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What is the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding designer?

If you’re planning a wedding, you’re probably talking to and negotiating with a lot of different suppliers. So what exactly is the main difference between a wedding planner and a wedding designer? If you want to enlist some help when you start planning your wedding, would you benefit from having both or are they actually interchangeable?

The initial brief you give them will be based on the fact that they each have a very different focus, even though there may be some overlap in the tasks they complete. Let’s take a closer look at each so you know where to spend your money to make your wedding truly memorable.

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What is the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding designer?

What does a wedding planner do?

In this case, it’s all in the name; the clue is in the name. A wedding planner will be there from the beginning to help you plan every detail of your wedding. Their primary responsibility is to take the pressure off of you two, to help you feel less overwhelmed, to suggest themes, to offer trusted recommendations, to negotiate budgets and prices, and more.

A wedding planner will stick with you right through the process and be present on your wedding day too. They will be helping to ensure that everyone is where they need to be at the right times so that the day goes as smoothly as possible.

Most wedding planners will be able to help with the following areas:

  • Reviewing your budget, breaking it down, and allocating chunks of your budget to different areas of your wedding and reception based on your priorities
  • Creating checklists so that everyone knows what needs to be done and by when
  • Liaising with suppliers and venues
  • Help with travel arrangements and hotel reservations for you or your guests
  • Setup and removal of different elements on the big day
  • And, of course, day-of management, from ensuring everyone in the wedding party knows what they need to do and where they need to be, to guest management, supplier liaison, and any troubleshooting and problem solving.

A wedding planner will frequently devote hundreds of hours of their time to your wedding day; they will know you as a couple inside and out and be on hand to support you each step of the way, resolving as many issues and problems as they can for you. Although you will come to your own agreement with your wedding planner over what they are responsible for and when you can contact them, you should think of them as your right-hand man or woman who is there to support you in every way possible. 

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What does a wedding designer do?

In a nutshell, a wedding designer is there to help you with the aesthetics of your wedding, bringing it to life through colour, decor, and layout. They will work with you to impress your guests with the layout of your wedding and reception, as well as the furniture and decorations you picked for your special day. This could be helping you to finalise a colour scheme, designing centrepieces for your tables, or sourcing that one “wow factor” element that you have visualised but need help bringing to life.

A wedding designer’s role has very little to do with the overall planning of the wedding. The role of a designer is purely aesthetic; a wedding designer creates a cohesive feel and your desired atmosphere. They’ll provide guidance on fabrics, textures, colour palettes, props, furniture, and all décor elements.

Couple walking down the beautiful garden paths at Minterne House - What Is The Difference Between A Wedding Planner And A Wedding Designer?

Most wedding designers will be able to help with the following areas:

  • Finalising your colour palette
  • Recommending trusted suppliers
  • Designing table layouts and centre pieces
  • They may be able to provide linens, chair covers, and embellishments.
  • Sourcing of props and oversight of installation and takedown

Making sure the aesthetic vision you had for your wedding comes to lifeA wedding designer can help remove the feeling of overwhelm from all those last minute preparations and setups for your wedding. They may also be able to save you a considerable amount of money by being able to recommend reliable, trustworthy suppliers, and when it comes to any props, chair covers, and embellishments, they may have a variety that you can rent that will be perfect for your day and save you the expense of purchasing. 

Just married and on their way to Polhawn Fort after sharing a few laughs and a glass of bubbly in the back of a vintage car

Should you hire a Wedding Designer?

  • If the décor and atmosphere of your wedding are important to you
  • If you would like someone creative involved who is able to take a blank canvas and turn it into the space you imagined
  • You want someone to be wholly responsible for decorating the event space for your wedding
  • If you’re looking for ornate or difficult to source props or equipment

You have a specific, detailed theme in mind and need help developing and executing itDid you find yourself saying yes to any of the above? Then yes, hiring a wedding designer might be the right thing for you. Because of the nature of their work, they typically book up well in advance, so I advise finding your wedding designer up to a year in advance of your wedding date. This will also give your chosen supplier time to locate any obscure or unusual items for the day.

A brilliant Wedding Designer that specialises in artificial decor is Emily Rose Events Hire. You can click here to find here out more – Emily Rose Events Hire

Nearly ready Bride in here wedding dress - What Is The Difference Between A Wedding Planner And A Wedding Designer?

In Summary…

Despite some similarities, a wedding planner and a wedding designer play very different roles in the preparation and execution of your wedding. How much of the planning you want to do yourself, how much time you have to devote to planning your wedding, how creative you are, and, of course, the budget that you have available will all be factors in determining the level of assistance you decide to invest in. The decision to work with either one, both, or neither is entirely up to you, but hopefully you feel prepared with the knowledge necessary to make an informed choice.

Thank you for reading “What is the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding designer?” I hope this article was useful in your wedding planning adventure.

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