Planning a wedding is surely one of the most romantic and exciting times in people’s lives. From the moment a couple gets engaged to the moment they say “I do”, couples are fully submerged in planning for the big day. Furthermore, the excitement of engagement prevents many from realizing that there are other events that must be planned during the engagement period. This can be extremely stressful and time consuming, particularly in today’s day and age where couples are both working and/or going to school full time.

As a full time wedding coordinator who realizes the complexity of planning big events, it is no surprise to me when married couples approach me after the fact and say, “I wish I would have hired a wedding planner when I was getting married!”  And you may ask, why?

The explanation of this can be of many reasons.  For example, many people go about hiring vendors from friend and family recommendations without even knowing about what’s truly out there.

While this may work for some, it is often not ideal! When you hire a vendor from family or friend recommendations, the selection may be small. Those vendors may not have the same taste or style envisioned for your wedding.  The yellow pages and internet is another way some go about choosing vendors. Surfing the web can be extremely overwhelming and time consuming, since you would probably interview and screen all the vendors listed in both the yellow pages and internet. Lastly, to many planning a wedding is considered a full time job.

A wedding coordinator is an informed and experienced expert in your market area of vendors. A wedding coordinator determines your needs, preferences, and vision for your wedding while working around your budget.  Having a wedding planner gives you the liberty to be as involved with the planning as you would like. A wedding coordinator’s job is to work around a budget while incorporating a couple’s style, preferences, and traditions into a timeless and unforgettable event while keeping your stress level to a minimum.

Most importantly, everybody knows that planning a wedding can be financially straining, especially if not planned carefully. The cost of a wedding is highly dependent on the couple’s budget, however, the class and extravagance of a wedding does not necessarily depend on price. You can still have the most beautiful and unforgettable wedding without draining your pockets, particularly with the help of a creative wedding coordinator. Wedding coordinators can help you save a sizeable amount since they obtain better prices from vendors by the nature of their business relationship with them. Furthermore, a wedding coordinator saves you time and stress, things that money can’t buy.

When deciding to hire a wedding coordinator or not, remember this, your engagement is supposed to be the most romantic and enjoyable time of your life. When you get frustrated and emotional you may loose site of the big picture. A planner is a third and neutral party, who works for you in making your dream wedding a reality.  We are not emotionally tied to the event as a bride and groom are. Wedding planners have the resources and the experience to relieve your stresses and help you budget and organize pre-wedding and wedding day events. This is the time in your life when you should be glowing with happiness.  Enjoy your engagement! 

Dalia Atisha, president of Weddings by Dalia and The Event Planner, Inc. has been successful in the event planning industry for nearly a decade.  Mrs. Atisha fondly recalls her beginnings in development and public relations for the Chaldean Detroit Times News and planning and organizing events for the West Bloomfield, Michigan Chamber of Commerce. 

Having a business administration and marketing degree coupled with an expertise in interior design has helped her receive top rankings as one of Michigan’s best planners over the past few years.  She has been voted as Metro Detroit’s “Top 5” Wedding Planners in the Best of Detroit in 2007 and 2008 and has been recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for dedication, leadership and excellence in all aspects of event management. 

For more information, please call or e-mail: Weddings by Dalia/The Event Planner / Phone: 248-224-2594 / E-mail: dmatisha@comcast.net