyone on deck, ready for the next photo. More often than not, when it’s time for the formal photos, people inevitably go to the bar, the bathroom or basically disperse.  This makes the formals take longer and on your wedding day, every minute counts.   I love having a go-to person that can help with the formals.  This alone can save you a lot of stress on your wedding day.

2.  Paying vendors. No one wants to have to think about money, writing checks and paying vendors on their wedding day, let the planner do that.

3.  Confirming dates and times with vendors. It seems like a small thing but often times the last week before your wedding, things get hectic and people forget to do this themselves.  A small mix up on a officiant’s start time for example, can be a big deal if you’re ready to get married and there’s no one there to lead the ceremony.

4.  Making sure the groom doesn’t accidentally see the bride before the ceremony. Enough said!  : )

5.  Referrals. Getting good vendors is key, but sometimes if you don’t have any referrals… you’re out of luck.  A good wedding planner has worked with and/or already interviewed several vendors.

There are a lot of details to tend to on your wedding day and having a friend or family member do it isn’t necessarily the best idea.  It’s a lot of work… and an actual job.  Your guests will want to enjoy the wedding.  If you’re considering interviewing wedding planners, you may want to start with Pink Orchid.