3 wedding planners anyone can afford

For many engaged couples, saying yes to the proposal was probably the easiest decision you made on the journey to your wedding day.

Before getting to “I do”, the to-do lists keep growing exponentially. Suddenly, your engagement bliss can give way to feeling stressed out and overwhelmed.

Is it time to tag in a wedding planner? Or is that just for reality television couples?

Wedding planners aren’t an all-in arrangement; they can be as involved as needed. Their duties can range from setting up a realistic wedding budget and reviewing/negotiating vendor contracts, to suggesting venue locations, florists, DJs and photographers within your budget, to completely managing your wedding day.

According to The Knot’s 2018 Real Weddings study, the average amount spent on wedding or event planners was $1,918. However, the same study said the average cost of a wedding in 2017 was about $33,400.

If your wedding budget is considerably lower than the average, don’t assume you have no choice but to handle every detail of your dream wedding yourself.

Here are some ideas on ways to get professional help for your big day.

Choose a venue that has an in-house coordinator: A wedding coordinator is usually part of many venue packages. They’ll be on hand to help you bring your vision to life while handling the details leading up to and on your big day.

Hire a month-of planner or day-of coordinator: Looking forward to planning the big day yourself, but just want some help the month before or day of the wedding? These experts may be the answer. Whether a few weeks, days before, or even on the day itself, they can take on the stress of dealing with whatever needs to be taken care of, leaving you free to enjoy your wedding, reception and guests.

Pick and choose à la carte: With this option, couples pay only for the services they need. Ask potential wedding planners if they offer a customizable à la carte service package.