When should you start planning your wedding? This and many more questions to ask a Wedding Planner will be answered in this blog. Because last year we were accompanied by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) during the planning of the wedding of Kati and Nici and were allowed to answer some exciting questions about our profession. So, dive into this special wedding and learn some background information about the profession of a wedding planner.
Is there enough time left until our wedding dream date for all the planning? Our answer to this question is actually always “YES”, no matter at what time it is asked. Because we have already organized weddings within 3 weeks (and yes, everything also worked out perfectly… 😉) – read also our blog. However, to include a year for planning is optimal – so you can also really enjoy this unique time. With Kati and Nici we had all in all a little more than a year for the planning time. And this was also a very special one for us, because we were accompanied by a journalist from the NZZ during the entire planning process.
At the beginning of the planning and the accompaniment by Nadine, the question came up why Kati and Nici hired a wedding planner at all. The two relied mainly on our experience and ideas, contacts and trends that we can pass on to them. A Wedding Planner takes on a lot of responsibility for the planning process and the wedding day itself – but only as much as the bride and groom want to hand over. There is no all or nothing with us – we take over where the bridal couple feels unsure or wants support. By the way, the decisions are always made by the bridal couple, the suggestions, for example for locations or service providers, often come from us.
At the beginning of the wedding planning, we conduct a “prioritization meeting” with the bridal couple. Here we discuss what is particularly important to the bride and groom and where the focus should be set. Fun Fact: often the bridal couples are not even so unanimous. There were also different priorities for Kati and Nici. But the venue was important to both of them. And so, at the beginning of the planning, we started looking for the perfect wedding venue. Kati and Nici found it in the Sempach Golf Club.
Prioritization is also important to keep the budget in mind. What a wedding in Switzerland costs is difficult to say. As a guideline, we always give our brides and grooms that the location plus food and drinks make up about 50% of the budget. The other “big” budget items (depending on priority, but often photo/video, floristry, music) each make up about 10% of the budget. And what does a Wedding Planner cost? Depending on the size of the wedding and the amount of work involved, our costs range from CHF 4,000 to 6,000. We charge by the hour – there are no all-inclusive packages.
The profession of the Wedding Planner is known mainly from America. But if you think of American Hollywood movies when you think of our tasks, you’re wrong! We rarely wear high heels and tight cocktail dresses, but the clipboard is actually our best companion. For Kati and Nici, we were also allowed to plan the entire wedding with the bride and groom. This included the following tasks, for example, which of course have many more subtasks in detail: Location search, budgeting, service provider suggestions and arrangements, Wedding Design conception, coordination of all individual parts, creating the script for the wedding day as well as the Wedding Day Management. Also, unlike the “typical movies”, we are rarely involved in the wedding dress search, ring selection, rehearsal dinner, or bachelorette party.
One of our most important core competences is to derive further needs from the wishes of the bridal couple. Example from the wedding of Kati & Nici: The two wish for a boisterous, long celebration – so we think of possible overnight accommodations or transportation. Another main task of ours is the creation of the script for the wedding day. We are often asked what it is and if it is really needed. Yes! Because here we record all the details that are relevant for the big day. All times are planned to the nearest 15 minutes, room plans, contact and material lists are also part of the document. This way, not only we, but also the bride and groom and all involved service providers know exactly what is to happen and when, from breakfast to cake cutting to the start of the party. At the latest after the wedding, we often receive a lot of appreciation for the extensive script – from the bridal couples as well as the service providers.
One question we are asked again and again in conversations about our profession is: “Which is your favorite wedding venue?”. This question is often followed by a long silence. Because there is no such thing. Every wedding is incredibly individual. A different venue suits every bride and groom particularly well. Even after almost 100 weddings in which Liebesding has been involved, there is no standard procedure, no venue or service provider catalog that can simply be handed over. For each bride and groom, we think individually, ask for new venues and service providers and also take the trouble to think completely outside the box and organize weddings at venues where no wedding has ever taken place.
A wedding can be stressful – even with a Wedding Planner, the bride and groom still have many decisions to make, and the day itself is often stressful for the bride and groom. That’s why our greatest praise is when we hear statements like Katarina’s when asked if she was nervous:
“No, I let everything come to me. Steffi and Simone have everything under control”.
Dear Kati, dear Nici – thank you for your trust and that we were allowed to plan and realize your great wedding with you. The fact that you agreed to be accompanied by the NZZ is not a matter of course for us – thank you! Many thanks to Nadine and Karin for the exciting time with you, the interesting questions that we were allowed to answer and the detailed article that was published in the Saturday edition of the NZZ exactly for our 8th anniversary. You can read it here.
Are you also at the beginning of your wedding planning and would like to know more about how we can support you individually with your dream wedding? Contact us for a free and non-binding initial consultation! We are looking forward to meeting you!
