Wedding Planning Cornwall: How to Decide Between Full-Service and Partial Wedding Planning
What is the difference between the Full-Service and Partial Wedding Planning in Cornwall and how do I know which one I need?
Many couples know from the beginning that a wedding planner in Cornwall is one of their wedding essentials. Whether due to guest count, complex decor plans or family dynamics, a demanding job or travel schedule, the reasons for hiring a wedding planner in Cornwall are many and valid! If you are one of these couples, you might still be wondering whether a full planning service or partial planning is right for you. Or, if you’re not convinced, you might be wondering if a wedding planner, even for the day, can be justified at all.
Now to start with, many may do not know exactly what a wedding planner does. I can assure you it’s a little more detailed than turning up with a clipboard on the day of your wedding and ordering suppliers about (I don’t do either of those things!). Being able to differentiate the individual services is crucial in making sure you’re getting the service you want and need, and more importantly, are investing in financially.
Let’s break it down….
A Wedding Planner in Cornwall.
A wedding planner in Cornwall is one of the most common wedding roles but there are different types of wedding planners under this job title. There are full-service wedding planners and partial wedding planners. There are also event planners who may focus more on events outside of the wedding sphere (think corporate or wedding shows).
Because of how I operate, I’ve always firmly believed that a full-service wedding planner’s role is to be your advocate every step of the way throughout your planning process. Typically, a full-service planner is hired immediately after an engagement and is responsible for countless details along the way, leading up to ‘I Do.’ From keeping planning progress on an appropriate timeline, suggesting vendors that fit in with your budget and style, managing communication between said vendors, and being present at meetings for or with you, a wedding planner can be a key player in making your wedding day truly come together from the ground up. There is not much that a full-service wedding planner does not have a hand in but every planner is different so it’s important to really understand.
A partial wedding planner in Cornwall is usually hired to come on board and help with the planning process much closer to the wedding day, once a couple has done a lot of the leg work planning their wedding already. A couple of reasons a couple may choose a partial wedding planner in Cornwall over a full-service planner to include budget restrictions (full-service planners are responsible for a much bigger time commitment which means more working hours for obvious reasons = a higher price tag), or some couples want to do the planning themselves, are having a low key wedding, maybe getting married at a fairly all-encompassing venue, etc. A partial wedding planner in Cornwall will take the plans you have already made and pull everything together…….And speaking of pricing!
Some planners charge a flat fee, some charge a percentage fee for production (like I do now), and some charge hourly (in my opinion this is more appropriate for partial planners as it’s fewer hours to manage/keep track of) but all planners SHOULD be your representative not only throughout the planning process but on your wedding day to run the show and ensure everything unfolds according to expectations. This means on the day of the wedding meeting/greeting vendors, being a liaison for the couple, following a tight timeline created in advance of the wedding, keeping everyone on schedule, being available for questions and concerns both from other staff and guests, anticipating problems before they arise, and handling problems that unfold as efficiently as possible.
When choosing between a full-service planner versus a partial planner, consider how much help you need and weigh up with how much time you’re willing to commit to planning your wedding day. If the answer is you have big ideas but not the free time or knowledge to execute them, it is worth employing professional help in the form of a full-service wedding planner!
To find out more about what is the difference between Wedding Planners and Wedding Coordinators then click here. Or head over and check out my services.