Top Tips for Choosing Helpers
Planning a wedding is exciting, emotional and, let’s be real, a lot of work. One of the smartest things you can do early on is think about what kind of support you’ll need leading up to and on the day of your wedding.
Whether you hire a professional or lean on your inner circle, having help can make all the difference between stress and celebration.
Step 1: Define What You Need Before You Hire Anyone
Before reaching out to vendors or asking your bestie to be in charge of music cues, take some time to ask yourself:
How much support do I need? (Do I want someone to handle everything, or just the day-of?)
How much control do I want to keep? (Am I a DIY bride or do I want to hand things off?)
How much budget can I allocate for help? (Professional help comes at a cost so please plan accordingly.)
Step 2: Understand the Different Types of Wedding Support
Full-Service Wedding Planner
This is the gold standard of wedding support. These planners handle it all: budgeting, vendor sourcing, logistics, design, timelines, and more. They work with you from start to finish to bring your dream day to life.
Best for: Couples who want a hands-off experience or have complex and/or multi-day events.
Pros: Full-service, they handle it all so you don’t have to!
Cons: Very expensive. $5000-$20,000 (or more!) depending on the length of contract and size of the wedding.
Month-Of Planner
A month-of planner starts working with you around 4–6 weeks before your wedding. They finalize details, confirm vendors, and coordinate timelines, so the last stretch is stress-free.
Best for: Couples who planned most of the wedding themselves but want help wrapping it up and running the show.
Pros: Less expensive than a Full-service planner but with the additional support of the entire month leading up to your wedding.
Cons: $2000-$5,000 (or more) again depending on the length of contract and size of the wedding. Cost prohibitive for many couples.
Day-Of Coordinator
This person doesn't plan with you but executes your plan on the day of. They’ll make sure everything runs on time, vendors show up, and your wedding timeline is followed. Keep in mind, this person is only responsible for executing what you have set up. They’ll take care of the day-of details and make sure
Best for: DIY couples who want a professional to manage the actual event so they can relax and enjoy it.
Pros: Managing the execution on the day of your wedding so you can relax and enjoy the wedding without fielding questions and calls
Cons: Does not plan with you. They only execute on your vision on the day of the wedding you’ve hired them for.
Step 3: Hire a Wedding Planner (If You're Using One)
If you're thinking of hiring a wedding planner, it’s ideal to bring them on before you book anything or pick a date but don’t stress if that’s not how your journey goes. Many planners are flexible and can jump in at any stage of your planning process, even at the last minute (if they’re available).
A wedding planner’s role is to help design, plan, and execute your wedding in line with your vision. They’re your logistical partner and advocate, ensuring your day runs smoothly, so you can focus on being present and in love.
Step 4: Don’t Overlook the Power of Your People
Most couples do not hire a wedding planner and that’s totally okay. Many couples turn to their friends and family for extra support, and it can work beautifully with the right preparation.
Here’s how to make that work:
Assign Roles Clearly
Want your cousin to be your ceremony MC? Your best friend to cue the music? Your sister to keep your bag of emergency items? Great! Just make sure they know what’s expected and have what they need to succeed.
Extra tip: Write out a basic timeline and responsibilities sheet so everyone knows where to be and when. Better yet, invite them to be party members in your event with On Time Bride where you can delegate tasks and track everything in one place without the need to write it all out.
Ask, Don’t Assume
Even your closest loved ones need to be asked. Give them time to say yes or no. The challenge of asking someone you know for help comes when you know you need help, but you’re not sure how to ask. Or maybe you’ve tried and have gotten push back. Asking for help can be complicated. Our recommendation before you ask, is to write a list of tasks that need doing such as:
Greeting guests
Managing the guestbook or gift table
Setting up décor
Handing out programs or favors
And then ask a family member or friend to tackle a specific task rather than just asking them to “help”. Be clear about the time commitment involved and don’t be afraid to delegate smaller tasks to help them feel involved while taking things off your plate. If someone is taking too long with a task, be clear about your expectations and be willing to compromise on timing if there are big things happening in other people’s lives. You can also delegate tasks to your wedding party members and our system automatically adds the task to their to-do list once they’ve accepted. That way you can both keep track of completion!
Extra tip: We recommend not giving others tasks with dependencies which are tasks that you need them to finish before another one can be started or completed.
Give Gratitude
People who help on your wedding day are giving their time and energy. Be sure to thank them generously. A small gift, handwritten note, or a shoutout in your speech goes a long way.
Final Thoughts
The support you choose, whether it be professional or personal, should reflect what you need to feel calm, confident, and cared for. Whether it’s a full-service planner, your ride-or-die maid of honor, an awesome planning app, or a combo of all three, the goal is the same: to help you enjoy your day fully.
Choose your help with intention, plan ahead, and remember: you don’t have to do this alone.
