“Should we hire a planner?” This question comes up all the time in client meetings, and we always give a resounding “YES” as an answer! It’s so much responsibility to plan an event that sticks to your budget, pleases family, entertains friends, AND is everything you’ve dreamed of. That’s a pretty high bar, especially if you’d like the entire process to be relaxing and fun. Here’s the cold hard truth–if you don’t have someone in charge of making your wedding day run smoothly, things can run a little chaotic and behind schedule, and that’s just the best-case scenario. We don’t just want you to take our word for it, so we’ve asked our good friends at Hive Events here in Santa Barbara to share some valuable insight when it comes to hiring a wedding planner.

Hive Events is no ordinary event planning crew–they believe in offering their clients a fresh perspective on event planning from start to finish. With a keen eye for design and a knack for having a great time, they’ve got so much knowledge to share with their clients! Teal, lead planner and organizer extraordinaire, shares three reasons a planner is invaluable in the wedding process.

With so many wedding planning resources available with the click of a button, it’s no wonder that many engaged couples think about planning and coordinating their own wedding. This may especially ring true if they consider themselves to be pretty savvy and organized. Who doesn’t want to save a little dough in the wedding budget for that rad live band or floral chandelier made entirely out of peonies?! We here at Hive Events might be biased, but we think that investing in a professional planner or coordinator, EVEN when you feel like you have it all covered, is in your best interest. Here’s why:

WE ASSEMBLE A DREAM TEAM BEFORE YOU CAN BLINK:

We know a guy, who knows a gal…. and we’ve likely worked with them at quite a few weddings. We’ve already asked them all the important questions, volleyed emails for months about details, understand their pricing structure, and know their personalities and style. This is majorly important–it means we can assemble the perfect lineup of professionals for your specific vision, we know they’re reliable, trustworthy, and have loads of experience. When you bring us on board, we absorb your wedding dreams/wants/needs, synthesize it all, and then go into hyperdrive to make it happen.

THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST RODEO:

Planning a wedding or event should never be described as a neat and linear process. With many moving parts and people, the unique factors of your day can feel like a lot to manage. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have an expert in all of this who can show you the big picture and help you save a few dollars in the long run? Hiring a wedding planner should be able to anticipate each variable to help you make well-informed decisions and move forward when you’re ready. No Pinterest list will give you that ease of planning and back you up in your decisions.

KEEPING YOUR DAY STRESS FREE IS OUR JAM

Timelines are sexy. When professionally managed, your day is a dream. Without that guiding hand, your day becomes a different kind of dream. (You’re being chased by a tyrannosaurus rex in a tuxedo who won’t stop singing “I Gotta Feeling,” and it only ends when you wake up in a cold sweat). Here’s how we create and implement a timeline that will make your day a breeze. In our planning process with you, we break down the day and create a personal and detailed schedule. When your wedding day rolls around, we always expect the best but have a solid plan if something is delayed or interrupted. Adapting quickly to any changes, we know how to handle situations like when Nana’s toast runs a bit longer than anticipated and the sun starts to set. (No one is missing golden hour photos on our watch)! With a thoughtful timeline and an experienced eye to manage it all, each of your vendors can shine in their roles. The photographer captures all the sweet details, the caterer serves up hot food in an efficient manner, and Nana gets to enjoy that rad live band before catching the early 8:30 shuttle back to the hotel.

When you put it in the big picture, hiring a wedding planner to run everything smoothly should be at the top of that planning list. (It’ll make your photo experience even more amazing because you can relax and be in the moment)! Want recommendations for some fabulous planners? Here’s who we love working with in the Santa Barbara area.