Questions to Ask When Hiring a Wedding Planner

Questions to Ask When Hiring a Wedding Planner

        I'm a little frustrated this year with my planning business.  I've been contacted by so many brides, but it has been very difficult to get them to hire me.  I know the problem...I'm not the cheapest planner!!  I've watched over and over as the conversation breaks down as soon as I tell the bride my prices.  I'm writing to say that brides who have only one criteria (the cost) for hiring a planner are making a big mistake.  Unfortunately, they may not know it until their wedding day.

Here are the questions to ask when hiring a Wedding Planner:

1)  How much experience to you have?  (How many years have you been in business?  How many weddings have you planned?)

      There is nothing like experience to equip a planner to be prepared for anything that can happen at a wedding.  I've had to work through problems like bad weather causing the carriage company to cancel just before the grand exit by the bride and groom from the reception, the groom's father passing out at the reception, the DJ company (that had exclusive rights at the venue) arriving late and without all the equipment promised, unexpected guests arriving for dinner, and many other unexpected crises. The first time that something unexpected goes wrong, a novice planner may not know what to do.  An experienced planner can take most things in stride, acting quickly and professionally to solve the problem--often without most people even knowing that a problem existed.  Furthermore, with experience, a good planner will take all the necessary steps to avoid many unexpected problems happening in the first place.

2)  What are your professional connections?

     A good planner should have memberships in professional organizations.  Not only do these groups offer training and on-going support for the planner, but they provide net-working opportunities that acquaint the planner with many other wedding vendors.  Through a professional association, a planner can suggest highly qualified service providers to the bride.  Look for a planner who uses the designation, PBC^TM  (Professional Bridal Consultant).  This is an earned title, achieved through education and experience.

3) Will you provide a complete design plan; including color swatches, floor plan, samples or photos of decor (like centerpieces), and complete description?

     This question assumes that you are using your planner's services in design.  I am sometimes confused by the brides who have hired a literal potpourri of designers.  The bride hires a florist, a caterer who provides table service and linens, a lighting company, a company to provide table menu cards, and a rental company to hang draping and none of these people know what the others are doing! 

4)  Does your fee include attending meetings with vendors and the venue managers?  A good planner will not only attend these meeting with you, but will help you to negotiate the best price and make sure that the services offered are complete.  Inexpensive wedding planners may not include these services, or will add charges to do them.

The bottom line is; "you get what you pay for".  Make sure that all of the services you want are listed on the contract you sign with a planner.  Do not assume that something will be done by the planner.  Ask about it and get it in writing.

DIY Wedding

Being a DIY Bride

I completely understand why women want to be "Do It Yourself" Brides.  The cost of weddings just keeps going up and over the top.  So, why not save a lot of money by using "home made" items in your wedding?

If you aspire to be a DIY Bride, here are some simple guidelines:

1) Only do those things that you have the ability to do.  Here's an example:  One of the cute DIY items that has been around for a while is the wedding signs that are chalkboards.  Cute, shabby chic or rustic, these signs require that you or someone you know is able to write legibly.  Don't try to create your own wedding signs if your handwriting is lousy.

theknot.com



2)  Only do those things that use quality materials.  The end result can only be as good as the materials you use when you make something.  It may be tempting to buy the cheapest ribbon or plastic beads instead of crystals, but when you are finished, no matter how artistic your rendition may be, it will look like what it is; a cheap, handmade item.

3)  Only do those things that you will not regret. Make sure that if you decide to create a bouquet of paper flowers or carry a clutch you made from left-over fabric and stick-on bling that you won't be regretting it on your wedding day--wondering if spending another $100 would have made you happier.

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4)  Make sure you have figured the time it will take to DIY.  I have made this mistake as a professional planner--only for me it meant that I didn't charge enough for the work I was doing.  The only way to know for sure that you have time to do it yourself, is to actually purchase the materials for making one item, make that item and time how long it takes.  Then you can multiply.  Do you really have the time?

5)  Only do those things that will stand the test of time.  This is a difficult part of wedding planning.  (Whether you are doing it yourself or hiring someone to do it for you.)  The design of your wedding, from your dress to the centerpieces, your florals, even your invitations are things that endure in photographs and keepsake boxes.    Always ask yourself, will I have to explain this or make apologies on my 25th Wedding Anniversary? 

Don't Be Afraid of Color

Pfister Imperial Ballroom Hocus Focus Photography

Don't be afraid of color when designing your wedding.  I’m seeing a trend of Wisconsin brides being extremely cautious and conservative with color while the color “experts” are promoting bold colors.  The return of bright colors was the focus as Pantone named “Tangerine Tango” as its color of the year.  Colors are connected to our emotions and develop a mood through décor.  There is not such a thing as a bad color.  Of course, as individuals we all have favorites and least favorites, but color is not inherently bad.  So, go ahead and pick your favorite.

Here are the color emotions/moods to consider:

BLUE is a natural color, from the blue of the sky and has a soothing effect.  It seems to make time pass quickly. However, too much blue could dampen spirits.  Blue comes in many different shades.  Not all blues look good together.  Its analogous colors are purple and green.



Sweet Perfections Bakery Hocus Focus



Green is life. Abundant in nature, green is a restful color with some of the same calming attributes of blue. Like blue, time seems to move faster.  There are also many shades of green and shades that mix green with blue for example, turquoise.  Green is a mix of yellow and blue.

Yellow is sunshine. It is a warm color that denotes happiness and joy.  Yellow is

hopeful.  Too much yellow can make one feel cautious or suspicious. Its analogous colors are green and orange.

Orange is vibrant.   It denotes, energy, warmth, and the sun. Orange has shown to have only positive affects on your emotional state. This color relieves feelings of self-pity, lack of self-worth and unwillingness to forgive. Orange opens your emotions and is a terrific antidepressant. Orange is mentally stimulating as well as sociable.  Use it to get people thinking or to get them talking.

Hocus Focus Photography

Red is hot. It's a strong color that conjures passion.  Red can

 have a physical effect, increasing the rate of respiration and raising blood pressure.  Its analogous colors are purple and orange.

Pink is a softer, less violent red. Pink is the sweet side of red. While red stirs up passion and action, studies have shown that large amounts of pink can make one feel fragile. It is romantic. Pink’s analogous colors are lavender and peach.

Purple is royalty. A mysterious color, purple is associated with both nobility and spirituality.   Purple can inspire the imagination or creativity. Too much purple, like blue, could result in moodiness.  Purple is a mix of blue and red.

 

Budgeting for Your Wedding

Image from theweddingcolony.com

I work with many brides whose biggest struggle while planning their weddings is budgeting.  Most brides know how much money they have to spend on their weddings, but often, from the first purchase (usually their wedding gown) they see the money disappearing much faster than they expected.  It isn't much fun worrying about when your money will run out.

According to The Knot, the average wedding costs $27,021.  You could buy a 2012 Dodge Caravan or a 2012 Nisson Altima for that same amount of money.  It's a lot of money, but every bride knows how easy it would be to spend a lot more.  Recently, I found a great page on the Your Wedding Company  website.  It is a free wedding calculator.  Using it, you type in the amount of money you have budgeted for your wedding and it instantly gives you the specific amount that you can afford to spend on each wedding item.  If you are shopping and you find something that costs more or less than the budgeted amount, you can change the price in the calculator and it will instantly update everything else to reflect that price change.  It's really cool!  Find it at:  http://www.yourweddingcompany.com/templates/planning/budget_calc.php/action/showProject/planId/3/