You’re Engaged – congratulations!
And just like that, questions start rolling in. “Have you picked a venue?” “What’s the theme?” “Do you have a dress yet?”
Meanwhile, you’re deep in your phone, scrolling through Pinterest and its sea of endless boards, saving instagram inspo, and trying to make sense of the unsolicited advice from your mom’s cousin’s hairdresser (who somehow knows alot about florals now)
Then you start questioning the luxury wedding inspiration you’ve been looking at for hours on social media and wondering “how did they pull that off?” Do you need a wedding planner? A wedding stylist? Perhaps both?
While their roles sound very similar, maybe you mistook them for the same thing, wedding planners and wedding stylists both take on very different roles. And when combined together, they can take your vision from a wedding fantasy to a fairytale reality, straight out of pinterest. Understanding the difference between the two can save you a lot of time and heartbreak and reduce any misunderstanding.
Maybe you’ll want both, maybe you only need one, it’s all up to you to decide. At Wedded Wonderland, we’ve made it easier for you by breaking down the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding stylist, who to hire based on your vision and how our complimentary concierge service can connect you with the perfect planner, stylist or both to bring your pinterest inspired wedding to life!
What Does a Wedding Planner Do?
Consider a wedding planner as an expert event coordinator who manages every aspect of your special days behind-the-scenes operations. A wedding planner keeps everything on track from the moment you secure a wedding date, to the last dance at your reception, a wedding planner keeps everything on track.
Key responsibilities of a wedding planner include:
- Vendor and Logistics Coordination: Planners schedule and communicate with vendors including caterers, photographers and florists you have selected. They help secure permits and rentals and create wedding day timelines to ensure everything goes according to plan.
- Budget Management: They will develop and oversee your budgets, keeping track of expenses and negotiating with vendors to keep costs on target.
- Venue Coordination: Planners will work with the venue and discuss layout details such as seating, tables and decor set up. They also ensure the venue staff understand the schedule of your special requests.
- Wedding Day Coordination: Planners will oversee the setup and execution on the wedding day, making sure everything is running on schedule, handling last minute issues and making sure the event flows seamlessly from start to finish.
A Wedding Planner’s goal is to give you peace of mind by taking care of the little details and solving problems behind the scenes. A wedding planner lets you enjoy your engagement and wedding day with confidence, knowing everything is handled with expertise.
What Does a Wedding Stylist Do?
On the other hand, a wedding stylist is your creative visionary who designs the look and aesthetic of your wedding events. Wedding stylists will take your ideas, whether it’s from pinterest or a family heirloom, and turn them into a cohesive visual story. A common practice of wedding stylists would be using drapery and lighting to transform an ordinary space into something extraordinary.
Key responsibilities of a wedding stylist include:
- Designing Wedding concepts: Wedding stylists craft your wedding theme, from colour palettes to overall aesthetics. Stylists may create mood boards or mock-ups to show you how every design element will work together.
- Decor and Floral Styling: Stylists will select and arrange all the decor elements such as centrepieces, linens, lighting, furniture and signage. They also work closely with florists and rental companies to ensure everything matches the concept.
- Customising Details: Stylists will arrange custom touches that make your wedding uniquely yours. Arranging custom touches that make your wedding uniquely yours.
- On-Site Styling: Stylists coordinate the setup and decorations on the wedding day, adjusting details such as candles, ribbons and table settings for a polished magazine-worthy finish.
In short, a wedding stylist ensures every element from table settings to floral arrangements comes together beautifully. Their goal is to create a luxurious, harmonious atmosphere that reflects your personal style and vision to bring your dream wedding to life.
Wedding Planner vs. Wedding Stylist
Here’s a quick look at how their roles differ:
- Primary Focus: Planners handle organisation (vendors, budget, timeline). Stylists handle creativity (theme, decor, ambiance).
- Timeline: Planners work from early planning through the wedding day. Stylists focus on design in the months leading up to the wedding and on your wedding day to set up the decor.
- Deliverables: Planners provide schedules, checklists, and coordination. Stylists provide design boards, decor plans, and styled installations.
- Objective: Planners make sure the day happens seamlessly. Stylists make sure it looks and feels stunning.
When to Hire a Planner or a Stylist
Deciding who to hire depends on what you need most:
- Destination or Busy Schedule: If you’re planning a destination wedding and have a hectic schedule, a wedding planner is perfect in helping coordinate everything remotely, saving you countless hours of research, calls and bookings.
- Wedding Planner: Hire a planner if coordinating logistics, managing vendors, and sticking to a budget feels overwhelming. A planner will keep everything on track so you can relax.
- Wedding Stylist: Hire a stylist if creating a specific look, theme, or decor is your top priority. A stylist will transform your vision into reality with stunning design details.
- Both: Many luxury weddings benefit from hiring both a planner and a stylist. The planner handles all the execution, while the stylist handles the ambiance. Together, they ensure every detail is both organised and beautiful..
For the best advice, oftentimes couples wonder if they need a wedding planner or a wedding stylist. The answer is you need both. If you value your time and want a stress free wedding execution and managing vendors is at the top of your list, a planner is essential. If your wedding decor, colour schemes and overall style is your passion, a stylists will elevate those details and make your vision come to life.
Ready to Create Your Wedded Wonderland?
Trust our experts at Wedded Wonderland to handle all the details of your special day so you and your partner can truly savor each moment of your wedding and focus on celebrating your love. Your wedding is more than just an event, it’s the start of a magical journey, and at Wedded Wonderland, we treat it with the care and creativity it deserves.
Contact Wedded Wonderland Concierge today to schedule your consultation. Let us help you find the ideal wedding planner and stylist and help you determine which professionals match your needs whether you hire one, the other, or the dream team of both!
