First of all, friends, can I assure you that I do know what day of the week it is, even after the holiday weekend?? But as I am scheduling blog posts, sometimes I have to shift things around that fit under the Wedding Wednesday posts- this is content I am so excited to share, so it is happening on Tuesday!

Today is a guest blog post from a sweet friend of mine, Hannah, who is an amazing wedding planner! Her business, Plan Events and Design, is based out of Jacksonville and while she is having a baby soon (so excited for you Hannah!), she has spent years serving many couples and making their wedding dreams come true, and has a busy 2016!  And, in addition to being amazing at her job, she is SUPER fun to be around! Meet Hannah:

I get a lot of questions from my brides about planners and the benefits, and I thought, who better to share with you than a planner herself!!    So without further adieu, here is Hannah!

Hello there! My name is Hannah Graham and I am the owner of Plan Events and Design. I first want to thank Jill for having me guest blog for her! Jill is beyond amazing to work and her images are always just stunning! A little about Plan Events: we are a full service wedding planning company that specializes in creating heartfelt events that are inspired by you, the couple! We believe that your first steps into marriage should be filled with joy and not the stress of making your event “perfect”. We are here to help guide you in those first steps as a couple so you can truly enjoy every part of the process.  Plan makes sure each part of the planning process flows seamlessly from one part to the next. From booking the big items, like the venue and photographer, to designing the invitation suite and reception we make sure the process is reflective of who you are as a couple through and through. When your wedding weekend comes we orchestrate the timeline, design, and running of your full event so you can enjoy every second. We recently rebranded and landed on a tagline that just speaks so truly to what we try and do, “A wedding isn’t just a party, it’s the start of a marriage”. I love that for so many reasons! Most of the time wedding planners can get labeled as party planners…and while that’s true, there is so much more that goes into than that…which leads me to…why should you hire a wedding planner?

1. We will save you money: I know, it seems a little counter productive to spend money in order to save money, but I promise you, in the long run we will. From the very beginning, I like to really dive into what is important to you as a couple. What are on your must haves list and what are somethings that aren’t as important to you? We like to land on those big important items first and make sure you are getting the right vendors and services that meet those needs and then dive into the smaller, not as important items later on, if they fit into the budget. We also have a vast amount of resources that can help you find those bigs items on your must haves list, so you don’t have to spend the time and energy searching, it’s already done for you!
2. We already have a vendor list: You know how hard it is to pick the right restaurant to go for a special occasions? You read reviews, you ask around, and yet you are still nervous if the food is going to meet your expectations. Well, try doing that with a photographer, caterer, bar service, venue, florist, etc. The search can be exhausting and truly take all the fun out of the planning process. Luckily, we have already done the searching for you! We have worked with so many wonderful vendors and have a detailed list ranging from cake to venues, and everything in between. A huge part of what we do is helping you pick vendors that meet your style, taste, and budget. This takes the hard part of finding the vendors off your plate and once again allows to enjoy this special time together as a couple.
3. We sweat the small stuff: The planning is over and now it’s your wedding day! I’m sure you have a vision for how to day will go and I’m also sure that vision does not involve answering every small question that comes up or having your phone ring off the hook. That’s why we are here. Having worked with you to plan this event we are well versed in all the small details that will no doubt arise during your event. Where is the marriage license? What time will the cake be here? What’s the officiants phone number? On there own this small and quick questions might not seem like a big deal but times that by a whole day and suddenly this dream day you have been planning turns into a test of your memory. Let us take care of detail-  let your planner sweat the small stuff!
4. We keep you on track: For us, this is one of the most important parts of the planning and execution process. We work with you and your vendors to construct a detailed agenda starting with Thursday and concluding when the last candle has been put back in the box. It might seem a little crazy to see a agenda broken down into 5 minute sections but it our experience it truly works. We guide you through the agenda to make sure you and all your vendors stay on track the whole day. Falling 30 minutes behind on one item can push your whole day back and set the flow of the event off. We insure this doesn’t happen and that your day runs smoothly and effectively as possible.  
5. We make your vision come to life: You know all those pins that you pour over…we make those come to life. But more than that, we make sure those pictures we bring to life are a reflection of you and not just a pretty picture.  Wedding planners can help design a wide array of things, From custom designed stationery, linen sourcing, full floral design and creations and installations we strive to make your event not only beautiful but truly have your signature on it. So that when you walk into the room it feels like you are walking hand in hand into your new lives together.

So there you have it! Those are our top reason of why you should hire a wedding planner! Hope to hear from you soon!

      XOXO, Hannah