Greetings, unicorn fans! I’ve been in the offbeat wedding biz for about 5 years and yet I’ve almost never worked with a planner. Why is that? My guess has been that nontraditional folks don’t think wedding planners are for them. So asked Cassie Crudo with Bride’s Best Friend to help me answer a question I’ve always had: can a wedding planner actually help an offbeat, unconventional couple, or are planners just for traditional couples? Are the words ‘wedding planner’ and ‘offbeat’ antonyms? Read on to find out Cassie’s take. She’s the only planner I know in Austin that bleeds freak when she needs to!
Photo credit: Tara Welch Photography
Offbeat weddings have a whole culture and a heartbeat of their own, and it can be difficult to figure out where to get started. A lot of couples think that they have to do everything by themselves, and that can be confusing and overwhelming. There are lots of resources for the traditional wedding, but what if you want something completely out of the ordinary?
Do wedding planners do offbeat weddings?
Yes! There’s a misconception that wedding planners only plan traditional weddings. Maybe couples think that the planner will convince them to do traditional things. Maybe they’re worried they’re buying into the wedding culture if they hire a planner. There’s even a misconception that a wedding planner can only plan a traditional 200 person wedding with gold dinner chargers and white china and that’s all they offer. That’s just not true.
Maybe you’re looking for a galaxy themed wedding or you want to have a celebration with your family and friends that involves a fire dancer or circus performances. Awesome! What is a wedding if not a celebration between your family and friends and a representation of YOU as a couple?
It’s important to select a wedding planner that matches your personality and style. They’ll allow you to create the wedding that you’ve been conceiving, bringing it to life. They’ll help with little touches, big ideas, and logistics along the way – and maybe they’ll help you find a face painter or mime for your wedding reception entertainment – the possibilities are endless.
Not all offbeat vendors look the part. Personally, I would kill to have teal hair – or better yet, a blue to teal blend. For me, that’s not realistic because I cater to a wide range of clients (and their parents) in order to make sure that my company thrives and grows. But offbeat weddings have a special passion and place in my heart and I often geek out just as hard on the details as my clients.
Photo credit: Katy Rox Photography
Why get a wedding planner?
I get this question a lot – why do I need a wedding planner? Well, wedding planners do a lot more than make things pretty. I can’t possibly go over everything in one post, but I can go over a few of the highlights.
First, wedding planners will help you create and track your budget – this means that you won’t end up spending a completely different amount at the end because of all the “little surprises” that you didn’t think of initially. My planning style is all about educated decisions. You may want to go over budget on your entertainment because it’s a priority for you, so we’ll shrink the budget of something else lower on your list. It’s important that you know in advance what you’re giving up in order to have that special entertainer perform at the wedding, and I can help you see that. You may still decide to go over budget in that area, but you’ll know exactly how much over, or what you’re giving up, to make that happen.
Second, wedding planners handle the logistics and bring to light things that you may not have thought of! For example:
- How will guest flow work with 150 people getting from one space to another?
- What’s the best way to make sure that the bar line can accommodate the after-ceremony rush?
- Do you want sparklers at your wedding? We have systems to make sure that everyone is safe and sound when everything is finished. Fun Fact: Did you know that sparklers burn at 1800 degrees?.
- Do you have centerpieces that are out of the ordinary but don’t know where to get them or how to get them to the venue? We have ideas for that.
- Do you want a Dr. Who-themed cake or Game of Throne-themed chairs? We have vendors for that.
Overall, we are here to help your vision come to life, no matter what that vision is. That means helping to make sure that the details of the day makes it into the plan while keeping your budget and expectations in line with the reality of planning a wedding.
We can’t wait to bring your vision to life!
~Cassie Crudo, Owner/Planner of Bride’s Best Friend