I remember watching the movie Father of the Bride many years ago and enjoying it thoroughly, not realising at the time that this very movie would almost become a part of the fabric of my life. Let me tell you why…

Foremost, the father of the bride is seen to be the one player in the wedding arrangements who has no say although he needs to pay an exorbitant amount of money for something he has no control over. Well this begs the question: “ Why have an events coordinator plan your big day?“

The answer is a no brainer, for the following reasons. Unless you are constantly planning a wedding, you, as the bride, or mom or bride’s best friend simply do not have the know-how of where the traps are as well as how to avoid spending a small fortune. For example: Are you being overcharged for draping, bar, venue and staffing? Are you aware that there may be a late night breakdown charge or that there may be an additional set up day required? What about breakages and the amount of glassware necessary per guest? How many waiters should you have and have you considered drinks, waiters and porters? What happens in the scullery and what is needed to run an efficient scullery? Who prevents breakages and damages when it comes to all of the rentals?

Have you considered trying to find the best suppliers in the marketplace? Yes, it may be easy putting your best foot forward in an advert in a bridal magazine or to find someone at a bridal expo but… what guarantee do you have as a bride that you have discovered gold? How much time are you going to spend in search of the perfect photographer and floral artist, let alone to find the best caterer and most reliable bar supplier?

An experienced events coordinator will take you directly to the source and identify the best suppliers within the industry by merely picking up a phone, thus saving you many an hour running around and still not having absolute peace of mind.

And oh the budget …How to juggle, how to save, where to save and what to cut? And if I cut my budget, I won’t have my dream wedding… Does this sound familiar? Any experienced, professional coordinator will know exactly how to juggle your finances to make your budget work so that you can achieve your dream wedding, and can ensure that all hidden costs are highlighted transparently.

It’s best to select a coordinator who is both astute at coordination and is creative. A creative individual will have the ability to draw on a library of ideas and guide you on how best to work within your budget. They will be able to be creative with your budget as well as offering creative flair.

So to all future brides, don’t run to the venues or caterers first. Rather ensure that the captain of your wedding day is firmly ensconced and allow him or her to guide you through the myriad of wedding planning.

In your comments, please refrain from using offensive language and unnecessary criticism. If you have to be critical, remember – it must be constructive.