InnCredible Events: Welcome to 2011

This is my first official posting on our new blog, so I want to begin by thanking two InnCredible women who have helped me in getting this site launched. First, my wonderfully talented daughter, Ailis, for all her Photoshop expertise, creative talent and design work; and then our dear friend, Meaghan Schmaltz, owner of "Weddings Made Splendid" in San Diego, for actually getting this blog set-up and mentoring me all along the way. You both are InnCredible and I couldn't have done this without all your help and support. Thanks a million!!!

So, where to start? I have so many ideas for blog posts except for how to kick things off. From everything I have read, the experts suggest you decide which direction you want your blog to go before you start blogging. But, since I haven't made a decision yet, I think I'll just start with the one big question we get asked over and over again: "Why should I hire a wedding planner?"

The answer is simple, really. Do you want to enjoy your wedding day or spend all your time worrying about orchestrating your big day? I thought so! So here are some 'iron-clad' reasons why you want to hire a wedding planner.

Save Time. On average it takes approximately 250 hours to plan a wedding. If you're a busy professional you probably don't have the luxury to dedicate that much time to putting together your dream wedding...but a wedding planner does! They will not only save you lots of time, they'll also make sure nothing gets overlooked.
Save Money. Most wedding planners have established relationships with vendors and are able to negotiate lower pricing for you, in addition to making sure you stick to your budget. They'll also make sure you are not paying for, or getting talked into, things you really don't want or need.
Save Your Sanity.There are so many little things that can get easily overlooked that most brides don't take into consideration. A wedding planner will make sure these little things aren't forgotten and your dream wedding comes off without a hitch. Plus...and this is a big one, they'll be there if you need a shoulder to cry on, or a hand to hold, if things become a bit too overwhelming!
Offer Advice. Most professional wedding planners have planned and orchestrated a number of weddings so they'll be able to tell you what will and will not work. They will also help pull all your fabulous DIY ideas together so your 'theme' doesn't get lost in all the creativity, and your DIY wedding doesn't become your DI-saster!
Manage Relationships Planning a wedding is very stressful and more often than not, someone is going to get out-of-sorts. A wedding planner will act as your go-between and will advocate on your behalf to handle any stressful situation that comes up, regardless of whether it's with a family member, friend or vendor. Remember, they work for you and will do whatever it takes to ease your stress.
Review Contracts & Prepare Your Timeline. A wedding doesn't just run itself. It takes a lot of time and effort to put it together. On average a professional wedding planner will take several hours working and reworking a timeline to make sure that every aspect of your wedding happens the way, and at the time, you want. In doing so, they must review all your vendor contracts and coordinate with these vendors to make sure everyone is on the same page. Then they have to put all this information down in your timeline to make sure everyone involved understands their part in your wedding. It's a lengthy and necessary process and one that you, the bride, don't want to have to deal with.
Run Your Rehearsal and Orchestrate Your Day. The success of your ceremony is based on your rehearsal. A wedding planner will make sure everyone in your wedding party knows their place and what to do during the ceremony. They will make sure everyone shows up to the ceremony on time, make sure the guys ties are straight, the gals hold their bouquets correctly, and that you make a show-stopping entrance. At your reception, they will manage your event according to your timeline so that it's seamless, and you don't incur any over-time charges which can be very expensive.
Be Your Go-To Person. On the day of your wedding the last thing you want is for a vendor, or guest, coming up to you to ask a question, or get your advice on something. A wedding planner is there to field all these questions and concerns, and make sure you are spending your time enjoying your day and having the time of your life.
Manage Unforeseen Crisis. Every wedding will have something go wrong. The trick is to keep these situations under wraps. A good wedding planner will handle a crisis with ease so no one is aware that anything has happened, especially you.
So You Can Enjoy Your Day. Your only job on the day of your wedding is to enjoy yourself, your family and friends. Hiring a wedding planner will allow you to do this. You want this to be the most exciting day of your life, and if you hire a wedding planner you can enjoy the wedding of your dreams, not work it.

Remember, it is no longer considered a 'luxury' to hire a wedding planner. In today's busy world, it is an essential part of hosting the killer wedding.

Oh, and one bit of advice: when selecting a wedding planner, make sure they're a professional and not someone who does wedding planning as a hobby. You want to make sure your dream wedding meets, or rather, exceeds your expectations, so be sure to hire a professional!