Budgets and Bouquets - Melbourne Wedding & Bride

Budgets and Bouquets

Wedding planners can be an integral fixture of the wedding planning process. Whether it’s handholding and encouragement, or aesthetic direction and budgets, planners appeal to many with their all-hands-on-deck approach, and often, their wealth of experience. Melbourne Wedding & Bride’s Hannah McDonald sits down with Amie Laiyton, the founder, owner & lead coordinator at Events With Amie, to talk about the role of wedding planners, tips for organisation and budgeting, and whether you should enlist one for your big day.

Image Credit: Amer Ali Photography

Events With Amie is an event planning business born from Laiyton’s nine years of experience in the wedding industry, alongside accreditations in Business Administration and Event Planning. “I’ve been in the industry since I was nineteen and worked close to a thousand weddings,” Laiyton says. After so much exposure, the mission for her venture was clear. “Wedding after wedding, no matter whether cocktail or sit-down, forty guests or 400 guests, I would be facilitating vendors who had received no guidance or were booked due to price and being fresh to the industry didn’t know how to conduct themselves and work alongside other professionals. Post-Covid when the average spend dropped, people began having smaller more intimate affairs and watching more carefully how their hard-earned dollars were being spent. I realised I could marry my passion for the industry alongside my brilliance in budgets and organisation to help ‘blue collar couples’ create the perfect day without breaking the bank!”

Behind the Scenes

Laiyton asserts that majority of her role involves being the dependable best friend by the couple’s side. “The thing I love most about being a ‘wedding day bestie’ to my clients is hearing all their wonderful stories and meeting the different couples. No couple or story is the same,” she says. “I have shift workers, childhood sweethearts, cultural weddings, private property weddings, surprise post-elopement parties, and everything in between and the variety is so fun. Getting to hear stories of how they met, proposal and learn how I can best help them, customising their experience with me and my team to ensure the best value for money.”

Another part of the job demands being an organisational powerhouse with incredible attention to detail. Laiyton states, “On our initial free consult call that I use to quote I will go over the basics with the couple – what they’re looking for, budget, if they have a venue, date, etc. If they are booking me first and have no clue where to begin, from there we progress into more depth

and detail in order to book vendors on a second follow up call – sometimes taking up to two hours. Using my own custom worksheets, we narrow down their style, favourite colours and any meaningful landmarks or areas to them. We break down what they are wanting from each vendor – style of photography, music they like, live music or DJ and much much more.”

To-do before ‘I do’

Laiyton stresses that the biggest misconception about wedding planning is the belief you have lots of time. “I’m here to tell you – you don’t. In the wedding world twelve months can often feel like only twelve days, before you know it the day is two months out and you still have more to do then you would like. Most quality vendors are already booked out for peak months and time just flies! So don’t let the planning stall at any point because before you know it, you’ll lose out on who you truly want,” she advises. “Everyone’s timeline is going to look a little different depending on the style and size of wedding but a good amount of time to begin the planning is twelve to eighteen months out. If you are looking to tie the knot during peak season, locking in your venue early will certainly help!

To begin planning, there are three clear steps. “First step is choosing a time of year or date. The more flexible you are with the date, the better luck you will have when it comes to your venue. And set your budget! The second step is creating a rough guest list, so you know what size venue you need and the style of wedding – cocktail or three course sit-down? Buffet lunch or food trucks for dinner? That sort of thing. Third – begin venue hunting.”

Cut Costs, Not Quality

Costs can be reduced in several ways. Laiyton lists, “holding it during off peak season, marrying on a weekday/lunchtime, buffet instead of sit down, faux florals instead of real and doing some of the favours yourself.” Even being more organised can cut costs. “Some couples also like to begin planning further out than eighteen months in order to have time to comfortably pay the wedding off without going into mountains of debt which can be really smart.”

Hiring a wedding planner itself can be financially savvy. “A large part of what the Events With Amie team does is budgeting and ensuring the highest quality vendors for the best deals. As I always say to my clients, cheaper isn’t always better – don’t just look at the price, look at the value. Couples don’t realise how much expert advice we provide; from little tips to larger important points that can save you money and create the best atmosphere for your day. Things like looking for hidden fees, ensuring comfortability and professionalism from your vendors; and even the best way to incorporate your needs into a seamlessly flowing timeline for your day and to suit your venue. Add it all up and the cost of a planner can pay for itself or better yet save you more than if you didn’t get one!”

Wed With or Without Them?

To hire a wedding planner or not is a considerable decision, one that depends on the specific needs and capabilities of the couple. “I hear all the time that wedding planners are a waste of money and it’s easy and can be done by yourselves. This is true for some – those who love a spreadsheet and a bit of research have probably got this. But you want to enjoy your day, so we still suggest hiring an on the day coordinator.”

In summation, Laiyton asserts “The benefits of a planner are honestly endless – saving money, saving stress, helpful tips, industry connections and discounts, verifying quality vendors for you, save you time, ensure deadlines are adhered too, send reminders, helpful spreadsheets and checklists, insider knowledge and more!”

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