Hiring Wedding Planner

Before Hiring a Wedding Planner

What Every Bride Must Know Before Hiring a Wedding Planner

Many brides struggle with the idea of hiring a wedding planner. On one hand, if you are very busy in your day to day life, you may not have time on your own to plan anything. Wedding planners are fantastic for those busy couples, but maybe are not meant for the kind of bride that feels the need to make every decision by herself. There are a couple things every bride should know before deciding whether or not to hire a wedding planner that we have compiled for you.

 

Hiring a Wedding Planner is Not Cheap

This isn’t meant to scare anyone, but if you are on a very strict budget, you should know that hiring a wedding planner usually accounts for at least 10% of a weddings overall budget. Don’t think that because you are hiring a wedding planner that you will make that money back in the discounts that your planner may be able to get for you. You are hiring a planner that has a good working relationship with many vendors, not a bargain hunter. It is their job to stay within your allotted budget, not find a $100 plate for $25.

Your Personalities Should Mesh Well

The wedding planner will be helping you a great deal with your wedding and if you feel that your personalities do not mesh well during the consultation, perhaps you are not suited for one another. While a wedding planner cannot read your mind, they should be able to determine what kind of ideas you may like from a vendor and which you would not like, saving you from having to look through scores of things you might hate. The wedding planner should also understand your theme and what kind of wedding you want to have. Brides should always shop around for wedding planners, not just go with the first one they find or one that has been recommended by a friend or family member. Always meet with them first to make sure you two will get along.

 

Hiring Wedding Planner is Not Cheap
Before Hiring Wedding Planner

Know What to Talk About During the Consultation

The consultation should be less focused on the wedding and more so on the wedding planner themselves. Think of the consultation as an interview with the planner. Brides should be asking about past projects and most importantly, how much time will be dedicated to planning the wedding. Some are full time wedding planners, while others do it part time, or only on weekends. You will also want to know how many weddings the planner takes on at one time and if they take any classes to keep up on wedding trends. A formal education for wedding planning is not necessary, but you will want to know what kind of experience the planner has. Some planners will even bring portfolios with them to show off other weddings or events they have put together. Brides should know that event planners and strict wedding only planners are similar, but wedding planners may have more experience that you are looking for.

Decide What Kind of Planner is Best for You

Both full service and day of planners are available for you to hire; it just all depends on what you are looking for. For a full time planner, you are looking at an average cost of about $3000.  But this can fluctuate depending on where you live. A full time planner will help you do everything from flowers to catering and everything in between while a day planner is only there for the day of the wedding, making sure everything goes off without a hitch. They also act as your contact in case anything happens, but you would be responsible for hiring everyone, including vendors. Some venues such as hotels offer a wedding planner as well, but they are usually not full service and deal only with the amenities that the venue offers, such as bar and food services.

About the Author: This article was written by Theresa Gibson, savvy wedding blogger and social media manager at Top10WeddingVendors.com, a leading go-to vendor guide for brides across North America. To connect with Theresa, follow her on Facebook.

About the Author HTML:

About the Author: This article was written by Theresa Gibson, savvy wedding blogger and social media manager at Top10WeddingVendors.com, a leading go-to vendor guide for brides across North America. To connect with Theresa, follow her on Facebook.

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