WITH a worldwide audience in the billions and a guest listmade up of kings, queens and heads of state, it's no wonder Prince William and Kate Middleton have a posse of wedding planners helping out.

Planning a royal wedding is no mean feat.

From carriage processions and military escorts to palace parties and balcony kisses, the event will be a spectacular piece of theatre which must be seamlessly executed.

Prince William has entrusted the job to his private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a former SAS man who spent 20 years in the army and was also equerry to William's great grandmother, the QueenMother, in the Eighties. He will work closely with William's personal private secretary Helen Asprey, a member of the Asprey's jewellery family, who will deal with themore personal aspects of the day such as the private reception in the evening.

Not so long ago couples saved for their wedding day and organised everything themselves. But these days it's not just Kate and William who are turning to the professionals to help create the perfect wedding.

Last year one-in-four UK couples employed the services of a wedding planner. And with the average wedding in this country costing an eye-watering £20,000, wedding planners are needed more than ever.

But wedding planning in the North-East is still relatively rare.Wendy Smulski, who runs the ChicWedding Company, in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, thinks the profession is about to turn a corner.

"The film The Wedding Planner didn't exactly help our cause, " she grimaces. "The whole thing was typically American. It played for laughs and fixed the idea of a wedding planner as some kind of diva in people's minds. Thankfully, things are changing."

Wendy became a planner after using an Italian company to organise her own big day - in Venice.

"Without them, I don't think we could have done it. We had a very short time frame - just a matter of weeks after deciding we'd do it - and the hurdles looked pretty daunting.

"I had no contacts in northern Italy, just a vision of what I wanted. Without a planner working for me, I would have been lost."

Having seen what a planner could do, Wendy signed up with the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners and launched her own business. Although wedding planning is unregulated, the Alliance of Wedding Planners is hoping to bring a new sense of professionalism to the role. Members have to undergo training and abide by a code of conduct.

Wendy, who covers the whole of the NorthEast and North Yorkshire, says she can be involved as much as a client wishes, from dealing with an inflexible venue to planning a wedding down to the smallest detail.

"Some couples like to plan the day but need help negotiating the best price with suppliers and the venue. Others find the whole thing so intimidating that it threatens to overshadowthe actual event. They just need to off-load everything."

Even so, couples are consulted at every stage, says Wendy. "A good planner never loses sight of the couple at the centre of this event. It's their event, their big day."

Weddings are an expensive business, so why add a planner's fees to the cost? According to Wendy, there are plenty of good reasons.

"People's time is precious, " she says. "We live in a busy world and people often do not have the time they need to plan a wedding. A wedding is like a military operation. Every part needs to be planned carefully and nothing left to chance. Remember, if it can go wrong, unless you are fully prepared, it probably will."

That means planning for every eventuality - if the wedding reception has an outdoors element, are there enough brollies to go round should it rain, does the photographer have enough time to get his pictures, are the correct place cards on the tables etc - tomake sure everything runs smoothly.

But what about the cost? According to Wendy, a good planner will more than cover their fee. It needn't be expensive. Wendy can organise weddings for any budget.

A good planner will have a list of key suppliers and they won't try to up-sell wedding day extras.

Wendy's little black book includes contacts who can supply owls that will carry a ring to the altar ("Becomingmore popular, but you need to be sure the bird won't get spooked. . ."), doves or butterflies to release after the ceremony, unusual transport (at her own wedding she travelled in a gondola) and amazing entertainment.

Among the services she offers are advice and inspiration, special events, weddings abroad, venue and supplier sourcing, plus on-the-day co-ordination. She also holds special wedding workshops and is always willing to share some top tips for a hassle-free day.

Celebrity culture is making today's weddings more lavish than ever, but Wendy reckons small and intimate is just as chic.

Her key tip: "Set your budget, then work from there. How can you set about choosing a venue if you don't know how many people you can cater for? Decide how much you can spend before you go shopping."

One thing is for certain: the wedding planner is here to stay.

For more details, contact Wendy on 01609-774955 or 07786-016166, email wendy@thechicweddingcompany.co.uk or visit thechicweddingcompany.co.uk Wendy's top wedding tips Start planning as early as possible. Venues and suppliers are getting booked up earlier and earlier each year.

Set your budget and stick to it.

Decide where and how. Look at the legalities, religious or civil, UK or abroad, where you live now or where you were born, indoors or outdoors?

Who to invite. Remember the link to budget, be diplomatic.

Get to know your suppliers and service providers. Get everything in writing.

Be organised. Make a time plan.