Yes. There are a million and one amazing wedding planners out there that we all know are capable of getting the job done planning and coordinating your dream wedding. They most likely each have a stunning portfolio of beautiful weddings that they would more than love to share with you...as well as a ton of right answers to all of the logistical questions you ask them about the wedding planning process.
So - How are you supposed to decide who to hire as your wedding planner when there are so many options out there? Besides varying price points, what is the difference between them all? How are you to know which planner will be the best fit for you and your fiance? Your friends? Your family? Your wedding vision?
Something many brides and grooms overlook is considering which wedding planner they trust the most. Out of all of those hour-long consultations spent meeting with potential options, who did you walk out feeling most confident in? Who do you believe has your best interests in mind and truly cares about YOU?
Remember, if you are hiring a wedding planner to do full design, planning, and coordination, that means working together for a minimum of 9 MONTHS. Before hiring, you need to be sure you feel completely comfortable interacting with and expressing your opinions to your chosen planner. If you lack the ability to do so, there is the risk that the planning process may become a stressful situation for both sides since there is a higher chance for miscommunication. Trust and transparency are beyond important for ensuring the relationship between you and your wedding planner stays strong so they can best provide you a stress-free experience.
Although someone may be an amazing wedding planner, if you do not feel comfortable around them, then they are probably not the best fit for you. Consider these 7 questions to ask yourself when narrowing down which wedding planner is perfect for you and your wedding.
WHAT IS THEIR GENERAL PHILOSOPHY ABOUT WEDDINGS?
Ask a potential wedding planner about their reasons behind planning weddings. Does their response align with your values? Though this question appears extremely personal and vulnerable, it is important to know the ins and outs of the person you are potentially entrusting with being in control on your wedding day. A genuine response can definitely stand out from the rest, letting you know that planner will consistently have your best interests in mind throughout the entire planning process.
DOES THEIR PORTFOLIO REFLECT THE STYLE AND DESIGN OF MY DREAM WEDDING?
The easiest way to narrow down your options is by taking a look at wedding planners' online portfolios or past wedding galleries - usually available to view on their company's website. Are ALL of their past weddings in the countryside in renovated barns with rustic decor when what you envision involves a grand piano, tuxedos, and a luxurious high-ceiling ballroom? Simply from that comparison, that planner would not be the right fit for you, stylistically speaking. If you continue your search and come across a planner who specializes in high-end ballroom weddings, they are more likely to know similar vendors that can help make your dream wedding a reality. There is also the chance they might have worked in that same (or similar) wedding venue and can give you suggestions of how to best utilize and decorate the space. Plus, hiring a wedding planner with similar aesthetic tastes means they are more likely to be just as enthusiastic about planning your wedding as you are!
DO THEY GENUINELY CARE ABOUT WHAT I WANT AND HOW TO HELP ME ACHIEVE IT?
Every planner has a creative vision and an eye for designing beautiful weddings, but you need to make sure that talent does not overshadow their responsibility of bringing YOUR dream wedding to life. Express your thoughts and ideas of what you want your wedding to include, then listen closely to their suggestions of how to make that happen. Are there ideas in line with your ideal vision? Are they able to suggest ways of achieving your vision without making drastic, out-of-line changes? Your wedding planner should be someone to bounce ideas off of and help guide you in the right direction.
HAVE THEY BEEN CONSISTENTLY PUNCTUAL, SO FAR?
The last thing you want as a bride is to be unable to get ahold of your wedding planner. If not hearing back from a planner in a timely manner is frequent from the beginning, that is a tell-tale sign that the whole planning process will reflect that unfortunate trend. How do you know before hiring whether they will be a good communicator or not? Well...how quickly did they respond to your initial inquiry? Since then, how timely have they been with follow-up e-mails? Did they show up on time for your in-person consultation meeting? If there were resounding yeses to all of those questions, then you have a punctual planner on your hands! If not, I would be very careful in making your decision to hire that individual. Poor punctuality can reflect in them being late or unheard from on your wedding day, as well as making for an especially stressful planning process.
WHAT DOES THEIR AVERAGE WEDDING COST? DOES MY WEDDING VISION MEET THAT PRICE RANGE?
If you have never had to plan a wedding before, you may be unfamiliar with how much it costs for each vendor service, let alone the whole wedding in general! While you may have put a lot of thought into figuring out the MAXIMUM amount of money you prefer to spend, it is just as important to know the minimum required to make your ideal wedding happen. Check with potential wedding planners to see if they have a minimum wedding budget they typically work above. This is a great and effective way to eliminate companies that exceed your price range. If your heart is set on a particular planner, don't hesitate to ask if there is a way to negotiate the price of their services in order to fit into your wedding budget. Or, ask them how you can go about adjusting your wedding decor plan to accommodate them into your budget.
DO THEIR SERVICES REFLECT WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR IN A WEDDING PLANNER?
Sometimes, brides and grooms have very different ideas of what services they expect a wedding planner to provide. Discussing those expectations with a potential wedding planner can clear the air of any miscommunication that may be present between the two different viewpoints. Some planners are completely okay with receiving and answering late-night planning questions via text, whereas others may find that appalling and would much rather stick to traditional 8:00am - 5:00pm office hours. This is a great and important discussion to have with a potential planner during an initial consultation. Get a clear sense of how they like to communicate with their clients, what specific services they provide, and how they like to operate during the entirety of the planning process. If their work approach differs from what you were looking for, simply ask if there is a way to adjust it. If not, they are not the right fit for you. Keep in mind, however, that many planners do not adjust how they operate because doing so would take away from how they work most efficiently, and doing so would detract from them being able to provide the best service for you.
DOES THEIR PERSONALITY FIT IN WITH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO WILL BE ATTENDING MY WEDDING?
During the wedding planning process, a wedding planner is not just interacting with you and your fiance, but also with your close family and friends - especially on the actual wedding day! When choosing your wedding planner, make sure their personality fits in well with your wedding party. They should be able to assertively manage your family and friends in a respectful, professional, and friendly way without offending anyone.