Planning a wedding can make or break a couple—and that’s all before they even take a walk down the aisle. The most organized of brides can quickly become overwhelmed and disillusioned with the whole process. Even if you decide to keep things small, there’s still a guest list to cut, the perfect dress to find and a venue to decorate. Hiring a wedding planner can help take the stress off of the couple and allow them to enjoy their journey down the aisle. We went straight to the planners themselves for tips and advice on everything from budget, vendors, trends and the best way to make lasting memories.

“In the end it’s not about the cake, venue or band,” says Katie Parris with New Iberia’s Thistle Co., which also offers floral design. “It’s about the marriage and commitment between two people.”

Top Mistakes Couples Make

Not setting a budget from the onset of planning and not hiring a wedding planner. – Cassie Thibeaux, Southern Fete

Making decisions and placing deposits before doing research or considering the overall plan. You can’t spend one-fourth of your budget on venue rental only and expect the rest to work itself out. – Hannah Trahan, Southern Couture Weddings

Not hiring professional vendors. Look at their portfolio, ask for a contract, see if they have liability insurance and make sure you’ll be getting the product you pay for. Not hiring a professional who has invested in education, equipment, staff, etc. will inevitably lead to feeling like you wasted money. – Randi Doucet, Poppy Lane Events

People stress over small things and worry about pleasing their guests. In weddings and in life, you will never please everyone so it’s not worth putting energy into that stress. – Katie Parris, Thistle Co.

3 Keys to a Stress-Free Wedding

Create a wedding day timeline. – Cassie Thibeaux, Southern Fete

Hire a photographer that you enjoy being around, because they will be with you all day and help set the scene for you and your party. – Katie Parris, Thistle Co.

Floor plan development. It drives up the cost of rentals, florals, catering, etc. when you don’t have a proper floor plan. – Randi Doucet, Poppy Lane Events

Tips for Budgeting

Almost every aspect of the budget stems from your guest count—not just food and alcohol—so ensure that your budget and guest count work together before securing a venue and sending out save the dates. – Cassie Thibeaux, Southern Fete

Be realistic and realize that Pinterest is usually staged. – Hannah Trahan, Southern Couture Weddings

Make sure all monetary commitments are made at the very beginning and give yourself wiggle room. Don’t tell yourself your budget is $25,000. Your budget should be $20-25,000. That way you’re mentally conditioned to be under budget, but you’ve got the extra spending room should a vendor be higher than anticipated. – Randi Doucet, Poppy Lane Events

List the most important aspects of the wedding from 1-10. One being most important and 10 being least. This helps couples understand where they want to put more money and effort. – Katie Parris, Thistle Co.

Wedding Trends for Fall 2019

We’re seeing a lot of neon and bold color, but we always encourage our couples to choose elements that truly reflect them and their style rather than focus on trends. – Cassie Thibeaux, Southern Fete

Rich colors, tons of candles and interactive food options. – Hannah Trahan, Southern Couture Weddings

Clean, sleek wedding gowns, large bouquets and floral installations. Couples are focusing more on the experience of guests and doing interactive food stations, specialty cocktails and lounge spaces as opposed to standard buffets and round tables. – Randi Doucet, Poppy Lane Events

Pampas grass is really big right now. – Katie Parris, Thistle Co.

Contact the Planners

Southern Fete

Cassie Thibeaux

www.southernfete.com

Month-of coordination to full-service planning.

Southern Couture Weddings

Hannah Trahan

www.southerncoutureweddings.com

337-654-1487

Wedding day management to full-service planning plus honeymoon travel planning.

Thistle Co.

Katie Parris

www.thistlecompanyla.com

337-380-5327

Wedding planning and floral design.

Poppy Lane Events

Randi Doucet

www.poppylaneevents.com

Wedding management, planning and design.