Don’t believe the hype when choosing a planner
Traditionally autumn is the time when couples start looking for wedding planners to help them with weddings for the following year. It can be hard knowing who to choose especially as there are so many planners with gorgeous websites, just how do you decide who is best for you? Sometimes the first impression you have on a company is the wrong one. I’ve been in business since 2002 so of course know who is good and bad, for a bride however this is more difficult. I’ve listed just 3 examples of where brides sometimes choose a planner for the wrong reason.
They have planned 200 weddings?
1st glance – excellent they must be experienced!
Cynical view– 200 weddings……. really…….are you sure?! I’ve been in business for 8 years and average at 8-12 events per year, there aren’t many planners who have been in business longer then me. It is impossible to organise more then that when doing full planning due to the time it takes not just in the organisation but meetings & travel time. 200 weddings over 8 years for example would be 25 per year – I think if I did that I’d be slightly psychotic by now! Some planners who do a lot of partial planning organise more then 12 per year as naturally there is less work involved. So if someone claims to have organised that many – ask for clarification first!
Wedding Planner of Year
1st glance – brilliant let’s hire the UK’s best planner to ensure we have the best wedding!
Cynical View – who is the competition run by, who is voting? Is it previous brides, suppliers or anybody they have ever met in person or via social media? And has that planner organised any weddings before?
The most amazing blog posts
1st glance – this person uploads the most amazing, creative and inspiration posts. She/he must be a fantastic planner.
Cynical view – blogging takes time, I know when I’m busy my ‘work’ has to come first so just where do they find the time to blog & work?! Maybe they don’t have the work yet, hence spending time on the PR/Marketing (smart move)? 🙂
Now you might read the above and think I’m a negative person, but that’s not it at all. Goodness I think my work with the UKAWP is proof of that! But, I do want couples to book the right planner for them by asking the right questions and interviewing them. It shouldn’t be solely for any of the reasons above. So what should you be asking your potential planner during a consultation?
- How long have they been a planner?
- If they are new don’t discount them, ask about their previous work experience as they might be incredibly suitable for this industry. Ask whether they have done any training.
- Are they a member of the UKAWP who has a code of ethics every member follows
- Do they accept commission from suppliers
- Is the planner asking you lots of questions? i.e are they interested in YOU?!
- Are they insured?
- Can they show you a portfolio & testimonials
- And most importantly – do you like them? What’s your instinct saying? Can you trust them and work with them? Sometimes this is more important then how many weddings they have organised except if it’s a marquee because that isn’t an area where you want an inexperienced planner.
Further guidelines can be found on the UKAWP website along with a directory of members