Thank you to Plan The Day for inviting me on their Blab Show to share a few tips on Expectations for Your Wedding Planner: Price vs. Value.

Let me start off by saying that every bride deserves to be a princess on her wedding day. The type of wedding you are having should reflect on the type of planner you hire. If you are having a small, intimate gathering that is very low key with low expectations of a planner, having someone that is still getting their feet wet may be OK. But when you are spending a TON of money on a wedding, hiring a professional that is well versed in the industry can make or break your entire planning experience.

Let’s dive into the tips:

1. Look for someone that is running a business, not a home project. They should actually have a process in place and should share it with you.

For example:
Schedule meetings
Ask about emails
Scheduling phone calls

2. Do you like their process?

Share documents-paperless
Productive with contracts, for example

3. How do they back up your details and documents? How are they shared with you?

I use Dropbox and Google Drive to share templates with our clients so that they can see what we see.

4. Do they have a team or are they a one person show? What is their back up plan if something were to happen to them?

5. Know who will be executing your wedding, just so you know.

We have a team that execute our weddings. I plan and design. It’s not about me;
it’s about the vendors, the team and the relationships.

6. Will the planner be involved in everything? Or will they simply guide you along
the way?

For example, there are 4 things clients need me for. I am there to oversee the process, but I do not dictate everything they do.

7. Ensure you hire someone that has your needs and wants at heart.

There are planners that receive kickbacks and commissions. There is nothing wrong with that, but again, understanding how they are getting paid and ensuring you are referred to appropriate vendors is key. Make sure they have your vision in mind and can make that a reality.

8. When interviewing a planner, listen up for education rather than persuasion.

Having an experienced planner that will educate you along with way and put the fluff aside will be best for you in the experience.

9. Down and dirty on how we do it as a planner and designer; again everyone is different, but we help most clients with:

Finding Venues
Recommending vendors that are appropriate for your style and budget

Design day and floorplan
Priority Meeting
Final vendor meeting, ceremony/timeline order

Oversee Invitations
Deadlines
Manage RSVPs

Communicate to vendors and VIP

Rehearsal

Execution

10. Don’t expect your planner to be your best friend.

Your planner should look out for you like you are their best friend, but they are not going to hang out with you on your wedding day. Your planner is your eyes and ears and should be attentive to the vendors to ensure things are executed appropriately.

Price vs. Value

Price:

Don't compare planners based on price. It should be about hiring the right person with the right process for you. The experience the planner provides, their communication skills and the how much experience does that planner have should be what is important. Someone that has been in the industry 10+ years is going to be well educated vs. someone that is just starting out. There is nothing wrong with that, but they don’t know what they don’t know yet.

Value:

If you have the right planner, it should be invaluable. A planner is an investment, just like your wedding.

Planners do save client's money by guiding their time and energy in planning the wedding.

It’s not about discounts and what discounts a planner is going to get you. It’s about relationships within the industry. There could be so many special requests that come up, that if you don’t have an experienced well-liked planner in your town, it could make or break your ideas.

Planners should save a ton of time, you can’t read it all on the internet. The main thing is when it comes to the wedding weekend, how will they handle unplanned events that come up and are you willing to trust this company with those unexpected things?

I wish you all the best of luck in planning! If you want more great resources, visit my YouTube channel and subscribe for weekly tips or visit my website to get on my email list where I share information only to my subscribers.

I would like to thank Christina with Plan The Day for allowing me to share my tips on hiring a wedding planner. To learn more about Plan the Day, visit their website.