T
h e Wedding Issue
Let’s Get Planning
But do you really need a wedding planner?
BY MANDY WOLF DETWILER
So, you’ve just said “yes!” Now what? Brides and grooms can become inundated with choices, from the
dress and tux colors to venue seating, flower decisions and thank-you notes. Hiring a wedding planner can
certainly ease the load, but is it an affordable option for the average future married couple? We talked to
Jamie Lott, owner of Louisville Events4U and a wedding planner for 11 years.
E XTOL MAGAZINE: Who should hire a
wedding planner?
Jamie Lott: The value lies in having a
professional who won’t forget even the smallest
detail of the big day. Wedding planners are
all about the details – things you might miss.
If you’re a detail-oriented person and you’ve
got a career of your own, maybe a busy life
with your fiancé, it’s much, much easier in my
opinion to turn (wedding planning) over to a
professional so that nothing is missed as part of
your wedding planning process.
EXTOL: What are some of the most overlooked
details by couples who plan their own weddings?
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EXTOL • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017
who think they can do it on their own, but I
actually feel bad for them on their wedding
day because they are so stressed trying to do
it, even with their girlfriends. They should be
getting ready that day. They should be with their
family. They should be relaxing and sipping
mimosas or whatever makes them happy versus
worrying about setting up their tables and their
centerpieces, and going to pick up this or going
to pick up that.
EXTOL: What should you look for in a good
wedding planner?
Lott: Transportation to and from the venue
and/or the church. Things like right down to the
catering. Did you plan on just feeding (guests)
the cake or did you plan on feeding them
another dessert? I’ve been to so many weddings
where I’ve just done day-of coordinating and
they ran short of cake. Little things like that, I’m
there to remind you about. Lott: It’s all about the details. Look for the person
who asks all the right questions, the person that
is the best fit for you. Your personalities need to
mesh. You need to make sure that you like this
planner and this planner is almost a member of
your family because of the length of time you’re
going to be spending with this person and what
this planner is going to ask of you. As you go
along in this process, you need to be willing to
work with this planner and trust this person.
EXTOL: Is there anyone who shouldn’t hire a
wedding planner? EXTOL: How do you help set a budget with the
bride and groom?
Lott: By the day of the weddi ng, even the control
freaks, even the very OCD brides, have been
very grateful that (a wedding planner) is there
because she can relax and not have to worry
about the details. My standard line is, “I’ve got
this. Please don’t worry.” I do this almost every
weekend, and if you haven’t thought of it, I will.
I don’t think there’s anyone who doesn’t need
a wedding planner. I think there are some girls Lott: I’m very brutally honest and I ask them
what they think they can spend on this wedding.
If it’s a certain amount and that amount is very
low, I ask them if they’re willing to do some of
the work themselves, like we make part of the
centerpieces ourselves and then we add florals
from a florist –– anything we can do to cut costs.
I’m very good about keeping them on budget.
They take themselves off budget!