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When you need professional help

By Lana Bortolot | Special to amNewYork

June 20, 2006

There are two types of brides: Those who want to plan every detail of their wedding themselves, and those who'd rather not be a taskmaster.

If you are the former, stop reading now. But if you lack time, energy, ideas or organizational skills, read on. You'll want a wedding planner who can create an event that impresses your guests and leaves you stress-free.

Specialized wedding information services can help couples choose a planner and advise them about the level of assistance they may need. Jennifer Gilbert's Manhattan-based wedding referral service, Save the Date, has a bank of some 1,800 wedding purveyors, so Gilbert can connect couples to the services they want, whether it's all or just a few.

"Some brides come in with a big binder and want to do things themselves, and others are not so caught up in 'this is my big day,'" Gilbert said.

In addition to planning and vendor matchmaking, Gilbert's company offers full or partial coordination so a bride "can be a guest at her own wedding."

She advises brides not to be shy about shopping around for planners, so they end up with an event that reflects their style, not that of the person they're hiring.

Jennifer Zabinski, a partner with Claudia Hanlan in the Wedding Library, an Upper East Side research boutique customized for brides, agrees.

"Find someone who has a similar aesthetic so your event is a reflection of you," she said. "Chemistry is important because the planner often becomes that person's friend, mother and therapist."

In addition to checking references, Zabinski advises brides to check the type of events the planner has done before and get a sense of the scope of their work.