Do I Need a Wedding Planner for My Las Vegas Wedding?

Okay, so you are still teary-eyed after saying yes to your boyfriend’s proposal to live happily ever after. What next? It’s time to get your feet on the ground and plan your dream wedding.

Somehow, everything comes into focus and you start to panic. “So where do I start?” you ask yourself. For first time brides and grooms, planning a wedding can be quite daunting. You may take into consideration the possibility of eloping.

What better place to elope to than Las Vegas, “The Wedding Capital of the World”? Three hundred and sixty five days of the year couples from all parts of the globe come to Las Vegas to have the wedding of their dreams. The stereotypical “Tacky Vegas Wedding” is a thing of the past. Unless that is what you are looking for and then that is possible as well. This, of course is the beauty of a Las Vegas Wedding. Whatever your wedding dreams, wants and needs it can and will be done for you at a fraction of the cost.

You may consider the possibility of hiring a wedding planner, but do you need one?

Most of the wedding chapels in Las Vegas (both in the casinos and independent chapels) have in house “wedding coordinators”.

These coordinators will work with you to choose a wedding package and plan you reception (if needed). There are also independent coordinators that can put together the most intimate and extraordinary weddings.

If you are looking for a simple intimate wedding with just you, your fiancé, and maybe a few friends and family members you most likely will not need the assistance of an outside coordinator or planner. If your plans include a large wedding party, guest list and reception you may want to enlist the services of a coordinator who will be dedicated to your needs.

The question is what your needs are. Once you agree on what type of wedding you want, you will be able to decide if you really need a wedding planner.

A wedding planner or coordinator can be very useful as they know the ins and outs of the whole Las Vegas Wedding circuit, but what is most important in planning your wedding is arming yourself with information. Weddings are big business in Las Vegas and if you were to do a search on the internet you will see story after story of couples who felt misguided or deceived by wedding chapels, coordinators or venders simply because they didn’t’ understand or ask how things worked.

Research is the best investment you can make for your big day. A guide such as “The Vegas Wedding Book” written by a Las Vegas Wedding Chapel insider, is full of tips, questions to ask and chapel secrets to assist couples with planning their wedding without being taken in by hidden charges. It is advisable to do your own research as is suggested in this guide prior to making any decision or plans for your wedding.

Enlisting the help of a wedding planner may be the route for you in creating a stress-free environment before your wedding date and on the big day itself. However, you have to contend with an additional budget for their services. The payment for wedding planners vary depending on how they charge, whether it is package style or if they ask for a per hour rate. Some wedding planners base their fees on the total budget for your wedding.

Here are some of the reasons why you may opt for a wedding planner:

1. Experience - Wedding planners have years of experience in wedding preparations and you can expect them to know even the smallest details that you need to take care of before your wedding. They also know the best wedding chapels in Las Vegas and they will be able to give you tips in organizing your special day.

2. Contacts - These people have been involved with the Las Vegas wedding scene for years. They are in close contact will suppliers who can give you the best deal for everything you need from documentation, photography, catering, gowns, etc. The best thing is, they also know which suppliers are reliable and which are not.

3. Information and Negotiation Skills - You can be sure that if you want to get the best prices possible for your wedding requirements, your wedding planner can haggle for you. Planners use their inside information to negotiate with suppliers and service providers to get the best deal.

Las Vegas wedding planning can be a thrill but it can also prove challenging for those who are not from Las Vegas. If it’s a big wedding with all the bells and whistles then a wedding planner can be of great service, but ultimately not really necessary, especially if you have the right guide.