Questions You Need to Ask Before Hiring Your
Wedding Planner
We all know how the story goes. The proposal, the ring and you say “YES.” You make phone calls, show everyone your ring
and even post it on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. You now happily
and excitedly begin the wedding planning process. You’re buying the magazines, going on
Pinterest boards and reading every wedding planning blog you can until you fall
fast asleep, only to be rudely awakened when your tablet lands on your head,
and we aren’t talking about the paper kind.
Your now feeling a bit overwhelmed as reality sets in and
you realize all the aspects involved in creating your wedding. It can be a bit daunting, especially if you
are working full time and still would like a bit of a social life. There are options, but we don’t mean your best friend or your Aunt
Mary, sorry Aunt Mary. Think about
hiring a professional, a Wedding Planner.
Before you do, here are some questions you are going to want to ask
them. And believe it or not, the price shouldn’t be your first.
Are you available on my wedding date?
This should be the first question asked, why go through a
whole lot of questions, thinking this is the one, only to find out they are
booked on your day. If your date isn’t
set in stone then inquire into what dates they have available. You now have a list of dates they are available
when checking with other vendors i.e. DJ, photographer, venue… you are hoping
to use. A bit of advice, don’t wait too
long to get back with them, their calendar is filling up.
How many weddings do you do in a month and in a day?
It’s understandable that they will be working with other
couples during your planning. But you
want to make sure that they are available to you during this time as well. The amount of weddings they can successfully handle
depends on the size of their team as well as the type of weddings they are
planning. You want to make sure they are
not going to have to share their attention to two weddings on the same day. This is why doing only one wedding a weekend
allows them to give you all the attention needed the week leading up to your
wedding.
How will you communicate and how often?
Figuring out which form of communication works best is vital. Ask them how they normally communicate with
their couples. Is this by phone, emails,
text message, or perhaps Skype. Let them
know as well, which is the best way to get a hold of you. If they are big on emails, but you only check
yours every few days, there will definitely be a break-down in
communications. If you are all about texting,
perhaps if they text you that they have emailed you, the information is being
delivered and read. Problem….Solution.
How often will depend on exactly what you have hired them for. Most planners have different level of packages depending on the needs of the couples. Will we have scheduled phone calls? Can I call you at times other than our scheduled times? Some couples may require weekly check-ins while others want to be involved as little as possible. It’s best to determine how much communication is expected from both from the beginning.
How often will depend on exactly what you have hired them for. Most planners have different level of packages depending on the needs of the couples. Will we have scheduled phone calls? Can I call you at times other than our scheduled times? Some couples may require weekly check-ins while others want to be involved as little as possible. It’s best to determine how much communication is expected from both from the beginning.
Do you create a timeline that everyone will be
following, vendors, family and friends?
A wedding planner’s role is not that of a boss but as a
support system for everyone involved.
Have them explain their system for making sure everyone get the same
information, how they are able to make sure things are run on time and how they
will are able to firmly but respectfully, and in a fun manner, keep family
members and friends on task.
Do you have references?
Ask them if they have couples they may contact by email
or phone as well as vendors that they have worked with. Check to see if they have any testimonials on
their website as well as reviews on Yelp and other social media sites. These should be given to you without
hesitation and actually encourage you to contact them. This is a sure sign they have many happy
couples.
Prices? What do
you charge? How do you charge? How are the payments set up?
Okay, now you can ask about prices. By now you should have a feeling as to the
value they will bring to the table, the stress that will be removed and how a
little bit of your life is given back to you as you go through the planning process.
What they charge will be determined by the package or program you choose or design with them. This can be done as a set price, which allows you to know exactly what to put in your budget or by a percentage. Often the percentage is approximately 15% of your budget. This way can be a little unnerving as this number can change either up or down during the planning process.
What they charge will be determined by the package or program you choose or design with them. This can be done as a set price, which allows you to know exactly what to put in your budget or by a percentage. Often the percentage is approximately 15% of your budget. This way can be a little unnerving as this number can change either up or down during the planning process.
Most will require a non-refundable deposit. The balance is then set up on a payment
schedule. They may have one already in
place but you can most likely negotiate this before signing the contract to
what will work for the both of you.
There are so many more questions you can ask during your interview, the list can go on and on but, remember that not only should you be asking questions of them, they should be asking questions of you. This shows they are interested in your feelings and ideas and are listing to you as well. Take the time to interview 2-3 wedding planners, make sure you are good fit and you and your partner can now enjoy your wedding day.
If you have more questions or would like answers to these questions, please send us an email or give us a call. We would love to talk with you and set your mind at ease
There are so many more questions you can ask during your interview, the list can go on and on but, remember that not only should you be asking questions of them, they should be asking questions of you. This shows they are interested in your feelings and ideas and are listing to you as well. Take the time to interview 2-3 wedding planners, make sure you are good fit and you and your partner can now enjoy your wedding day.
If you have more questions or would like answers to these questions, please send us an email or give us a call. We would love to talk with you and set your mind at ease
Happy Wedding Day!!
