Thinking about tackling your big day all on your own? With so many moving parts involved in wedding planning, having someone by your side every step of the way can be a serious lifesaver. If you're deciding whether or not a planner is for you keep reading.

Recently, I had the privilege to sit down with Delcina Hagley of Fabulous Beginning Events to shed some light on her business, success and what it takes to be a fabulous wedding planner and the real costs of a wedding. She has not only managed to plan and budget some amazing weddings for her clients but she has achieved brand recognition by the wedding experts at the Knot on their Best of Wedding list since 2014. Now that is pretty incredible achievement!

Before I sat down with Delcina Hagley I had no idea what a wedding planner could truly accomplish for you. I envisioned that planners ran around making every single part of your fantasy wedding come true. I quickly learned that fantasy weddings also cost fantasy dollars. Did I really want to spend up to 100k on just one day or nah? A wedding planner will help you create a budget, stick with it and plan a wedding better than you dreamed. This is what Delcina Hagley does and this is what I will successful do. She listens to everything you want then she goes out and negotiates the best service for you at the best price. She is honestly in your corner guiding you every step of the way. A wedding planner takes the stress out of handling tedious and routine tasks that will drive a couple nuts. She organizes your entire itinerary, deals with every single vendor, handles your invitations and RSVP’s and even those guests that had the nerve to show up uninvited. She guides you in choosing what is necessary and what is not and coordinates your big day so you can actually sit back, dance, and enjoy getting married .

The services of an expert wedding planner may include:

· Interview the couple and parents to identify their needs.

· Preparation of the budget

· Design and style of the event

· Scouting locations

· Photo shoots

· Planning a detailed checklist (about a year in advance for a few days after the wedding) [6]

· Preparation of the list of participants

· Identification of venues for events (hotels, party house, ceremony, church, temples etc.)

· Identification and contracting of wedding professionals and service providers (suppliers, photographers, videographers, beauticians, florists, sweets, buffet, drinks, etc.) and contract preparation and execution

· Acquisition of custom decorations, such as a travel map

· Coordination of deliveries / services on the wedding day

· Have a back-up plan in the event of a disaster

· Manages programming, often with software

· Help and prepare legal documentation and translations - especially for destination weddings

· Event layout indicating the location of the dance floor, buffet points, tables, chairs, lounges, etc

· Event briefing for all suppliers (Contact the wedding week vendors for details and schedules)

· Coordinating wedding day, conference and pre-event assembly follow-up

There is a reason that wedding planners exist. Wedding planning takes a lot of time, so why not leave it to someone who knows what they are doing and whose job it already is!

When it comes down to it, a wedding planner’s goal is to help you plan your wedding. So if your looking to get married and your still wondering whether a not hiring a wedding planner is a good idea or not, let me be frank, as a bride currently planning her October wedding the answer is YES!! Yes, you need to have a wedding planner. Yes, you deserve to have an amazingly, beautiful stress-free wedding!!

At first before I hired a wedding planner, I was scared and wondered would I still have control over what happens in my wedding. I promise you, you will. It will just be you planning your wedding with more guidance, knowledge, and a direct focus.

Book and consult with Delcina Hagley via her website

http://fabbeginnings.com