I Don't Need An Event Planner!

Riiiight. You just might be a person, like me, who can handle a hundred bits of logistics, has design capabilities, is crafty and handy and can stay relatively un-flustered on one of the most well-attended do of your life as a couple.

Even so, even I needed someone to run things and be the go-to person on the day because I just didn't want to be bugged by details - I wanted to enjoy my party.

Even the most organized planners have to cope with things not going as planned - like my 'planner for a day' friend getting a massive migraine and couldn't come to the wedding. I had to rope a cousin into running stuff for me and he did a bang up job of juggling car pooling, parking and last minute nonsense but wasn't able to handle the time element of my photographer - hence, I missed most of my party because brides don't usually wear a watch. I could go on.

You can have your vision, plan your whole day to the last minute but you really want to have someone who is not part of the festivities to run your day and bring the whole event together...if I only knew then what I know now. I would have hired someone for the day. Period. Less stress, no wasted time and I wouldn't have missed my chocolate fountain.

So there - my dirty little secret of running my own wedding...and I'm good at this stuff, having spent years running logistics on film sets and big events. More fool me - learn from me and no fool you!

If you have no sense of what to do for a wedding, don't really care but your family does or somewhere in between - consider a professional. If we get sick, we send in a replacement, we have relationships with vendors which can save you buckets of money and if you have a specific goal, like putting on a sustainable show, a pro is definite a plus.

Back in the day people had hoards of aunties and sisters and the local church to put on a wedding shindig but no longer. People aren't as connected to their local community and don't have the same resources our forebears did. Sad really, but if you find the right person to help you with your day, you just might be able to feel just as connected because you won't be worrying about the details. You'll be enjoying the company of your friends and family.