Picture this—You’re engaged and it’s finally time to begin planning the day you’ve dreamed of for so long: your wedding! You set the date and sit down to start planning, but pretty soon find yourself completely underwater when it’s time to make decisions. Which vendors do you need? How do you know when to book them? Who can you trust to pull off what you need? And how are there so many more things to worry about than you imagined?
When it comes to planning a wedding, the right wedding planner can make all the difference—not only in how your day looks, but in how it feels. After photographing hundreds of weddings over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some of the most talented wedding planners in the industry.
Let’s examine how the right planner can shape an experience that’s seamless, deeply personal, and unforgettable for you, your family, and your guests:
Why Hire a Wedding Planner
First, let’s talk about the why behind hiring a wedding planner. The biggest praise I hear from couples I work with is how stress-free having a planner made the entire process, from day one of planning to day-of coordination. So many details have to come together for your day to run smoothly, and, trust me, something will always go astray. With the right planner you will never know, and you will have space to fully immerse yourself in the moments of connection, joy, and spontaneity that I am only too happy to document!
So, you understand that a planner plans, but their true value is often behind the scenes with the many hats they don in your service. As a coordinator, they’re in charge of the logistics while you enjoy your engagement: they will find and coordinate with your vendors, including contracts, scheduling, and walk-throughs. As a designer, their expertise will bring your vision to life as they bring together your chosen aesthetic elements and vendors who can supply them. As an outside perspective whose only goal is making your dreams come true, they are a huge stress reliever!
After working with countless couples and photographing weddings of all styles and sizes, I can confidently say that bringing on a wedding planner at any stage in your planning process is invaluable to creating a seamless, stress-free wedding. When you are able to fully engage in each moment with your loved ones and your partner, not only will your memories be exquisite; your photos will be, too!
Choosing the Right Wedding Planner
If you’re beginning your search, here are a few things to consider as you find the planner who’s right for you.
1. Vision & Aesthetic Alignment
You and your partner should feel that the planner understands your taste and can bring it together in a cohesive way. Look through full portfolios to see if their events reflect the consistent style you are looking for. You can also browse social media for styled weddings you admire and look through the vendors for the credited designer/coordinator/planner who brought it together.
2. Experience at Your Scale
Not all planners specialize in the same tier of event. A $100K wedding and a $1M wedding require different levels of vendor management, logistics, and design expertise. Look closely at their portfolio and testimonials from weddings similar to yours to see if a designer specializes in weddings of a similar kind.
Note your budget: some weddings can have 30 guests at $5,000 per guest, while others have 200 guests at $600 per guest. You’ll want to ensure that your planner has plenty of weddings under their belt working with the guest experience you would like to produce in line with your budget, and a good starting point is to consider how much you want to spend per guest.
3. Collaboration Style
Planners are part creative, part producer. Some are highly collaborative and hands-on, while others quietly run the show. Couples should ask: How involved do you expect us to be? and How do you typically communicate throughout the process? Sometimes I speak with only the planner and handle all of the payments, contracts, timeline, and questions with them. With other planners, I speak directly to the couple and their family, spending a minimum of 30 hours back and forth to nail down all of the logistics and administration that their planner helped lay out.
4. Vendor Network & Trust
Top planners have deep relationships with trusted creatives—people they’ve worked with, vetted, and know how to collaborate with. This can be the difference between a disjointed vendor team and a harmonious one. With your vision, budget, and scale in mind, your planner will pull together the right vendors to flawlessly execute each part like a well-oiled machine.
5. Problem-Solving & Emotional Intelligence
Beyond logistics and design, a planner is often the calm in the room. Whether it’s navigating complex family dynamics or executing a rain plan without stress, their demeanor and decision-making are key. A good planner understands that parents, couples, and family decision makers will not always agree, and they will know how to keep the peace while moving things forward.
Here’s an amazing tip I picked up watching planners work their magic over the years: Coordinate with your planner to set a deadline before your wedding for when things are no longer your problem (the day before, week before, etc.). Let your guests and any vendors you’re in contact with know that all issues, questions, or concerns should be directed to your planner after that point. Then, you can completely immerse yourself in experiencing every moment of your wedding day instead of last minute stress that inevitably comes up!
My Favorite Planners
Now that you know how to find a designer that fits your needs, I’d be thrilled to share my favorite wedding planners in the Tri-State area beginning with designers who I have had the privilege of working with as they executed the beautiful events shown in these photos:
Mary Thornton Events
Known for unforgettable energy and meticulous production, Mary and her team turn vision into reality with flair, polish, and a seamless creative process. If you’re seeking a planner to lessen your stress level and create your dream wedding here or abroad, Mary will ensure a flawless weekend. Mary and her team also take on a limited number of weddings each year to ensure a seamless, hands-on experience.
I recently worked with Mary as she began the exciting process of rebranding. Formerly Party Party and now Mary Thornton Events, this amazing woman brings over 20 years of experience, an top-notch vendor list, and a specialty for tented and destination weddings, giving each wedding a special type of refined creativity. I especially loved this airy portrait from her recent rebranding session:
Danielle Caldwell Events
Danielle blends polished logistics with a grounded, reassuring presence that her couples (and vendor teams) deeply value. She creates celebrations with heart, precision, and style, taking on only ten weddings per year to give every couple her undivided attention and complete hands-on expertise. Couples love her depth of experience and knowledge and praise her impeccable taste. Fellow wedding professionals also love working with her and her team–a sure sign that she is a professional through-and-through!
Amy Champagne Events
Amy brings warmth, wit, and flawless execution to every celebration. Her events are layered, joyful, and always infused with thoughtful, intricate, and sophisticated design. Many couples say the best thing they did for their wedding was hire the ACE team, who not only made the planning process enjoyable, but removed every bit of stress from their wedding day no matter the hurdles they faced. Her portfolio is filled with a variety of weddings, from clean and sophisticated to expressive and bold.
Laura Boulton Events
Laura is detail-oriented in the most elevated sense—her events are strikingly beautiful and flawlessly executed, with a rare sensitivity to flow and guest experience. A true “industry insider,” she built relationships with wedding and event vendors as a catering specialist before starting her planning business in 2010 and continues to hold strong relationships with other industry pros. Laura offers full planning, partial planning, and day-of coordination, plus related wedding events like engagement parties and rehearsal dinners. Several past clients even say they miss the planning process with her! Can you imagine?
Vanda High
Since 1988, she has been renowned for her attention to detail and ability to organize and execute events of all types and sizes. Every event Vanda touches feels effortlessly elegant and deeply intentional. Her calm presence and impeccable taste create weddings that are both refined and profoundly personal. With her knack for anticipating and preventing problems and, I suspect, her ability to see into the future, she is a planning wonder who excels at weddings both in Manhattan and abroad.
In addition to these inspiring planners I have been so fortunate to work with, there are a few in our area who, though I have not yet had the pleasure of working with them, give me constant inspiration with the caliber of their work, their point of view, and their lasting impact on the industry. Perhaps your wedding will be the one that brings us all together!
Marcy Blum Associates
A true pioneer in luxury event planning, Marcy’s events are known for their intelligence, theatricality, and impeccable detail. Her work consistently sets the standard for high-society multi-day celebrations with a global point of view and unmatched logistical mastery.
Jove Meyer Events
Jove is known for bold, expressive events that center joy, inclusivity, and design with personality. His signature aesthetic is modern, celebratory, and artfully composed—always reflecting the unique spirit of his clients.
Tracy Taylor Ward Design
Tracy’s events are the definition of timeless elegance. Her team’s focus on full-service design and production leads to celebrations that are beautifully curated, seamless in execution, and tailored with care at every turn.
In summary, the right wedding planner will utilize their vast knowledge, deep vendor networks, and uniquely creative eye to not only make your wedding dreams a reality, but also make the entire process joyous and stress-free. Choosing a wedding planner who will fit seamlessly into your life as you journey through the planning process creates lasting memories that will permeate every photo, video, and keepsake from your day. It has been an honor to work with these planners in the past, and it will be again in the future–maybe even at your wedding!
To learn more or to book me for your wedding weekend getaway, contact me here. To book or learn more about my favorite wedding planners in the Tri-State area, visit the links below:
Mary Thornton Events
Vanda High Events
Amy Champagne Events
Danielle Caldwell Events
Laura Boulton Events
Marcy Blum Associates
Jove Meyer Events
Tracy Taylor Ward Design
comments +