NOTE: All currency information is in U.S. dollar amounts
If you're deciding whether your budget can handle hiring a wedding consultant or not, there may be more than the sheer dollar amount to consider.
Wedding Gazette asked Melisa Imberman, wedding consultant at The Event Of A Lifetime, Inc. in New York City, why she thought that hiring a wedding planner like herself would save the couple so much money. We were fascinated by the facts.
WG: For brides trying to decide, what do you think are the biggest advantages to hiring a planner versus doing it all yourself?
MELISA: Well, first of all, hiring a planner saves you so much time. I do all the organizing, legwork and research, and then just present it to the couple for them to decide. Secondly, I save you money, because I get volume discounts with the vendors I use frequently that are not available to individual couples. And I take the stress out of planning a wedding by keeping a schedule for the couple, knowing when to book, and I can vouch for each professional so you know exactly what you're getting.
WG: It sounds like you do a lot. Now, let's get down to the nitty gritty. How much does all this cost?
MELISA: You can hire me in one of two capacities. I am available by the hour if you only want me to handle a few projects, but to plan the entire wedding I charge a flat fee. I charge $150 an hour for specific projects. To find the venue for your wedding and reception only, which usually takes about 20 hours, I charge $2,500. For organizing the entire wedding top to bottom, which usually takes at least 40 hours, I charge $5,000.
WG: That's a lot of money.
MELISA: Not really. Many brides find that they'll actually spend more money if they do it themselves. First of all, finding all these vendors takes an awful lot of time, and booking them on your own, you will pay full price for their services. One big advantage to hiring me is that I get vendor discounts because I use them so often. So, not only have I found the vendors that perfectly suit your budget and style, but I also get them at a lower price. It may seem like a steep investment, but I believe that it's worth it.
WG: So you're saying that the money couples spend for your fee actually ends up saving them some?
MELISA: If you consider that I do the research, the organizing, all the detail work, I save the couple a lot of time and headache. Especially if you have to take time away from your job to get the planning done. That's why I say that hiring a planner has three big advantages - it saves couples time, it saves them money, and it saves them from a lot of unnecessary stress. And you can't put a dollar amount on that.
Once again, Melisa Imberman of The Event Of A Lifetime, Inc. gives great advice on saving yourself some money with vendor discounts and stress relief by hiring a wedding consultant.
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