In all honesty, no. People have been organising their own wedding celebrations – with the help of friends and family – since the first bride and groom said ‘I do’.

But while of course it’s possible to do it all yourself there’s lots of good reasons for getting help with planning what could well be the most important and indeed expensive day of your life so far.

So why shell out more on something you don’t strictly need? Well, first and foremost it could actually save you money in the long run.

Most wedding planners charge a flat fee rather than accepting commission from vendors. This ensures that they are working for you and not for the suppliers. That way, you know from the start what hiring a wedding planner will cost and they may even be in a position to negotiate discounts from the suppliers.

Wedding planners are NOT only for those couples with enormous funds behind them. Most couples are on a restricted budget and want to do things right. A wedding planner will help you set a realistic wedding budget, based on how much you have to spend. But it’s not all about money. A wedding planner will save you time too.

The average bride spends 250 hours organising her wedding - that's equal to 6 full-time working weeks! Not having the time to plan all the minute details and being unsure where to start looking for what you need can be stressful. A wedding planner knows all about wedding etiquette, will handle last minute emergencies and draw up contracts. They have worked closely with professional suppliers and will recommend the best people for your special day and they can come up with creative solutions to problems you may have not even anticipated.

So ask yourself this:

Do I have unlimited time to plan my wedding day?

Am I able to visit suppliers during office hours?

Am I comfortable negotiating contracts with caterers, photographers, car hires, florists, stationers, cake makers, etc.?

Am I prepared to deal with disagreements about the details?

Can I deal with last minute problems that may come up on the day of the wedding?

If the answer to any of those are ‘no’ then it’s worth thinking about bringing in a wedding planner.

But before you shake hands on the agreement consider these points:

Will this person push me into decisions I don't want/can't afford, or will they commit to my budget?

Do they have a good rapport with the best suppliers (venues, caterers, photographers, etc.) in the area? Are they in a position to negotiate discounts on my behalf?

Will they be there the day of the wedding, overseeing the entire event from supervising suppliers to troubleshooting emergencies?

Does this co-coordinator seem excited about my special day, able to make educated decisions, calm under pressure?

Does this wedding planner have insurance, both Personal Liability and Professional Indemnity?

Your wedding planner should be a creative partner who will offer advice and opinions and in addition look after all the practical arrangements. They will help you prioritise, plan ahead, consider risks.

They’ll always be one step ahead - but right behind you.