The white aisle runner, studded with glistening rhinestones, is shining as you walk toward the love of your life. The lighting shifts to a hue of cerulean blue, and then moments later, your favorite song is playing in the background. As the other half of your heart watches you slowly stroll down the aisle, the mood lighting shifts to a powdery, cotton candy pink as you reach the podium.

Sounds like a magical moment, right? How could that be your reality? Hire a wedding planner. A wedding planner can make sure your vision comes to life. Not only will they ensure each moment flows flawlessly, but they can also keep you on budget and task.

Here are 5 ways your wedding planner can save your money and sanity.

1. Stress-free

Avoid all of the anxiety, worry, and overwhelming stress of researching vendors, caterers, and choosing a venue. It can be challenging to ensure an elegant, excellent wedding day without an expert, providing guidance, and gathering all your wishes to create a well-made plan.

Wedding planning is the same as working a full-time job. Even though no two couples ever have the same time frame, research shows that most couples spend approximately 12 – 18 months planning their wedding, which usually adds up to between 200 – 500 hours in total. That’s a lot of time to suffer through alone!

Instead of worry about room configurations, day-of timelines, and bridal party drama, let your wedding planner take the lead and handle it for you.

2. Venue/Vendor Connections

Professionals in the wedding industry are a close-knit group, and some have experience working together for years. Imagine how many friends and acquaintances your wedding planner has come across while working in the industry. These relationships can help soonly-weds get the best service, reputable vendors, and exceptional venues for the wedding.

The wedding planner can put together a great plan to keep you on budget and possibly help cut out any unnecessarily expensive parts to the process. That way, you and your spouse-to-be will have extra money to spoil yourselves. A good planner ensures you get the most respected, ethical vendors and an excellent venue for your wedding.

3. Up-to-date Information on Recent Industry Changes

Did you pick a vendor that recently went out of business? Does the Better Business Bureau accredit the catering company of your choice? Does the venue have options for overnight stays for weekend weddings?

The best way to eliminate any errors on your wedding day is with a planner who can tell you all the options before making a deposit.

For example, a savvy wedding professional may let you know that the venue you picked has a 5-star in-house caterer and bar, so if you select a package deal, you can save money.

From specials or packages to new products and services, the planner will handle it all while sticking to your budget.

4. Perfecting the Process

Besides being a master of the wedding planning process, the expert prioritizes your ideas with an organized plan to ensure you tackle each piece efficiently.

An experienced wedding planner will help you do things in the right order, which saves time and money.

Wedding planners are aware of all the what-ifs and have several back-up plans for every possible problem.

5. Time is Money

Weddings can get expensive and stressful. Many people take days off work to handle wedding planning tasks. That could cost you money and dip into the vacation hours you could put to better use on your honeymoon. You don’t want to waste your time.

Instead of being frustrated over every little part of the wedding plan, you can relax, work, and spend precious pre-wedding moments with friends and family. Your wedding planner can help organize your vendor and venue meetings around your schedule so that you don’t have to miss a beat.

Planners ease anxiety, keep you within budget, connect you with the correct vendors, and prevent you from wasting your time.

To help your wedding planner make your engagement experience even more streamlined, send them the link to The Southern Wedding Collective. We offer ethical vendors and venues vetted by industry pro, Dixie Bagley. We use southern hospitality to make sure your wedding is handled with compassion, care, and kindness.

Click here to check out The Southern Wedding Collective. Get connected to the one-stop-shop for all your wedding essentials.