When hosting your wedding reception in Melbourne the question may often come up as to the need for a wedding stylist or planner. I was admiring the work of Ange from wedding planners and stylists One Day Your way at our recent bridal expo at Brighton Savoy. So I thought who better to ask than a stylist and planner.
So here’s what Angela has to say…………
Do you need a good wedding stylist and planner?
A wedding planner and stylist can both help you to make the wedding in your head come to fruition, but each in a different way. To use a simple analogy, imagine that getting ready for your wedding is like building a house. Your Planner is your general contractor, while your Stylist is your interior designer.
A planner will secure and direct vendors, coordinate timelines, oversee deliveries, and help you manage your budget so that you, the bride, may enjoy the freedom of having one contact who supervises the myriad details that go into making your special day run smoothly.
A stylist, on the other hand, is all about “the pretty”. They keep up to date on trends; can create fresh design themes, come up with a suitable colour scheme, advise on venue and table décor, give guidance on the best places to source props and decorations, and are usually hired to help make a couples vision for their wedding day a reality.
So how can a wedding planner help?
- A good planner is is resourceful, knowledgeable, diplomatic, a good problem solver, someone who can give advice on etiquette, and who is available at all times to calm a stressed out bride.
- A good planner knows what works and what doesn’t, how much things realistically cost and how to use a budget to maximum effect, for example how to dress, style and personalise the wedding in the best possible way.”
- A good wedding planner knows the industry and wedding suppliers. Not everyone has the time to source quotes, look at venues, complete a budget and meet with suppliers
- A good wedding planner will ensure you are surrounded by suppliers who care as much about your wedding day as you do! You can be guaranteed your suppliers will go above and beyond, noticing the small details, and finally
- A good wedding planner will make you feel at ease on your wedding day. They will do all of the running around for you. Constantly one step ahead, making sure everything is perfect, but popping up just when you need them!
And what about a wedding stylist
- A good stylist will help you create an experience for your guests from the moment they arrive at your ceremony location to the minute they leave. They will make your personal vision a reality through creative design concepts, interesting colour palettes, innovative décor, and expert space planning to ensure a truly functional and well thought out affair.
- A good stylist will ensure that all the details like stationery, flowers, china, linens, lighting, etc. work well together visually.
- A good stylist will help you find your style and design your day, source all the pretty bits and pieces and suppliers to fit your brief, and then makes sure everything is set up just perfectly ensuring you get to relax with a glass of champagne and be the bride on your wedding day.
- A good stylist will help you visualise the details that tell your story and work with the venue. They will give advice as to what will and won’t work within your venue and the overall style of your wedding, whilst always coming back to what represents you.
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So, how do you know if you need to book either of these suppliers for your own big day?
- Research shows it takes approximately 250 hours to plan a wedding. Do you have this amount of time and energy to commit to making your dream day a reality?
- Do you envisage spending the morning, or even the day before your wedding pampering and sipping champagne in your robe and slippers, relaxing with your bridesmaids. Well someone needs to set up your venue! Whilst you may have family members or friends who are willing to pitch in, you really need someone who understands your whole creative vision so everything is exactly as you imagined on the day.
- If something doesn’t quite go to plan on the day who do you want to deal with it? A professional will know all the tricks and tips to make the on the day set up happens as quickly and smoothly as possible, and resolve any last minute panics without anyone suspecting a thing, so you and your guests can relax safe in the knowledge everything is going to be just perfect.
- Even the most organised bride who is confident in their own planning abilities , may still like someone on board to co-ordinate the various suppliers on the day and help them make sure the venue is decorated to perfection.
So have faith!
For two such crucial roles in the whole wedding process, both planners and stylists are often overlooked yet inexpensive players in the industry. Whilst couples will happily spend thousands of dollars on other areas, these “good value” professionals are often dismissed.
Couples often assume that a wedding stylist (or planner) is too expensive. While a professional will charge a fee (usually fixed so you know exactly where you stand from the start) they will be able to make the most of the budget you do have by finding creative solutions, and using their knowledge and network to find the best suppliers in your price range. They will also help you stick to your budget, we all know it’s too easy to get carried away!
And finally
Almost all planners in the wedding industry are also excellent stylists. They are often fully capable of filling both roles on the day, and being creative types they usually enjoy this side of the overall planning process. Though it’s definitely something you should ask up front if you think you might need someone to fill each role.
So remember, you will be hiring someone whose job title is specifically designed to make sure your guests walk away from your big day and think “wowza, that was an incredible wedding”.
Ange & Katie from One Day Your Way can be contacted on 0468 374 560 or onedayyourway.com.au