Wedding Staff: Hiring Professionals vs Hiring Friends and Family
We all have an uncle who’s a DJ, or a cousin that loves their photography. But should you hire these people to work at your wedding? Would it be better to hire a professional to do these jobs instead? Here are some of the pros and cons to weigh up that could help to make the right choice.
Friends and family are cheaper
In most cases, your friends and family will be cheaper to hire. Some may be willing to volunteer their services on your special day. Others may be professionals themselves and still expect some form of payment, but still may be willing to offer you a discount. This is something to consider if you’re on a budget as it could help you to save money and spend more elsewhere. Wedding industry traders aim to make a huge profit on their services – having a friend bake a home-made wedding cake or design a floral display could save you a huge amount. Of course, you may get lucky and find a budget professional service on a site like Gumtree (although you can usually expect more amateur service as a result).
Professionals are likely to be more reliable
It’s possible your friends and family may be professionals themselves, in which case you know that they’ll provide a decent quality service. That said, being a close relation could cause them to take a more casual approach – they might drink too much or try to join in the celebrations which could affect results.
When hiring professionals, you have the chance to shop around and get the quality that you want. Sites like The Wedding Gallery allow you to do thorough research before choosing a service. When choosing friends and family you may be limited to a certain style and quality. You might have to deal with your DJ uncle playing a setlist of drum n bass anthems, or you might have to put up with overly arty photos from your cousin photographer.
Friends and family might be able to give a more personal touch
Friends and family may be able to make your wedding feel more personal. They may even be able to throw in their own personal surprises based on their experience with you. This all depends on how well you know them – a friend of a friend isn’t likely to bring many personal touches.
Hiring professionals might allow your friends and family to enjoy the wedding
A perk to hiring professionals is that your close relations can relax and enjoy the wedding. They can drink as much as they want and don’t have to worry about being in the right place at the right time 24/7. Professionals can dedicate themselves to the role and won’t feel the need to join in the celebrations, which is what you may want in order to get the job done properly.