Do You Need A Wedding Planner? | Berlez
Here’s the thing — we’ve seen it time and again: a seasoned wedding planner is the secret ingredient that will transform your celebration from beautiful to effortlessly chic. As wedding photographers who have seen countless weddings, we’ve written this blog post to help you definitively answer the age-old question of any modern couple, “Do you need a wedding planner?”
Do you need a wedding planner?
Top Reasons To Hire A Wedding Planner
The Pros of working with a full-service planner
As photographers, we regularly witness the quiet magic of full-service planners working behind the scenes. They balance the roles of designer, budget manager, coordinator, and voice of reason — all while making it look graceful. These are some of the top reasons why hiring a wedding planner will make your experience unforgettable (and honestly, way easier for you to enjoy your own wedding).
Impressive industry expertise
Their wealth of industry knowledge means wedding planners know which vendors to trust, how to negotiate with them, and what things really cost. These kinds of insights can save you serious money, and not to mention hours (and hours) of stress. Planners will be able to catch the nuances you may not — the timeline pacing, the flow of a room layout, the length of your linens, the power of good lighting — and they’ll navigate it all with ease.
Give you the lowdown on etiquette
While it’s true that every aspect of your wedding should reflect you, there are still a few time-honored rules and quiet expectations that come with the territory. This is where a planner’s insights will be invaluable. From invitation wording to guest list protocol and rehearsal dinner traditions, they know the unspoken “shoulds” before you even know to ask about them.
We’ve seen that the most smooth, easily enjoyed weddings are the ones where the details and nuances have been anticipated and accounted for. With so many moving parts (family dynamics, a team of vendors, and a herd of guests), your planner will act as a thoughtful buffer, keeping everything aligned all while ensuring no social toes are stepped on along the way.
They take care of your specific needs
No two lives or marriages are the same, so your wedding shouldn’t be either (despite these handful of ground rules mentioned above). This personalization is where a planner’s expertise and creativity truly shine. With a collection of beautifully executed events behind them, the right planner will know how to tailor the process to you, whether your vision leans classic, romantic, modern, or wildly out of the box.
They’ll learn your preferences, style, and priorities, and then weave those into every decision from the menu to the color palette and after party DJ. And they won’t just keep your vision in mind, they’ll advocate for it at every turn — communicating it to every vendor and creative partner to ensure each detail is right for you.
Meanwhile, you just get to talk about what you love, share any edits, and then enjoy.
Find the best vendors for you
Finding the right vendor team can feel like a maze, especially if you’ve never hired vendors like florists, caterers, or rental companies before. As wedding photographers, we’ve seen how much smoother (and more joyful!) the entire vendor experience is when you have a planner leading the way.
Your wedding planner will curate a vendor team that fits your vision, your vibe, and your budget. They’ve already done the homework — they know the pros who show up early, the creatives who go the extra mile, and the vendors who genuinely care about what they do.
Help you stick to your budget
Unless you have one foot in the wedding industry, it can be nearly impossible to know what things should cost — let alone what they’re truly worth, especially when pricing can vary widely between local markets.
A good full-service planner will step in to not only help set a realistic budget, but also use it in all the right ways, helping you know when to splurge and when to save. They’ll know how to prioritize what matters most to you, allocate your funds efficiently, and even negotiate on your behalf. Every dollar will be tracked for you so you easily stay on budget.
Mediate opinions and decisions
Weddings have a beautiful way of bringing people together — and oftentimes with all of their opinions too. We’ve seen countless couples navigate the balance between their vision and the input of their well-meaning loved ones. This is where a wedding planner will be your saving grace. They will step in as a calm, neutral guide, helping you filter out the noise, make thoughtful decisions, and stay aligned with what you truly want.
Whether it’s differing opinions from your family or a moment where you two just aren’t seeing eye to eye, your wedding planner will smooth it all over with peace of mind. The right wedding planner will remind you of your priorities, protect your boundaries, and keep the planning process moving with clarity and compassion.
Allow you (and your loved ones) to actually enjoy your wedding celebrations
As wedding photographers, we’re there to capture every meaningful glance, wild dance move, and champagne toast — but the truth is, those moments won’t feel quite the same if you are stuck worrying about timelines or vendor delays. This is where your wedding planner works their magic behind the scenes.
When your wedding weekend finally arrives, they’ll be your safety net, quietly handling the hiccups, pivoting gracefully if plans shift, and making sure neither of you have to lift a finger. Rain or shine, they’ll orchestrate all of the beautiful moments while you stay present in them.
When you don’t need a full-service planner: Partial planning and wedding coordinators
All of this being said, not every couple needs a full-service wedding planner. Partial planners and wedding coordinators can be a great alternative for those who come to the table organized, decisive, and already a few steps into the planning process.
If you’ve already secured your venue and core vendors but are feeling the need for a professional touch to tie it all together, partial planning might be your sweet spot. Think of it as having a guide to help you connect the dots and polish the details. And many times, partial planning services include design assistance too.
On the other hand, if you are someone who thrives in spreadsheets, has been curating your Pinterest boards for years, and has the flexibility to devote several hours each week to planning, a wedding coordinator could be a great fit for you. They’ll step in during those final weeks to ensure that everything you’ve so carefully planned comes to life smoothly.
Plus, on the actual day of the wedding (or for the entire weekend), you won’t need to distract your loved ones or yourself with to-dos or vendor check-ins. The on-site coordinator will handle that for you.
Do you need a wedding planner? We have recommendations!
We’re Nicole and Michael, a husband and wife team of wedding photographers in Chicago, and we’ve seen the real impact that the right planner can have on a wedding. Send us a note, and we can share a list of our favorite wedding planners in Chicago.
