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.

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/  

1012 Wedding Trend #10

Trend #10:  And the color of the year is…Tangerine Tango.  Pantone and David’s Bridal will make this color easy to find.  The excitement of a bright orange color will be a lot of fun to work with as you plan your wedding.  Amp it up by combining it with bright yellow or purple or tone it down by using it with peach or pale green.

Trend #8:  Carnations will become a trendy flower in weddings.  Because of their ruffled tightly compacted petals, many carnations pressed together create the look of one giant flower, whether a bouquet, in a box or as a flower ball.  The less expensive cost of carnations also makes them a winner in 2012.

Trend #7:  Non-traditional food will be served in keeping with the “club wedding reception” style.  Think food you can eat while standing or sitting on a sofa.  There will be lots of food so your guests will not be leaving hungry, but it will be served in smaller portions.   Don’t expect this to be less-expensive, just different.  At a wedding that Blush coordinated last November, the couple served small kabobs, paper cones of fish and chips, sliders, swedish meatballs, tenderloin on a stick, mini salads and cupcakes to name just a few of the items.

Trend #6:  Club atmosphere receptions will become more common as sofas, benches, ottomans and highboys replace the traditional dinner tables.  The dance floor becomes the centerpiece and the guests anticipate a party rather than a sit-down banquet. Replacing the tradition dinner table furniture with high and low cabaret tables and upholstered benches and chairs will not necessarily be easy or cheap.  You may have to look for an unusual venue.  In Milwaukee, you may consider: 



Wild Earth Dining Room Potawatami Casino http://www.paysbig.com/catering/event-venues/



The Coast Restaurant Zilli Hospitality Group http://www.coastrestaurant.com/



Wedding Trends 2012 #4

Trend #4:  Fabric inspired cakes.  Whether lace or ruffles or draped satin, the wedding cakes will take on the look of the bride’s gown.  On the inside, the cake flavors will be unusual. 



Lisa Kattmann



Elizabeth's Cake Emporium





sweetapolita.com





           Lisa Kattmann

Wedding Trends 2012 #3

Trend #3:  Rainbow colors for the gowns of the bridesmaids.  The colors may literally cover the rainbow, or focus on shades of just 2 or 3 colors, but each bridesmaid will wear a different color, paired with colorful flowers and décor. This probably works best if the dresses are the same or a very similar style.  If each bridesmaid has a different color and a different style, it will likely look unplanned (a sort of "wear whatever you want" look).  What you can do is choose a color or shade that is complimentary to each bridesmaid's coloring.  The bouquets could be identical using all of the colors of all the dresses, or each bridesmaid could carry a dress-matching bouquet. Take this a step further and have the reception tables in the same rainbow of colors.