When putting the pieces together for a wedding, we encourage all of our clients to do their research and select vendors that are full-time professionals, and a wedding coordinator is no exception. Wedding planners provide valuable tools to make your wedding preparation a breeze and help relieve a lot of potential stress associated with all of the planning. Additionally, they are incredibly helpful and important on the day of the wedding to help make sure the timeline is going as planned and are on the front-lines in the event that there potential hiccups. As such, we recommend to every wedding regardless of size that they consider hiring a full-service wedding coordinator to help you choose your vendors, plan the timeline, ensure the success of your event and help put your mind at ease so you can enjoy your big day!
One of the wedding coordinating teams we work with often is Sweetly Paired, and we asked lead planner Lilli Black to weigh in with her suggestions on what you should look for when searching for a wedding planner:
HOW TO CHOOSE A WEDDING PLANNER
1. Find someone who has a personality that matches yours. Are you super particular in language and style? Find a planner who matches that style of communication. Are you more relaxed and laid-back? Find a planner who works well with your attitude towards the wedding, the details, and the timeline. Someone relaxed and chill doesn’t want a drill-sergeant the day of freaking out about minute to minute timing. The A-type who won’t take off her smart watch so she knows what’s happening every second… will hate working with that chill planner who isn’t worried that the ceremony started 10 minutes behind because of a late shuttle. Of course, these two are extremes, and there are a million shades of grey in between… but you need to find your people, not just a pretty instagram account.
2. Reviews, reviews, reviews. Read them in detail, ya’ll. You should not just look on one platform – but check the Knot, Wedding Wire, Google and Yelp. Do your research. Almost every vendor has the crazy client who wrote them a 1 star review because it rained on their wedding day. That’s OK, guys. Take that emotional review with a grain of salt. but read through them, don’t just look at the top level of stars.
3. The planner’s portfolio can tell you SO much about them. How many weddings can you identify out of the photos you see on their social media & website? Are the photos all of the same 3 couples? Are they weddings, or styled shoots? Is the decor in the images on the same level with your decor? If you’re a client with a higher-end wedding, and you see a bunch of DIY and burlap runners… Take note! Has that planner planned with higher-end clients? Do they understand the differences when the stakes are higher, the decor takes longer, and the expectations are through the roof?
4. Culture! Make sure your wedding planner understands the nuances of your culture. Indian weddings have intricate, important cultural details take experience and finesse! Your Chuppah is different than that Mandap, and your wedding planner should intimately know the difference. Check their portfolio – look for YOU in there.
5. The planner’s portfolio can tell you SO much about them. How many weddings can you identify out of the photos you see on their social media & website? Are the photos all of the same 3 couples? Are they weddings, or styled shoots? Is the decor in the images on the same level with your decor? If you’re a client with a higher-end wedding, and you see a bunch of DIY and burlap runners… Take note! Has that planner planned with higher-end clients? Do they understand the differences when the stakes are higher, the decor takes longer, and the expectations are through the roof?
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