Planning a wedding can be quite daunting especially when you’re on a tight budget. What makes it worse is the added confusion of whether to get an All-In Package from a company or to book the Suppliers directly, DIY style?

Below are some of the pros and cons of the two to give you an idea.

ALL-IN-WEDDING PACKAGES

Pros

• Rates are really affordable and sometimes cheap (some are less than Php 150,000)
• Packages would include both Ceremony and Reception unless stated otherwise
• Usually starts from Php 150,000 for Manila-based weddings
• The range of suppliers would depend on the Package rate. For example, if the all-in-wedding package being offered is Php 150,000 for 100 pax, the wedding suppliers would be categorized under the low range. If it’s around Php 350,000 and up the mix of suppliers are around the low range with a few mid-range.
• You only pay to one person (the all-in package service provider) so you would most likely keep a single contract with all the inclusions
• Hassle-free because everything is laid out for you unless stated in the package that it is only good for the Reception and NOT Ceremony and Reception
• The main contact person (assigned Coordinator) deals with the rest of the suppliers on your behalf like meetings, detailing etc
• The majority, if not all of the wedding suppliers included in the package is connected to a single network (the one who offered the package)
• The majority, if not all of the wedding suppliers have worked together before
• You don’t need to think about the needs of your suppliers like Crew Meals since they will be provided in the package unless stated otherwise
• If there is a problem, you only need to talk to your contact person and not to each and every supplier to sort it out
• Supplier availability is not an issue for the couple to think about because of the agreement of the supplier with the all-in package service provider

Cons

• “My Wedding, My Rules” does not apply here because you only get what you paid for in the package being offered, unless you would have add-ons which you need to pay an extra
• The packages are templated depending on the services being offered which include the basic needs in a wedding ceremony and/or reception like catering, bridal gown, flowers, bridal car, souvenirs etc.
• If you want something more from the “templated packages” or you have specific pegs you want to achieve, then you either need to pay for an upgrade or you will be left with no choice but to get a separate supplier. With the latter option, be sure to consider corkages especially if the outsider supplier is not accredited or connected with your booked All-in package provider
• There may be hidden charges that you might not know because there is no full breakdown or “transparency” when it comes to supplier payments, etc.
• If there’s a problem with one supplier in the All-in Package list, there’s a chance that the others might be affected since their work is connected. But, if there’s a problem with the “main contact person”, pray hard that it will be sorted out and the rest of the suppliers will not follow or else you’ll there’s a chance you might end up like the others who would cry — we got scammed!
• Quality or output of the All-in Packages can be questionable at times depending on the company’s reputation, packages being offered, a network of suppliers and real feedback from past clients

DIY or DIRECT SUPPLIER BOOKING

Pros

• No specific price range since the rates would differ per supplier depending on their reputation, packages being offered, availability of discounts, existing promos etc.
• Supplier rates can be haggled but depending on the supplier and services being offered
• Services can be personalized depending on what you want and what you need
• You pay separately to your chosen Wedding Suppliers
• You have the freedom to choose who you want and don’t want. The tagline “My Wedding, My Rules” apply here
• Quality and output would mostly exceed your expectation because you booked them according to your taste
• A good relationship between the client and each supplier can be established because of constant communication
• If problems would arise, it can be sorted out separately without affecting the other suppliers

Cons

• The price rates of some suppliers can be really expensive
• Supplier availability can sometimes be an issue
• No single contact person because it’s your responsibility to contact all of your suppliers for all the wedding details unless you have a Full Coordinator (or Semi) who will act as your representative
• Accreditation fee or corkages must be considered for each supplier since not all suppliers belong in a single network
• Not hassle-free because you have to contact each supplier directly for inquiries, bookings, and future meetings
• There is a possibility that your suppliers have not worked before
• The suppliers will have their own specific request/needs to be met like Crew Meals that you have to consider
• If there is a problem, you need to talk to the specific supplier directly to sort it out

Now, how do you assess if the All-in Wedding Package or the DIY direct booking of suppliers is for you? Other than what is written above, the most important thing that you have to consider is to check your budget, time and flexibility to do things on your own starting from research, communicating with suppliers etc. From there, you can gauge which will suit you and your fiance.