15 Essential questions to ask when hiring a full service wedding planner
Hiring the right full service wedding planner for your wedding is a very important decision that needs to be approached with intention and care. Not all wedding planners will be the right fit for you. Your wedding day is one of the most personal, meaningful, and epic days of your life so it makes sense that you want to hire a professional to help bring your vision to life. Your wedding is unique to you and your fiance, and you want to be sure that the planner you hire will see you, your vision, and be able to plan the wedding you are dreaming of with all the elements that will surprise and delight you and your guests.
Before I jump into the questions you need to ask your planner, I want to encourage you to pay attention to the questions they ask you. If you are hiring a full service planner and designer then they should be asking you questions about where you like to eat, shop, what your favorite decor pieces are. They should want to get to know you as well. If you sit down with a planner and they do not ask you any questions about yourself then that is an instant red flag, and I would move to another planner who takes the time to get to know you.
Besides the very basics of “are you available for my date?” AND “Will you travel to my dream venue?” Here are some questions that you should ask on your initial consultation. After you receive the answers, I would talk with your fiance and make sure they are in line with your expectations and possibly schedule a second meeting to ask any follow up questions you may have as this is not a comprehensive list of questions but a good starting point.
How many weddings do you typically do in one year?
If you are looking to hire a full planner, it is important that they have the time to give you the attention that you need. You want to know exactly how much time you will have to collaborate with your planner and how hands and available they will be. If you are working with a planner who plans 22 weddings a year then you will have less time to work with them. This doesn’t mean that a planner who is working on 22 weddings is going to deliver less, it just means their time is divided between more clients. That fits for some couples. Other couples want to work with a planner who only does 4-6 weddings a year.
How many meetings will we have and what will the communication be like?
Typically each planner will have a set number of meetings. Other planners start with a set number of meetings and add meetings as needed. Find out if you have unlimited email/phone/text access to your planner. Decide how much interaction you want with your planner and make sure that they are going to give you the time that you need.
What planning tools will you provide to me?
Do they have specialized programs that will assist you in the planning process and keep everyone on track? How user friendly are those programs? Will you have access to those planning programs so you can also keep track of the planning process and see the progress being made.
Tell me of a time that you encountered a problem with a wedding and how you solved it.
I cannot stress how important this question is. You need to know that your planner is cool, calm, and level headed when faced with stress. Pay attention to their answer and make sure their response falls in line with what your expectations would be.
What do you do in your free time?
This is not a question that couples often think to ask of their planners, but in order for your planner to do the best job for you, you have to connect on some level. If you find that they have similar interests to you then it will be easier to connect during the planning process. For example, I love to travel and I often work with couples who are avid travelers. We talk about the places we have been and where we want to go. It gives us an instant connection.
Will you be onsite the full wedding day and how many team members will you bring with you?
You need to know who is leading the team on the wedding day. Does the planning company have multiple lead planners or will you be working directly with the owner and their team. Do they bring a sufficient sized team for your wedding?
What does your process look like for finding the right vendors for me?
A good planner will have a list of vendors that they enjoy working with and can trust the level of service they offer, but they will not have only one set of vendors. Your wedding is unique and has unique needs; it is important that your planner understands your needs and looks for vendors who will meet your needs.
Do you have a detailed list of what is included in your fee, and how do you charge for your services?
It is important that you know exactly what you are getting and how much you are going to pay for it. Every wedding is different so the planner may not have a detailed list at your first meeting. They may need to hear your needs then draft up a proposal. Just make sure they hear your needs and clearly outline the services they are going to offer to meet those needs. Every planner has a different pricing structure and will offer various payment options. It is important that you understand how much you are going to pay and how. Will you have multiple payment options? What is the non-refundable retainer cost,etc?
What is the most unique wedding you have planned?
This question is so fun and important to those who are looking for a truly unique experience. Their answer may be based on relational dynamics, location, design. There are so many ways a wedding is unique so you need to determine if you connect with their answer.
How will you be dressed?
Are they able to dress to your wedding vibe? If you are planning a black tie event, you don’t want your planner to show up in leggings. If you are planning a 70’s beach theme welcome party, you don’t want your planner to show up in a full length gown.
What time will you arrive on my wedding day?
Some planners offer a certain number of hours on your wedding day. Others are first in and last out. At Charity Lynn Weddings, I am the first vendor to arrive and the last one to leave. I want to make sure that everything is taken care of from beginning to end. Every couple wants something different, and you may only want your planner there for 8 hours. If you are needing a full service planner, I highly recommend finding someone who will be with you from beginning to end to make sure everything flows as seamless as it should.
If I am planning a wedding weekend will you be there the whole time?
Often times, you will want a full guest experience from the welcome party to the farewell brunch. If you want to be sure that everything flows as it should then your planner and their team should be there from beginning to end.
What will you NOT help with?
I also love this question because it gives the planner the opportunity to share things that are outside their scope of work that will fall to other vendors. It also gives you accurate expectations. This answer will vary between planners, but you will see some consistencies.
When do you schedule tastings, music selections, florists, etc?
It is important to know their planning process. You want to know how far out they will be scheduling your tastings, giving you options for music and other vendors and making the final decisions of who to hire.
What is your favorite part of your job?
This is part of connecting with them. You want to know that they first love their job because that energy will overflow into planning your wedding. You also want to know why they love their job because that gives you insight into who they are and how they will work for you.
I would love to chat more with you about your planning needs. If you are in need of a Maine full service wedding planner who travels all over New England then contact me today!
