Planning a wedding naturally comes with a lot of questions, particularly when you’re trying to understand what level of support you need, how the process works, and what actually happens behind the scenes.
Below are answers to some of the things we’re most commonly asked about our services, styling, coordination, timelines, and how we work with our couples throughout the planning process.
Whether you’re at the very beginning of planning or simply exploring what support may be right for you, we hope this helps provide a little more clarity around how we work and what to expect.
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH SERVICE IS RIGHT FOR ME?
Most couples aren’t entirely sure which service they need when they first enquire, and that’s completely normal. Some come to us wanting full support from the very beginning, while others already have parts of the wedding underway and are simply looking for help bringing everything together, refining the overall design direction, or managing the final stages.
After learning more about your plans, priorities, and where you currently are in the process, we’ll guide you towards the service we genuinely feel is the best fit for the level of support you need.
DO YOU OFFER STYLING WITHOUT FULL PLANNING?
Yes. While many of our couples work with us for both planning and design, we also offer services focused specifically on styling, design direction, and overall aesthetic management for couples who are comfortable managing certain parts of the planning process themselves.
This can include anything from developing the overall visual direction through to managing styling vendors, installations, florals, lighting, furniture, and the finer details that shape the overall atmosphere of the day.
CAN YOU STEP IN IF WE’VE ALREADY STARTED PLANNING?
Yes. Many of our couples enquire after they’ve already secured their venue or booked several vendors, and simply reach a point where they realise they’d like more support bringing everything together.
Depending on where you’re at in the process, our Styling + Management or Handover + Management services are often the best fit, allowing us to step in during the later stages, refine logistics and styling direction, manage communication, and ensure everything runs smoothly leading into the wedding day itself.
DO YOU WORK INTERSTATE OR INTERNATIONALLY?
Yes. While we are based in Perth, we regularly work throughout Western Australia, including Margaret River, Swan Valley, and other regional locations, as well as interstate and internationally for select weddings each year.
Having planned and styled weddings across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, and California, we’re experienced in managing the additional logistics, travel coordination, communication, and planning considerations that destination weddings often involve.
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD WE BOOK?
Most couples enquire anywhere from 12 to 24 months before their wedding, particularly for full planning and design support, however this can vary depending on the scale of the wedding, location, and level of support required.
We also regularly take on weddings in shorter timeframes, especially for styling and management services. As we only take on a limited number of weddings each season, we generally recommend getting in touch as early as possible once you feel you may like support.
DO YOU ACTUALLY STAY ON THE WEDDING DAY?
Yes. For any service that includes management or coordination, we are there on the wedding day overseeing setup, managing vendors, refining final details, troubleshooting behind the scenes, and ensuring everything flows as it should from start to finish.
Our role is to quietly manage the moving parts so you, your family, and your vendors can remain fully present and enjoy the day itself rather than worrying about logistics or timelines.
DO YOU WORK WITH VENDORS WE’VE ALREADY BOOKED?
Absolutely. Many of our couples enquire after already securing some of their vendors, and we’re very happy to step into the process wherever you currently are.
While we’re always happy to recommend trusted suppliers where needed, we also regularly work alongside existing vendor teams and focus on bringing everything together from both a logistical and design perspective.
WHAT DOES A WEDDING PLANNER ACTUALLY DO?
A wedding planner manages the overall planning, logistics, communication, timelines, and coordination of a wedding from behind the scenes. Depending on the level of support required, this can include vendor recommendations, budget guidance, venue management, styling oversight, timeline creation, guest logistics, installation coordination, and managing the wedding day itself.
Ultimately, our role is to guide the process in a way that allows you to properly enjoy both the planning experience and the wedding itself, without needing to carry the responsibility of managing every detail on your own.
DO YOU ONLY WORK ON LARGE WEDDINGS?
Not at all. While we do work on large-scale and multi-day weddings, we also work with smaller celebrations where couples value thoughtful planning, strong design direction, and experienced management.
For us, it’s less about guest count and more about creating a wedding that feels personal, layered, and beautifully executed, regardless of size.
DO YOU MANAGE SETUP AND PACK DOWN?
Yes. Depending on the service selected, we manage everything from styling installation and vendor setup through to overseeing pack down instructions and ensuring hired items, florals, and personal pieces are handled correctly at the end of the evening.
This allows couples and families to fully enjoy the celebration without needing to coordinate logistics on the day itself.
CAN YOU HELP REFINE THE DESIGN EVEN IF WE ALREADY HAVE IDEAS?
Absolutely. Many of our couples come to us with Pinterest boards, saved inspiration, or an overall direction already in mind.
Part of our role is helping shape those ideas into something that feels true to you both and the atmosphere you want to create, while ensuring everything works practically alongside the venue, lighting, florals, floor plan, and overall guest experience so when guests walk into the space, they immediately feel your personalities reflected throughout it.
HOW INVOLVED DO WE NEED TO BE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS?
That really depends on the type of experience you want. Some couples love being very involved in the creative and decision-making process, while others prefer a more guided approach where we narrow options down and manage most of the communication behind the scenes.
Our role is to adapt to the level of involvement that feels right for you while ensuring everything continues moving forward smoothly throughout the planning process.
DO WE NEED A WEDDING PLANNER?
Not every couple needs a wedding planner, and many weddings can absolutely be planned independently. However, for couples wanting experienced guidance, support managing the logistics behind the scenes, and someone carrying the responsibility of bringing everything together on the day itself, having a planner can completely change the experience of both the planning process and the wedding itself.
For many of our couples, it’s less about needing someone to make every decision for them and more about having the right support, structure, and oversight in place so they can properly enjoy the experience without feeling like they’re managing it all themselves.
CAN YOU WORK WITHIN OUR BUDGET?
Yes. Every wedding we work on is different, and part of our role is helping guide where your budget is best allocated based on your priorities, guest experience, and the overall atmosphere you want to create.
Rather than approaching weddings with a one-size-fits-all mindset, we focus on helping you invest intentionally in the areas that will have the greatest impact, while ensuring the overall experience still feels thoughtful, elevated, and reflective of what matters most to you.
WHAT MAKES ARON JAMES CREATIVE DIFFERENT?
For us, wedding planning and styling has never been solely about how a wedding looks, but how it feels to experience. While beautiful aesthetics will always be important, we place equal focus on the atmosphere, guest experience, flow of the day, and the moments in between that ultimately shape how a wedding is remembered.
With over 18 years in the industry and more than 350 weddings planned and styled across Australia and internationally, our approach combines experienced management with thoughtful design and a genuinely hands-on level of support throughout the process.
We also intentionally take on a limited number of weddings each season, allowing us to remain deeply involved in every celebration we work on and provide a more personal experience for each of our couples.
Still have a few questions?
We know every wedding and planning journey looks a little different, so if there’s anything you’d like to chat through, please don’t hesitate to reach out.