I knew I didn’t want to hire a wedding planner to take care of all the details I would love to plan. However, the idea of having someone be there the day of my wedding so my friends, family, and I don’t have to worry about anything has always been appealing. Why not have a professional run the show and put together a beautiful spread for me?

Courtesy of Quintana Events

After getting a few quotes from event planners and wedding coordinators in my area, I thought their starting prices were out of our budget. But, I was not deterred. I asked potential vendors if their pricing was negotiable if I reduced or got rid of some of the services in the Day Of package that I could do without (like putting together a list of duties for the wedding party that I do not have). I also checked if they had a la cart services available in lieu of set packages.

The event planner that we eventually hired, Alex Quintana from Quintana Events (serving the San Francisco Bay Area), was very easy to work with and flexible. I was able to save money by working with him and choosing a la cart services to mimic some of the Day Of package.  His work comes highly recommended:

Courtesy of Quintana Events

The moral of the story is that you don’t get what you don’t ask for! I encourage anyone planning any event to negotiate with potential vendors. After all, the worse they can say is no and you might just be pleasantly surprised.

I am really excited to have a Day of Coordinator! It is a great option for couples that want to be hands-on while planning but hands-off the day of the wedding so that they can truly enjoy the day!