Gone are the days when weddings were pure fun. There was a time when immediate family and friends would gather together and make sure that they took care of the entire business. In fact, the family of the groom or bride just had to show up on time. However, thanks to changing times arranging the entire wedding has become a cumbersome process. It is no longer possible for the families of the bride and groom alone to take care of the entire programme without someone having a temporary nervous breakdown.
No wonder, the wedding planner now gets top billing even in Bollywood movies. The new mantra now is to give the moolah and let someone else take care of your wedding plans. ?Weddings are supposed to be a good time for all, but the close members of the family lose out on the experience as they are preoccupied during the wedding. A wedding planner can deal with the planning and execution part, so you don?t lose out on the fun,? says Farida Venkateshwara of Amante Wedding Planner. Anita Singh, another wedding planner, believes that ?a wedding is now an expression of a person?s wealth and social standing. And that is why people don?t hesitate to spend.? Sure, that is what is driving the wedding industry. According to experts, the industry is estimated to be anywhere between Rs 1,90,000 crore and Rs 2,25,000 crore.
WHAT DOES A PLANNER DO?
A wedding planner plays the role of an organiser, stylist, consultant , coordinator , manager, negotiator and mediator . Wedding Story?s Nirav Parikh says, ?The work spans across various verticals-operations , financials, management and logistics. A planner is a singlepoint person for all your work and troubles. We can take care of everything that you want ? from designing your invitation card to planning your honeymoon.? Venkateshwara says that demand for planners from the middle class is now increasing. She explains , ?It graduates from simply a luxury to a need when both the bride and groom are working and they are unable to take out time for the arrangements. The other instance when people consult a planner is when it?s a cross-culture marriage. A planner can make sure that the wedding has the flavours of both the cultures, without overdoing one. Also, for destination weddings and theme weddings, a planner?s presence becomes indispensable.?
THE ACCOUNTANT
Another important role played by wedding managers is that of an accountant. They not only take care of your finances but can also help you keep a tab on the expenses incurred. But when you approach a planner, you first have to list out your requirements and budget for each and everything is then planned accordingly. The planner also advises you on where you should be spending money. Every time that you exceed this fixed estimate, the planner gives you a reality check so that you don?t end up breaking your bank later. But he will also give you various tempting options. The trick here is not to get carried away or else you can end up exceeding your budget. Says Ekta Dalal, who has utilised the services of a wedding planner, ?The planner did give us various tempting options, but once the budget was clearly defined the planner adhered to it and also made sure that there was no spillover . The theme of the wedding was Radha Krishna and everything was meticulously executed within the specified amount.?
A SHOPPING GUIDE
A wedding manager can also don the hat of a shopping guide. As Lloyd of Lloyd Creation says, ?Planners have a better negotiating power as they know the market well. So they can help you juggle with the prices and also guide you to the better-budgeted places.? Taking this point further Parikh of Wedding Story says, ?Planners have a better rapport with the vendors and so can get deals at a wholesale rate. They can also ask the vendors to throw in freebies with the deal.?
However, a word of caution: a planner may receive commission for directing couples to a particular store. In fact, you should also know the market rates for the services , so that you are sure that your ignorance is not exploited. You should also ensure that there is transparency in the deals that are being executed, so that you are confident that you are not being charged extra. Says event manager and a wedding consultant Shan Khanna, ?The client should make sure that all the billings are done in front of them. The negotiations regarding money with the vendor should also ideally involve the client .? This is to ensure a fair deal.
FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE
Dalal, who hired a wedding planner for her wedding, chose her planner based on recommendation from a relative and says that is the best way to finalise one. However, a little research can throw up details of various planners , but the best way to choose one is if you have attended the wedding orchestrated by a particular planner. Otherwise, the planners also have DVDs, CDs and photographs of the arrangements made by them previously. It will give you a fair idea about the strengths of the planners.
THE COST FACTOR
Wedding planners charge anywhere from 15-20 % of the total budget of the wedding as management fees for the services provided . If you are lucky enough you can manage to get a wedding consultant who may charge just 10%. But if you have finalised the dates late, you may have to cough up more for the professional help provided. One should ideally approach a wedding manager two months before the wedding, if the venue is already booked. If you are still scouting for locations, then visiting a planner five to six months in advance is advisable , as even they can?t help if your dream venue has already been booked. Consultants believe that if you have a very tight budget then there is no reason why you should hire a planner.
But if you are ready to shell out anywhere more than Rs 10 lakh, then it may be worth it. Again, if you don?t plan to spend an exorbitant amount, but still wish to hire a planner, then you should hire one whose charges are at the lower end of the spectrum. Planners are now increasingly becoming a part of small-scale weddings also. As Lloyd puts it, ?People with budgets as tight as Rs 3 lakh have also been engaging planners, but in these weddings the number of people are also as little as 50.? (sourced : Economics Times)
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