The Sunshine Blog

Finding and hiring the right wedding planner is very important in the overall success of your wedding, so it is important to do your research and prepare yourself before meeting with any wedding planner (this applies to other vendors too).

Most wedding planners offer complimentary initial consultation which are typically between 30 minutes – 1 hour, while some offer a paid initial consultation where you pay a nominal fee that would then be transferred to their service fees if you hire them.
View this meeting as an interview for both parties, you are interviewing the planner to find out if they are a good fit for you and your vision and the planner is interviewing you to see if you are a good fit for their company. This meeting could be a win or a deal breaker, so we have written a few tips to help you with this process so you can vet and hire the right planner for you.

Research – Before contacting any planner make sure you have done your research. Ask yourself these questions:

• • Do they fit my style and vision for your wedding and do you like their work? You don’t want to waste your time contacting a planner that plans and designs upscale colourful events for example, when your style is minimal and budget friendly. Planners love it when you have done your research and know a few details about them.
  • Have they worked with people that are like you? For example: do they plan destination weddings, traditional, multicultural or LGBTQ2+ weddings.
  • What are their clients saying about them? Check for reviews from their clients and vendors, you can find this on their website, google or social media.

Be Ready to Answer the Planners’ Questions – Some planners have an inquiry form that they would send to you to fill out before your appointment with them and this is to help them know more about you and your event and prepare for your appointment, so take you time to fill them correctly. It is a red flag to planners if you do not fill this form. While some ask you these questions during the meeting. Sample questions to expect:

• • You and your partner’s name
  • Your desired wedding date, month, or season (if you have one)
  • Your estimated budget and guest count (it is very important to have an idea).
  • What stage you are in planning (I personally advise hiring a planner before any other vendor)
  • Your wedding style, vision, theme, and colour (Modern, Traditional, Destination, Outdoor, etc.), if you have a Pinterest board or inspiration pictures to show, take them with you for your appointment.
  • List of vendors hired – this includes venue, photographer, etc.
  • Must have and pet peeves.

Have an Open Mind – This is your first time planning a wedding, so there are a lot of things, terms, etiquettes, etc. that are unfamiliar to you, so be open to suggestions. During consultations with my clients, I find that I spend half of the time educating them about trends, pricing, design, etc., so expect to be re-educated.

Is there Chemistry? – Do you guys’ vibe well? Are you comfortable sharing and asking questions? Do you trust them to execute your vision? It is very important that you like and get along well with the planner you decide to go with because this a relationship that would last at least 6 months. You don’t want to end up with a planner that you are intimidated of or a planner who doesn’t care about your idea or suggestions.

Be Honest – It is important to be honest with the planner, do not withhold information or details. Some people think it’s ok to hide their real budget during consultation, but this doesn’t help them because it leads to additional fees and your planner not trusting you. Your planner wants to leave the consultation knowing that they know you and understand your vision and goal for you wedding. This would help them to give you a detailed proposal of their services and fees.

In conclusion, wedding planning can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. I always tell my clients that they don’t have to think about or plan their wedding 24/7, with the right planner the process will be fun, seamless, and smooth. As planners, we want you to have the wedding of your dreams without the stress. Once you hire your planner, trust them, their vision, advise and expertise. Also note that an initial consultation isn’t a wedding advice session, most planners offer advising sessions where you can pick their brains for a fee if that is what you are looking for.

P.S. How soon should you book a wedding planner? We recommend immediately you decide you are getting married or 1 year – 6 months before your event and before booking other vendors or venues.