text: As a wedding planner I have a bias view, but I can tell you this much...\n\nA planner does NOT plan the wedding FOR you... a good planner plans it WITH you so that you get your dream wedding, all they do is take the pressure off of your shoulders (dealing with vendors, dealing with family disagreements over what SHOULD be, taking care of the Etiquette issues for you, etc)\n\nA planner will have connections you might not otherwise have, they already know the in's and out's of the business, they know who to contact when and will keep you on track and within your budget (not so many worries about going overboard if someone is always keeping you informed), If you get a REALLY good planner they might possibly be able to guarantee you that they will save you an amount equal to or greater than the fee you are paying for their services (effectively making their help FREE).\n\nThe drawbacks?  Well, our services can be a bit pricey depending on what services you want and where you live. You also might find that wedding planners can be just as "shifty" as the next vendor... So DO YOUR HOMEWORK!  Get references and CALL THEM!  Find out how long they have been in business, how many weddings they have done, etc.  Get DETAILS on how they are paid... do they only get paid by you? do they get "kickbacks" for using particular vendors? Etc.  If they take kickbacks cross them off your list... this means they will use the vendor who pays them over a better one that doesnt, which causes a conflict of interest!\n\nIt can be daunting, but once you have the right planner..... it will be well worth it.\nIf you choose to go it alone.... GET HELP! Bridesmaids, Mothers, etc. You will need someone to help you keep on top of everything, and you might want to consider hiring a "Day of" coordinator anyway... that way it is all covered on your big day and you can rest easy.\n\nAlso, if you are having over 150 people it is a very good idea to have a planner, anything under 150 and its not as hard to Do it yourself.\n\nGood Luck, and if you have any other questions feel free to email me, I will do my best to assist you.