Choosing the Right Planner
Helping the Bride and family every step of the way is priceless.
In today’s market there are many people who call themselves planners. Some are bona-fide bridal consultants and others are not. If you google wedding planner you might be led to a venue, a florist shop, a seamstress, a disc jockey, and hopefully even a bona fide wedding planner.
What sets the wedding planner apart? When I started in this business I joined the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC). It was a great decision for multiple reasons. ABC stresses ongoing education, its members must adhere to a Code of Ethics, and it has multiple levels of designation.
What this means to a Bride and her family is that you can ask and find out what the person you are talking to has achieved in the business for their clients. Would you have an intern perform an operation? Of course not. So do you want to hire a planner who is practicing on your wedding? I wouldn’t think so.
With education, client experience, industry related expertise and participation, an ABC member can move to various designations. I am a Master Bridal ConsultantTM, a designation usually achieved after about 10 years in the industry.
Another thing you want to look for in a wedding planner is rapport with you and your family. Can the planner listen to what you want, will she track down details for you, and will she deliver what she promises in a timely manner? Does the person have knowledge of the process and the industry, is she well groomed, does she know proper etiquette? Will this person be able to handle family issues, service provider contracts and contacts, and be your sole support throughout the process?
Unless the person representing you is exclusively a Wedding Planner hired by you for your wedding, you aren’t really getting all you pay for. Catering sales persons at venues do a great job but they aren’t at the church, their focus is the venue and the food and beverage and not you and your needs.
A wedding planner will save you time, can save you money by suggesting things that fit into your budget and suggesting things that you can really do without, and a good planner will most certainly save you stress.
Hiring a wedding planner is an affordable option when you consider your total investment for the entire wedding. And after all, peace of mind is priceless.