How to Choose a Wedding Planner

Do your research. To find a perfect wedding planner, you need a pool of potential candidates to choose from. The easiest way to make a list of wedding planners available in your area is to Google. However, we suggest that you also ask your friends and relatives who have hired a wedding planner before. It's great when potential candidates have recommendations from someone you trust.

Check out their portfolio. A good wedding planner will have a website with the examples of weddings they've organized and their clients' feedback. Do you like their work? Does it suit your personal style and taste? How many clients' reviews are there on the site? Are they positive? You should also do a background check on the planners that got you interested. How long have they been working in the industry? How many weddings have they planned? Do they have references?

Consider your budget. Most wedding planners are used to working within a certain budget and have a minimum budget they agree to work with. Some do expensive weddings, and some are used to doing cheaper ones. It is recommended that you hire someone who is used to working slightly below your set budget. If they are used to working above, they might get frustrated because of the constant necessity to cut expenses. Don't forget that the planner's fee will depend on your budget, too. Most planners charge about 10% to 15% of the budget.

Make sure they are available on your wedding date. Before arranging meetings, make sure that the planners you are considering hiring are available on your wedding date. Why waste time meeting them if they are not free?

Meet them in person. Most wedding planners offer free face-to-face consultations. A meeting will allow you to get to know them and ask questions. Compatibility matters almost as much as professionalism. If a wedding planner is excellent at their job, but you just don't click, you will hardly work well together. And don't forget about questions. You should ask them:

• how many weddings they have planned;
• what is the average size and budget of the weddings they plan;
• what sort of services they offer;
• how many weddings they typically work on at the same time;
• how much they charge;
• how they will help you stay within your budget;
• how they are going to keep in touch with you;
• what vendors they prefer;
• if they have any assistants;
• how they handle emergencies;
• etc.

The bottom line is, you shouldn't take picking a wedding planner lightly. Before hiring one, you need to be absolutely sure you've chosen the right person – a skilled professional who shares your vision, is eager to expand on your ideas, has enough experience, and is affordable.