If you’re considering hiring a wedding planner to make the process a little easier, we don’t blame you! If you plan on having a wedding planner from start to finish, you’ll want to start searching for a professional before hiring any other vendors, caterers, etc. However, if you’re planning most of the wedding yourself, you may want to hire a wedding planner for month-of, week-of or even day-of coordination so that you can enjoy your big day without the stress! Whatever your planning looks like to you, remember to ask the right questions for potential wedding planners.
What is Your Cost?
We always put the hardest questions first, so you can be prepared for what will most likely be the biggest decision - is the potential planner within my wedding budget? Before looking at any contracts, get this question out of the way at the beginning of your meeting. Some planners charge a flat rate while others will bill you hourly. Review their packages in detail to see if their rate fits into your budget before talking about the big picture.
How Many Weddings Have You Planned in Your Career?
If you’re looking for a wedding planner with a lot of experience, put this question at the top of the interview. Be specific to your ideal wedding like “how many weddings of my size and budget have you planned”. Ask what types of weddings they’ve planned before and how long they’ve been planning. Most professional wedding planners have portfolios for you to review so you can get a better idea of their experience levels.
How Many Clients Do You Normally Have at One Time?
Asking your potential planner about their current workload will help you get a feel for how busy they will be in the months or weeks leading up to your wedding. Some wedding planners only work with one client at a time while others work with multiple clients. If you’re planning for a very big event, you may want to consider a planner who will devote most of their time to your wedding.
Do You Attend Wedding-related Events?
This is your preference so it’s important to make it clear what events you’d like your planner to attend aside from the wedding itself like the rehearsal dinner, wedding shower, or any other special events you need help with.
Do You Work with a Team or Alone?
This is a question to consider when you plan to have a very big wedding. You can stress the size of the event to your planner so they understand what you are expecting. They can also be more prepared if they feel they’ll need extra hands.
Can You Help Us Manage Our Budget?
For most brides and grooms, this will be the biggest stressor. Make sure your wedding planner is comfortable with what you’re willing to spend in what areas so that they can help you stay within your wedding budget and maximize its worth!
How Do You Plan to Communicate with Us?
You will most likely be in constant communication with your wedding planner in the weeks leading up to your wedding. You’ll want to be clear on the best way to reach them and how they plan on communicating all the aspects of the planning with you. Make sure you give your expectations, as well.
What Happens in an Emergency?
As we all know - Life happens. Your preferred wedding planner should have a backup plan in order in case anything happens. They should be able to tell you about all the precautions they put in place and any plan B’s they have in their pocket.
Can I Review Your Contract Before Signing?
Before you commit to a wedding planner, ask to see a copy of their standard contract. The contract should cover all of the pre-wedding day services, wedding day services and other fees which may be added to the balance, like travel fees, parking and other expenses. Make sure you go over the fine print with them so you are not caught with any surprise expenses.
Whether you are days away or months away from your big day, our wedding coordinators at Capt. Anderson’s Event Center in Panama City Beach, Florida are here to make your day memorable and stress-free! If you are looking for wedding venues, special vendors, or any other services for your wedding, contact us! You can also view our venue on The Knot and WeddingWire.
