How Partial Wedding Planners Help Your Big Day

Planning a wedding is a lot of work, and it can be difficult to tackle the long to-do list yourself. This is where a partial wedding planner comes in. A partial wedding planner is for couples who have already started planning their wedding but feel they need professional advice for specific components. Partial wedding planning can be offered in different ways, including hourly packages, partial packages, build your own packages, and day-of services. A partial wedding planner can help with budgeting, building a timeline, vendor recommendations, venue searching, and more.

Vendor recommendations

A partial wedding planner can recommend vendors for all aspects of your wedding, including:

• Photo/video
• Music (DJ/band)
• Officiant
• Flowers/decor
• Cake
• Catering
• Venue

They can also attend vendor meetings with you, review vendor contracts, and confirm details with vendors before the wedding.

Additionally, a partial wedding planner can help you navigate picking a photographer, finding the best deal for musicians, and making recommendations on florists, for example. They will have a wealth of knowledge about the wedding industry and can guide you through the process, ensuring you make well-informed decisions.

A good relationship with vendors is also beneficial when it comes to negotiating prices and getting discounts, which a partial wedding planner can help with. They can save you money by ensuring you stick to your budget and helping you find vendors within your price range.

Budgeting

Complimentary Budget Planning Meeting：

Partial wedding planning services often include a complimentary budget planning meeting. During this meeting, the planner will discuss the couple's financial situation, their expectations, and help set a realistic budget for the wedding. They may also offer tips and suggestions to optimise the budget and get the most value for the couple's money.

Vendor Recommendations:

With their industry connections and experience, partial wedding planners can recommend vendors that fit within the couple's budget. They have relationships with various professionals in the wedding industry and can suggest options that align with the couple's vision and financial constraints. This can save the couple time and money by avoiding vendors that are out of their price range.

Cost-Saving Strategies:

Partial wedding planners are adept at finding ways to reduce costs without compromising the couple's vision. They may suggest alternative options, such as a modest wedding cake with a sheet cake for guests or seasonal and local flowers to reduce floral expenses. Planners can also help identify areas where costs can be cut or suggest more affordable alternatives.

Budget Allocation and Tracking:

Partial wedding planners guide couples in allocating their budget across different aspects of the wedding, such as venue, catering, photography, entertainment, and decorations. They help couples understand the typical percentages allocated to each category and make adjustments based on their priorities. Throughout the planning process, they also track spending, ensuring that the couple stays within their budget and avoid overspending.

Contract Review and Hidden Costs:

Partial wedding planners can review vendor contracts and help identify potential hidden fees or extra charges. By carefully scrutinising contracts, they can prevent unexpected costs from derailing the budget. They are familiar with industry practices and can advise couples on areas where additional expenses may arise, allowing them to plan accordingly.

A La Carte Services:

Many partial wedding planners offer a la carte services, providing assistance in specific areas as needed. This flexibility allows couples to customise the planner's involvement according to their budget. For example, they may opt for phone consultations, venue recommendations, or day-of coordination services, paying only for what they require.

Overall, a partial wedding planner plays a crucial role in helping couples establish and maintain a realistic budget for their wedding. They provide valuable insights, vendor connections, and cost-saving strategies to ensure the couple's vision can be achieved within their financial means.

Planning and coordination

Partial wedding planning is for couples who have already started planning their wedding but feel they need professional advice for a few specific things. This may include couples who have already chosen a venue and theme, finalised their guest list, and sent out invitations but need help with catering and decor. They want to keep their active, hands-on role in planning but would still like some expert consultation.

Partial planning services can be offered in a few ways:

• Hourly packages: Clients decide how many hours of help they need and are charged accordingly.
• Partial packages: Planners create predetermined packages containing the services that are most popular with clients who don't need full services but still need assistance.
• "Build your own" packages: Planners offer packages with a starting price and let clients choose whichever services they want from a list.
• "Day of" services: This package only offers what clients might need on the actual day of the wedding.

Partial wedding planning packages may offer the following services:

• Budgeting: Create a detailed breakdown for your clients to follow as they plan.
• Building a timeline: Give your clients a plan of action to follow from beginning to end.
• Phone and email consultation: Some planners offer this on an unlimited scale in case of emergencies, while others limit client contact to business hours only.
• Vendor recommendations: Help clients choose good caterers, entertainment, florists, photographers, videographers, officiants, transportation, hair and makeup artists, and more.
• Email reminders: On the first of each month, send clients a list of what needs to be done in the coming weeks.
• Décor services: Create an inspiration board, plan the theme and build the atmosphere for clients who feel more comfortable doing practical tasks while you handle stylistic elements.
• Coordinate meetings: Choose a time that works for everyone, create an agenda, keep minutes, and set goals to be met before the next meeting.
• Vendor visits: Meet with caterers, florists, etc. while your client works or handles other details. Create progress reports, help them communicate, and generally act as a representative between the two.
• Venue searching: Help clients search for and choose a venue.
• Final meetings and walk-through: Accompany clients on their final vendor meetings and venue walk-through and help them make sure everything is in order.

"Day of" services may include:

• Setup supervision: Oversee preparation for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. Make sure everything goes where it should and everyone does what they need to.
• Behind-the-scenes assistance: Stick around throughout the day and make sure things run smoothly from ceremony to reception. Offer your problem-solving skills and take control during emergencies or when your clients and their party are busy or need help.

Day-of assistance

A partial wedding planner will typically offer the following services on the day of the wedding:

• Assistance throughout the day to ensure the program runs smoothly and all plans are carried out
• Styling of ceremony and reception details, including decor, centrepieces, welcome table, favours, menu cards, table numbers, and escort cards
• Acting as the main point of contact with the caterer/venue, DJ, MC, photographer, and all vendors
• Providing 1-2 assistants throughout the day, at the ceremony and reception set-up, until the start of dinner
• Access to an emergency kit for any last-minute issues
• Complimentary toiletries basket for the female restroom

In addition to the above, a partial wedding planner can also help with the following in the lead-up to the wedding:

• Vendor recommendations for photo/video, DJ/band, officiant, flowers/decor, cake, etc.
• Sourcing unique or hard-to-find items/services
• Dedicated decor planning
• Creating an inspiration board for decor
• Creating an itinerary package for helpers, vendors, and the wedding party
• Budget planning
• Coordination of the wedding rehearsal
• Wedding planning spreadsheet to assist in creating the itinerary and details
• A comprehensive planning meeting to discuss final details

Partial packages

Partial wedding planning is for couples who have already started planning their wedding but feel they need professional advice for specific components. A partial wedding planner usually comes on board a month or so before the wedding day and assists with tasks such as the seating chart, confirming vendors, and day-of responsibilities.

Partial planning services can be offered in a few different ways:

• Hourly packages: Clients decide how many hours of help they need and are charged accordingly.
• Partial packages: Planners create predetermined packages containing the services most popular with clients who don't need full services but still need assistance.
• "Build your own" packages: Planners offer packages with a starting price and let clients choose whichever services they want from a list.
• "Day-of" services: This package only offers what clients need on the actual day of the wedding.

Partial wedding planning packages may offer the following services:

• Budgeting: Create a detailed breakdown for clients to follow as they plan.
• Building a timeline: Give clients a plan of action to follow from beginning to end.
• Phone and email consultation: Offered on an unlimited scale or limited to business hours only.
• Vendor recommendations: Help clients choose good caterers, florists, photographers, etc.
• Email reminders: On the first of each month, send clients a list of tasks for the coming weeks.
• Décor services: Create an inspiration board, plan the theme, and build the atmosphere.
• Coordinate meetings: Choose a time that works for everyone, create an agenda, keep minutes, and set goals.
• Vendor visits: Meet with caterers, florists, etc. while the client handles other details.
• Venue searching: Help clients search for and choose a venue.
• Final meetings and walk-through: Accompany clients on their final vendor meetings and venue walk-through.
• Setup supervision: Oversee preparation for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception.
• Behind-the-scenes assistance: Stick around throughout the day and ensure things run smoothly.

The average starting rate for a partial wedding planner in the US is $1,250 but can range from $2,300 to $6,000 for a more experienced planner.

Frequently asked questions