Christyn Wilkins, We Tie the Knots
WeTietheKnots.com
Instagram:@wetietheknots
What are the two things couples should do immediately after they get engaged?
Breathe and celebrate! This is the moment you’ve been looking forward to, so remember to soak it all in. Then hire a great wedding planner. A wedding pro can make or break your wedding, so hire one with experience and references.
What are the advantages to bringing in a planner versus working with a day-of coordinator?
The biggest advantages are a planner’s abilities to maximize your budget, navigate your vendor contracts and offer you peace of mind during your engagement. When we show up for our month-of brides (our version of day-of), we can certainly pull things together, but there’s always something that comes up that could have been avoided if we were brought in sooner.
Is planning a wedding in less than six months really doable?
The challenge is finding a venue you love with an available date. Think about getting married in an off-peak season, like November through March. Or you might consider a Friday or Sunday wedding during peak season, since those dates are usually discounted. Hiring a planner is extremely helpful too, since we can help to quickly identify the best pros to execute your vision.
Any planning tips for to-be-weds on a tight budget?
Think about your guest list—the number of family and friends affects the cost of your catering, rentals, linens, invitations and number of floral arrangements. Take a good look at that list and see what adjustments you can make.
What are some challenges to planning a wedding with an out-of-town couple?
The biggest challenge is scheduling meetings with vendors over the weekend. Most pros, like caterers and florists, are working weddings or unavailable on the weekends, so try to make a trip to your wedding destination on a weekday.
What’s the biggest dilemma you’ve had to deal with on the day of?
A groom was served court papers from an ex-girlfriend right before he walked down the aisle! That was the wildest thing that has ever happened to us, hands down.
