Do I need a Wedding Stylist or a Wedding Planner?

Most of us when start thinking of a wedding plan, the first idea that strikes is the selection of decoration and visual aspect of all events.
Decor is one integral part of any Wedding but one of the few aspects that the Wedding Planner is going to help you with.

I have always believed that if the couple has a very specific taste about design and presentation and they are visualizing a very detailed decoration for their wedding, hiring a “stylist” on top of Wedding Planner is a viable idea. This would ensure clarity of roles and allow a lot of time to Wedding Planner to look into key areas of planning and execution.

To answer your question, if you need a Wedding Stylist or a Wedding Planner here is a useful reading by Jessie Thomson

The most straightforward analogy that most planners and stylists use when explaining their roles, is to think about preparing for your wedding day like building a house. Hiring a wedding planner is like hiring a builder or contractor. And hiring a stylist is like bringing an interior designer to the team.

Planners are all about being organised; creating schedules, sourcing suppliers, managing budgets, assisting with contracts, venue management, co-ordinating the day itself… they think of everything you need to help create your dream wedding, and do everything in their power to make sure it runs smoothly on the day, remaining calm and being quick to think on their feet.

A good planner is someone who is resourceful, knowledgeable, diplomatic, a good problem solver, someone who can give advice on etiquette, and who is available at all times to calm a stressed out bride.

Stylists, on the other hand, are all about “the pretty”. They keep up to date on trends; can create fresh design themes, come up with a suitable colour scheme, advise on venue and table décor, give guidance on the best places to source props and decorations, and are usually hired to help make a couples vision for their wedding day a reality. Some wedding stylists will also be prepared to custom make decorations, favours and props from scratch.

Often stylists are hired at the point when a bride and groom become stuck for inspiration, and want to employ someone to help make their special day both memorable and unique. On other occasions a couple knows exactly what they want to achieve, but feel they need someone on hand to help deliver it on the day so they can relax with friends and relatives while they get ready in the morning.

Stylists will often work together with the florist to ensure their work compliments each other, while a planner will oversee the timings of both suppliers and give direction and guidance when required.

Almost all planners in the wedding industry are also excellent stylists. They are often fully capable of filling both roles on the day, and being creative types they usually enjoy this side of the overall planning process. Though it’s definitely something you should ask up front if you think you might need someone to fill each role.

Sometimes, if time is short (for example when a wedding is hosting a large number of guests, starting early, or has a complicated schedule of events), a planner will use an assistant or fellow stylist to take care of the decorations and details for them – having already created the design theme and sourced hire items and key suppliers earlier on in the planning process.

However it’s not always the case that a good planner is also a good stylist – some lack creative flair and originality, or aren’t able to share your sense of style – and similarly a great stylist may lack the ability to negotiate on contracts and liaise with multiple suppliers in one day.

So, the crucial question, do you need to book either of these suppliers for your own big day?

Many people are extremely organised themselves, and are confident in their own planning abilities in advance of the wedding – yet would still like someone on board to co-ordinate the various suppliers on the day and help them make sure the venue is decorated to perfection. Others are extremely creative with a wealth of friends with talent to help decorate on the day, but would like a little help with budgeting and supplier sourcing in advance.

For two such crucial roles in the whole wedding process, both planners and stylists are often overlooked yet inexpensive players in the industry. Whilst couples will happily spend lakhs of Rupees on other areas, these “good value” professionals are often dismissed in favour of DIY options.

 

 

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