Cindy on The Green Kangaroo Blog!

Elizabeth Baggett

January 20th, 2011

With all of the recently engaged couples running around this month, we thought it was the perfect time to get some insider information from one of our favorite wedding planners, Cindy Zingerella of Engaging Events in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina! Cindy not only orchestrates some of the Charleston area’s most gorgeous events, she’s a tremendous resource for all things wedding-related.

Cindy, what exactly does a wedding planner do for a bride?

Wedding planners help brides turn their vision into a realistic event design, from managing your budget, to handling logistics and timelines with your vendors, to ensuring a seamless flow to your wedding day. We guide our clients on etiquette, take care of mailing save-the-dates and invitations, and smooth out all the “hiccups” that may happen, allowing you to relax and enjoy your day. During the planning process we keep you organized, problem solve, and in general try to make the planning process as much fun as it can be!

If my budget is tight, can a wedding planner still help me?

Absolutely. In fact if your budget is tight that is exactly why you should hire a planner! We can help you spend the money you do have wisely, avoiding costly pitfalls. One of the biggest mistakes we see couples make is not deciding to hire a planner until after they’ve booked a venue. Most couples are so excited about nailing down the perfect place on the perfect date that they don’t fully understand the impact that the venue selection can have on their overall budget. There are many, many costs that are directly associated with each venue’s parameters – venues can dictate everything from which caterer you can select to the types of florals you use – and an experienced wedding planner is an invaluable resource for navigating this potential minefield. In fact, we see many clients that have to forego items on their wish list simply because they didn’t understand the cost ramifications of the venue they chose.

Any more “insider” tips?

Of course! Many planners are given unpublished discounts by vendors they work with often, which allows their clients to take advantage of some pretty fabulous cost savings that aren’t available to brides on their own! So if you’re particularly budget-minded, a wedding planner will be able to present you with cost effective choices you might not otherwise have known about.

What tips do you have for brides to make the most of their wedding day?

Work with your planner in advance taking care of the preplanning details and then let them do what they do best- run your day. Let this be a special time for you, your new husband and your family – take the time to enjoy them and your friends. You pay your planner to manage your day for you, so let them take care of the details while you sit back, relax, and take in all that your special day has to offer. You will be happy you did!

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