Preparing for a wedding requires decisions, responsibilities, and time commitments. Aside from being swamped with tasks, same-sex couples may face challenges that heterosexual couples don't usually have to worry about. If you're part of the LGBTQIA+ community, you must know how to discern if you should hire a wedding planner.
Why Should I Hire a Wedding Planner?
LGBTQIA+ couples should hire a wedding planner if they want someone to take charge of dealing with the vendors, coordinating everything behind the scenes, and ensuring every detail is on track. Wedding planners can relieve the stress of locating LGBT-friendly event vendors, allowing you to concentrate on the big day.
A wedding planner can make the preparations enjoyable and much more accessible. See why bringing in a professional planner for same-sex weddings is advantageous.
Reasons Why LGBTQIA+ Couples Should Hire a Wedding Planner
You should consider hiring wedding planners specializing in same-sex weddings to make your special day everything you've dreamed of.
Streamline Planning Decisions
Did you see an excellent fruity drinks cart idea in a bridal magazine, then stumble upon an outdoor gelato bar somewhere on Pinterest? Do you want something rustic, yet your partner wants a Disney-inspired party?
Skilled wedding planners can brainstorm how to incorporate your ideas without causing the designs or decor to clash. They can save you hours of research by linking you with reputable vendors who match your preferences and budgetary restrictions.
Reduce Stress and Wedding Jitters
It's common for same-sex couples to feel anxious, restless, or even have trouble concentrating, whether you still have a year to prepare or have weeks before the wedding.
Wedding therapist Landis Bejar says the burden of wedding planning often falls on one person more than the other. Unfortunately, stress can lead to tension in the relationship. Wedding planners are necessary to help LGBTQIA+ couples manage stress by taking over the preparations.
Save Valuable Time
A wedding entails talking to at least 30 vendors in six months if the planning takes a year. Venue visits, meetings, and phone calls could take up much of your time.
You should hire wedding planners if you have a limited time and don't know when to start. Planners devote their time, effort, and energy to conceptualizing, coordinating, and managing everything for same-sex weddings.
Receive Professional Judgement and Insider Knowledge
A professional wedding planner's experience in managing same-sex marriage is valuable. They are familiar with legal regulations, local customs, and insider information on the best way to move forward.
Although you may believe you discovered the most affordable bundle online, planners can work to get you a fair bargain without sacrificing quality. Aside from that, a planner can come up with contingency plans.
Incorporate Pride
The fun part of planning a same-sex wedding is that you can add elements of the LGBTQIA+ community. Planners can guide you in incorporating these aspects.
- Gender-neutral ceremony readings
- Same-sex wedding vows
- Gay-inspired attire
- Pride-inspired cake, souvenirs, or flowers
Signs Same-Sex Couples Need Wedding Planners
There are benefits to hiring wedding planners for a same-sex union. However, certain circumstances make it easier to see why hiring an event planner is the best option.
You Can't Find LGBT-Friendly Event Suppliers
The wedding industry has a strong emphasis on heterosexuality. Most forms or services are only available for one bride and one groom. However, some vendors engage in less subtle kinds of prejudice, like not answering calls or suddenly filling up their calendars when they learn the event is for LGBTQIA+ couples.
The good thing is that most wedding planning companies have a range of supplier contacts where the owners are more inclusive, some being queer-owned. In this way, you can find LGBTQ-inclusive vendors who have a better understanding of the situation.
You Want to Delegate Responsibilities
Wedding-related tasks can take up a chunk of your free time. Wedding planners are your best choice if you consider delegating responsibilities yet are unclear about who to assign them to.
You might need a wedding planner, so you can have a dedicated person that can meet with vendors, contact guests, and oversee the nitty-gritty details of the ceremony.
You Don't Enjoy Planning
Not everyone enjoys planning, and that's okay! The time leading up to your engagement should be one of the happiest stages of your life, so you shouldn't have to put up with obnoxious guests or arrogant vendors.
A professional planning team will ask about your ideas or visions. From there, you can leave it to the planners to figure out how to weave your requests into reality.
You Need Solutions to Tricky Situations
Among the challenges LGBTQIA+ couples might face is dealing with rocky moments regarding family, friends, or other guests. This commonly involves answering awkward questions about a same-sex wedding.
- Who is the bride or the groom?
- Will the ceremony have a religious component?
- Will the parents walk the bride or groom down the aisle?
- Will both brides wear gowns, or both grooms wear suits?
- How about heterosexual practices like parent-child dances or the bouquet toss?
- What if your parents won't attend the wedding?
- How can I politely request that the bridesmaids pay for their dresses?
Experienced wedding planners can help you solve these problems because they have seen and dealt with similar circumstances.
Related Questions
How Do You Avoid Stress When Planning a Wedding?
Hiring a wedding event planner is the best way to avoid stress when planning an LGBT-friendly wedding. Working with wedding planners is worth it as they let you prioritize tasks, develop a detailed budget, and organize ideas cohesively.
Do I Need to Tip My Planner?
While your planner won't expect a tip, you can give at least 10% of their fee as a tip. A lovely souvenir or a gift check are also good alternatives. However, be sure to check if there's already a gratuity included in the contract.
What Questions Should I Ask an Event Planner?
The two most important things to find out about an event planner are their areas of expertise and whether they have experience with same-sex weddings. It's also crucial to ask about their specific services, vendor contacts, and planning process.
Conclusion
Same-sex couples should hire wedding planners, especially if they need assistance locating service providers who welcome customers of any sex and gender identity. Eliminate the stress of wedding planning with the help of Thomas Bui Lifestyle's skilled planners, and look forward to your special day being full of love and pride.