Do you need a wedding planner?

While most couples in the western world would hire wedding planner to handle their big day, there are far less couples would do the same in Hong Kong. Are Chinese wedding easier to handle? Does tradition prevent us from hiring a planner?

Weddings in Hong Kong are far more difficult to handle

Today's wedding in Hong Kong almost always combines all the traditions and rituals from both the western world and ancient Chinese culture. White gown, tuxedo , bouquet, red wine… each of these western wedding elements seem to get along just fine with Chinese rituals like tea ceremony, lotus seed, red umbrella, and sucking pig. Today, people expect our couples to follow twice the ritual, twice the dress, they even need to cut their wedding cakes twice to fulfill their Hollywood style wedding and yet satisfying their elders in the family.

In our culture, couples must have wedding planner to be proper

Is it tradition for Chinese not to hire a wedding planner? In the old days, a dajinjie (for southern China) or matchmakers (northern China) are the ones handling rituals and procedures. They are the inseparable part for every wedding to our ancestors. It is just today we stereotype them and only let these matchmakers take care of our Chinese rituals.

You may want to consider hiring a planner if

• You can't spare 12 hours per week to manage the wedding by yourself, and 24 hours a week the month before your wedding
• You plan to invite more than 100 guests
• You wish to hold your wedding at a beach, home, garden, or other location that isn't a full-service venue
• You are getting married in a location far from where you live
• None of your bridesmaid and groomsmen has fully manage a wedding before, and with proven success
• You want everyone including bridesmaid, groomsmen and yourself to truly enjoy the day rather than having to deal with 10+ wedding suppliers constantly
• There are many important guests such as your own boss or business associates. You just can't afford to make any mistake
• Budget is a concern to you. You will be surprised to know a good wedding planner often can save you more money overall than you will be paying them