The short answer to the above question is yes and no. Let us explain.
No, or at least in the sense that most Wedding Planners are not going to “negotiate” prices for you. Your wedding is a one-time event and there’s typically no reason for any vendor to give you a price break as they won’t be expecting to service you again (let’s hope!). We also don’t appreciate it when clients try to negotiate our services or pricing so it’s not something we will do to other vendors.
Some Wedding Planners may refer their clients to certain vendors who have previously agreed with the Planner to offer their clients some kind of special discount or pricing, but it’s less common than the internet may lead you to believe. You may also be getting referred to a certain vendor from a Planner because they are getting some kind of kickback, which does not benefit the client. Once again, this is less common but you are certainly free to ask a Planner these questions.
There are ways that Wedding Planners can save you money, but not always by the most typical way. The ways they save you money tend to reveal themselves to be that a Wedding Planner has saved you time (which some say is like money) or stress (being less stressed is priceless!). We can also help avert decisions by a client that may end up costing them more money, or helping a client forego a service they may not need, which is also a cost-saver.
Will a Wedding Planner “pay for themselves” by getting you enough discounts or help you avoid costly decisions? Most likely not in the sense that the cost of their services has been offset by these things. However when it comes to reducing stress, saving time and giving peace of mind, most of the time a Wedding Planner goes above and beyond their clients’ expectations. We cannot tell you how many times we have had clients tell us after their wedding they would have paid more for services because of what a wonderful experience they had!
The moral of this story (blog) is that if you are solely looking to work with a Wedding Planner because you think they will get you discounts and negotiate costs of other vendors, then you will likely be disappointed. However if you want to work with a Wedding Planner so they will reduce your stress, help you build a trusted vendor team, save you time and make your wedding planning experience more joyful, then you are the perfect candidate for one!
Get in touch with us today for a consultation and see if we are a good fit for your wedding!
