Contrary to popular belief, not all couples preparing to tie the knot have an extensive entourage of family and friends, available to help plan and provide support in the lead-up to the big day.

For the time-poor Bride-to-be, this lack of assistance can add immense pressure to an already overwhelming event-planning experience.

We recently interviewed, Sarah Brookes a self-confessed time-poor Bride, about how she juggled her busy work commitments and home life with planning for her dream wedding.

Q: Describe your work-life balance leading up to your wedding?

A: As a National Sales Manager for a busy home décor company, I was travelling every other week in the lead up to our Brisbane wedding. My fiancé, now husband, was working in the mines in North Queensland and was away for periods of 4-6 weeks at a time. This coupled with the fact that both our families live interstate, made for a very stressful time initially when I was considering who I had available to help me plan a smooth and successful wedding.

Q: What was the best decision you made during the planning stages of your wedding?

A: We didn’t have extra money to spend on a dedicated wedding planner, however, a friend suggested I hire a professional Brisbane Wedding MC instead. This was by far the best decision I made and one that I have recommended to other friends since. I previously thought that a Wedding MC was simply a relative or close family friend that introduced the speeches and welcomed the guests. How wrong I was!

Q: How did having a Wedding MC help you prepare for your big day?

A: Our wedding MC was supplied by the fantastic team at Let's Marry in Brisbane. We had the opportunity to meet with our chosen Master of Ceremonies well in advance to our wedding date at a time that suited both of us. During this meeting, we got to know one another and were able to discuss our vision for the wedding, the run sheet, as well as the type of guests we had invited. It was incredibly reassuring to see our MC taking lots of notes during this meeting, ensuring that he got our preferences and specific instructions 100% correct.

Q: Did having a professional wedding MC assist you in finding the best deals in Brisbane?

A: The other fantastic thing about hiring a Brisbane wedding MC from the Let’s Marry team was the local knowledge that comes part of their specialist Brisbane and Gold Coast service. They provided insights and tips regarding who the best wedding celebrants were in our area, what we should be paying for venue hire as well as the best photography locations adjacent to our wedding venue at Kangaroo Point, just over the river from New Farm, Teneriffe and Newstead.

I quickly realised that most wedding suppliers know each other. A personal referral or well-timed ‘name drop’ helped me negotiate the best rates for catering as well as our bridal wedding dance lessons with the talented Let’s Dance Co team, also based in Brisbane.

I wouldn’t have had the confidence or knowledge to do any of this if I hadn’t of engaged the services of a Let’s Marry professional MC.

Q: What duties did your MC perform during your wedding reception that made the evening special?

A: Other than being completely organised and punctual, our Let’s Marry MC was an invaluable part of ensuring our day ran to plan. We had our ceremony and wedding reception in close proximity to each other, so our MC was on hand at the reception venue to firstly liaise with hotel staff and management, before welcoming and expertly directing our guests as they arrived post ceremony.

As well as facilitating the smooth running of the reception formalities (including bridal party arrival, speeches, cutting of the cake, bridal dance etc) our MC seamlessly acted as our liaison with the catering and hotel staff, ensuring that all practical matters were taken care of, leaving us to enjoy our night with our family and friends.

For more information on planning your dream wedding, hiring a professional wedding MC or tips of the trade, contact the team at www.letsmarry.com.au today!