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Pros/Cons of Working with Professionals vs. Family/Friends

We all seriously love the idea of asking friends or family members to help out with our weddings however, there are some jobs that you may not want them taking charge of. Yes, you might be able to save some money by having a family member take your wedding photos or asking your friend to officiate your day, but is it worth the risk?

Here is a list of pros/cons of asking family members or friends to take on different aspects of your wedding.

Photography:

Pros:

-They generally charge a lot less than professionals

-You are more comfortable around them

Cons:

-They don’t often have the correct equipment to shoot an entire wedding and create exceptional photos

-They aren’t experienced with wedding schedules and when to capture the right moments

-Likely not insured if something goes wrong

Officant:

Pros:

-You will be more comfortable with them

-They will be able to recall personal moments and include them in your ceremony

-They will be invested in the ceremony because you mean a lot to them

Cons:

-They will likely be unorganized

-They may not know the flow of a ceremony and forget to say or do certain things

-Instead of being a friend or family member attending your wedding ceremony, they are working

Florist:

Pros:

-They charge a lot less, if any money at all, to put your flowers together

-They can work on them with you so that changes can easily be made

Cons:

-They may not look as professional as they could if a licensed florist created them

-They may not get wholesale flower pricing if they are unlicensed

-The structure, depending on the arrangement, may not hold up as well

-They may not have the correct equipment to create lavish floral creations

DJ:

Pros:

-You can absolutely control the music selection because you can tell your family member/friend exactly what you want and they will follow it

-It will definitely be cheaper than hiring a professional

Cons:

-They may not be confident enough to emcee

-They won’t know how to get the crowd up and dancing when there is a lull

-Won’t know how to keep the wedding flow going and fill empty time if needed due to delay in schedule

-They more than likely do not have the correct equipment and probably aren’t insured

Beauty:

Pros:

-Practice, practice, practice. When it’s family or friends who make up your beauty team, you can have them practice your look all you want

-Pricing will always be more when going with a professional

Cons:

-Your hair/makeup might not be as on point if a professional isn’t doing it

-They may not do what looks best for you and your skin tone

-They won’t have all of the product that a professional does

-They may crumble under pressure if something goes wrong

Wedding Planner/Coordinator:

@lindsayhite

Pros:

-You will definitely save money planning your own wedding or having family/friends help plan the wedding

-You will have more control over the wedding planning process

Cons:

-You won’t have the seasoned professional who has planned a lot of weddings and stays calm under pressure

-You won’t have a professional to bounce ideas off of

-It could become more stressful trying to have family/friends help because they will constantly be asking you questions that day to ensure all is correct. A professional knows not to bother the bride and go with the flow.

Caterer:

Pros:

-Cost is often times cheaper because you don’t have to pay a hefty price per head or gratuities

-Food would be more to your liking as you would get to choose exactly the type of food you wanted to serve

Cons:

-Family/friends will not be as professional

-You won’t have a professional serving staff/clean up staff

-You may not have the proper equipment to keep food warm/cold

-The food won’t look as elegant or nicely decorated

Bakery:

Pros:

-You get to have total control over the entire process

-Your cake will be more personal if it came from the hands of somebody who means so much to you

Cons:

-It may be a total disaster. Baking is not easy and if you trust a friend or family member to create perfection, you would be let down.

-Elegance may not be achieved because they may not know how to finish a wedding cake properly. There is a difference between a birthday cake and a wedding cake..

-Delivery could be difficult without the proper vehicle or equipment

Obviously it is completely up to you when to hire and when to utilize family and friends, but always remember the pros of cons of that decision. Your wedding photos may not be exactly what you hoped for, your DJ may make a few mistakes, and your wedding cake may not be picture perfect. Whatever you choose, just be prepared for the outcome!

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Friday: Wedding Websites

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