Getting engaged is probably one of the most thrilling, wonderful times in a person’s life. There is so much excitement swarming around the idea of starting a life with your loved one and sharing the news with your friends and family. However, all this delightful anticipation is soon joined by the stress of planning your big day. There are so many things to accomplish in order to plan the wedding of your dreams, and as far away as it may be, there never seems to be enough time. To help you get everything done, you might want to consider hiring a wedding planner. They can guide you along the planning process and make sure you get all your questions answered.

Here are the 5 reasons that hiring a wedding planner is totally worth it:

1. Insider tips to help you save time

Since wedding planners have been there, done that in almost all areas of wedding planning, they have all the veteran knowledge to help you save time and money. If you have a favorite flower arrangement in mind, they can help you find the best florist in town. They also can be full of recommendations for a menu, dessert, or alcoholic beverage selection that will fit with your wedding theme and budget. If you are a committed crafter, they can offer advice on how to order the right materials for some DIY decor for your wedding. Most importantly, none of the questions that you may have concerning your big day will go unanswered: they know the secrets to getting things done efficiently, which can help save you loads of time that you would have spent researching or asking friends for advice.

Photo Credit: Christie Pham Photography

2. Negotiation know-how

Wedding planners have plenty of experience working diligently with others to get stuff done for a wedding. This means they have quite the expertise on the business side of wedding planning and know their way around consulting and contracts. In essence, your wedding planner can speak on your behalf and do the necessary, sometimes unpleasant “dirty work” that comes with negotiating with vendors and booking venues.

Photo Credit: Libby McGowan

3. Budget management

Once you review your budget with your wedding planner, they will have an idea of how much you should spend on each wedding planning item. Since they have been through all of this before, they will be able to tell you when you should splurge and where you can save some cash. They can customize your wedding plan to fit your individual budget while making sure you get the best deals and everything you need to make your dream wedding come true.

Photo Credit: Renai Photography

4. Crucial connections

One of the major benefits of a wedding planner’s expertise is the connections that they have formed with local vendors throughout all their years of work. When you need to find a florist, band, or caterer, your wedding planner will have all the details and contact information ready for you to choose the perfect vendor for you. They may also have connections that can get you good deals on some of your wedding needs and will definitely know which vendors you can trust.

Photo Credit: Jason + Gina Photography

5. Choosing the perfect venue

The venue for your big day is one of the most important aspects of planning your wedding. To make sure you find the venue that is right for you, your wedding planner can review the differences between venues that you are considering. They can help by comparing venues on even the slightest details so you can choose a venue with confidence. They have the experience that lets you examine aspects of venues that you might not think of like efficient transportation to and from the venue, ideal lighting options, accommodations for changes in weather, and possible renting deals.

Photo Credit: Renai Photography

Hiring a wedding planner may be just the right call for you and can truly make a difference in helping the process of planning your wedding go as smoothly as possible. They can help to make sure you know all the insider secrets and tips to planning the wedding of your dreams. Take some stressful weight off your shoulders and hire a wedding planner to help make the hard decisions and guide you along the way through any hiccups.