A wedding planner can be the key to the single most incredible day of your life – but make the wrong choice and you could be inviting chaos and disappointment instead of joy.
Whether you’re making an initial shortlist, or doing a final narrow-down to find the person who’ll help you create your big day, this list of questions will make sure there are no nasty surprises further down the line. Don’t worry if they don’t all apply to you – and don’t panic if you think some of them might come across as untrusting in the first instance, this is your wedding day, there’s no room for assumptions that don’t turn out as you expect…
https://www.facebook.com/TheSnapshotCafeweddingphotographervideographer/
Are you available on our wedding day?
Quick, simple and to the point! If they’re not, then you need to look elsewhere!
Can you plan our ideal wedding?
Talk loose details about what you’ve got in mind. If you want an outdoor beach wedding and they’re focused on indoor Church services, then you might need to talk to someone who’s got a little more relevant experience.
What’s the average cost of a wedding you plan?
This is important because you need to know if they can match your budget. If you’ve got a relatively small wedding in mind and your planner is used to delivering Hollywood style lavish ceremonies, you might find yourself clashing on finances.
Do you have any pictures of weddings you’ve planned?
Get a feel for the kind of look they can provide. It’s normal for planners to have their own signature feel to a day, in exactly the same way a dress designer has their own look. If you like it – great; if you don’t, keep looking.
Do you have any references or recent couples we can talk to?
There’s no substitute for talking to couples about the experience they’ve had with a planner – and it’s not just about the final result either, make sure you get into the nitty-gritty of communication, finances and pre-day stress levels too.
https://www.facebook.com/TheSnapshotCafeweddingphotographervideographer/
Are you professionally insured?
Professional indemnity insurance and personal liability insurance are absolute must-haves for a wedding planner. They protect you if anything goes wrong on the day – and also shield you from financial responsibility if there’s any issues with venues, vehicles, other professionals, staff, etc.
How many of your staff will be at the wedding?
If you’re expecting staff to be on your site throughout the day, make sure your expectation meets your planners – or at the very least, you feel confident that the amount of people they’re providing can cover your needs.
What do you offer?
This is a broad question, but it’s important you know whether they provide a design services, full day coordination or a fully custom service. Some planners will create a vision which they then employ other to deliver. Finding a person who fits with your input and level of control is really important here.
How many weddings have you planned?
Another simple question – but important so you get an idea of experience. Don’t worry if the number is low, many wedding planners have worked as number 2 to another planner for quite some time – so it doesn’t mean they’re inexperienced – but you’ll want to look into details of what they done specifically.
Will you be handling weddings other than ours as the day approaches?
If they’ve got a busy schedule approaching your wedding, you’ll want to make sure they’ve got the size of team that allows for this. It’s normal that they’ll be working with other couples, but you need to make sure they’re not over stretched if you want plenty of direct input.
Do you know our venue?
No two venues are exactly the same – so it pays to have working knowledge of the venues layout, limitations, access – and more. For instance, a converted chapel is going to present a very different experience to a registrar’s office.
Do you have preferred professionals you work with?
Some wedding planners have their own preferred professionals list – and that can be a good thing as they’ll often work well together. That said, you may want a little flexibility if you’ve got a particular person or service in mind.
Are you willing to communicate on our behalf?
Will your planner want to coordinate all additional services themselves? Or will that be your job? There’s no right or wrong answer – it’s about whatever suits you, but it’s always better to know.
Will you manage our guest-list – including invitations?
Invitations and RSVP lists are a crucial and time-consuming part of your plans – and often something people want to plan themselves. Check if it’s part of the service.
Do you have any specific ideas for how you’d deliver what we want?
Wedding planners are creative professionals who are likely to start having ideas as soon as you talk to them about your dreams for the big day. Asking them to communicate these thoughts will give you an idea of whether or not you’re on the same page.
How often will we meet?
It’s important to get together with your planner in the run up to your day. Some may account of lots of phone calls or Facetime discussions, whereas others may prefer actual meetings to layout paperwork, time scales – and so on. Asking how they prefer to communicate will see if they fit with your expectations.
Will you create a project timeline?
Some people like to see a timeline, so they know every detail is being ticked off on the go – others are happy knowing everything will come together on the day. Again, check how your planner likes to work to see if it fits with your preferences.
What happens if you’re sick or there’s a last-minute disaster?
It’s very unlikely to happen – but if there’s a problem and your planner is incapacitated close to the day (or, gulp – on the day) then you need to know there’s a backup plan that’ll keep your day moving smoothly.
What’s included in your quote? Will we have to budget for extras?
Some planners like to put everything together into a big overall price – others will bill for their services and then expect you to account for extras elsewhere. There’s no right or wrong – as long as you know where any additional charges are likely to appear from.