5 Questions to ask…
Weddings are big business (like $800 million big) and there are a host of various vendors and specialty service providers out there ready to be a part of your special day. Twenty-eight thousand of them are wedding planners. Not an exaggeration. Finding the best person or company to design your wedding should come down to more to than just whose most popular or less expensive. You should spend time vetting the company and weighing the overall value they offer.
Here are a few questions to keep in mind while when deciding who to choose….
1. Do you have prior wedding experience?
Seems basic, I know. But level of expertise needed to coordinate smaller social gatherings and milestone celebrations like birthdays and graduations is different from what is needed to execute a wedding. Weddings are full-scale productions regardless of the length of the guest list. The best wedding planners have a list of vetted vendors they’ve established rapport with and are well-versed in traditional nuptial practices and modern ceremony/reception trends. They understand that though you’re the client and their primary focus, your guest and bridal party are ‘your customers’ or targeted audience. They should work with you to design an event that perfectly intersects between the expression of your love story and the guest experience you desire to create. Unlike other celebrations, weddings are intended to be a once-in-a lifetime event – make sure the planner you chose can deliver more than just a party.
2. Do you have a preferred vendor network?
Right now, if you type “balloon garland, Atlanta” into google, you will get at least 20 valid results of businesses that can provide that service. And if you ask Facebook, 1 in 5 of your friends will know someone who knows someone capable of creating something with a balloon. Unfortunately, what that leaves you with is a long list of possible vendors to try and research and solicit quotes from all on your own. Hopefully, you’ve got that time to dedicate and hopefully, you select the best choice. That is the provider that can supply the highest quality version of the desired product or service for a cost you perceive as reasonable. If you’re already exhausted thinking about the commitment that takes then you, my friend, need should consider hiring a wedding planner who already has an established network of quality vendors for you to select from. No planner worth their salt will endorse services from a provider whose product that haven’t verified personally either through personal use or with past clients. This way, you vet one company – the planner and they are responsible for finding the best vendors for your budget, theme, and desired atmosphere.
3. What services are NOT included in my estimate?
When you hire a planner it’s important to get clarity about the services you’ve secured. Different providers offer different levels of service, and it would be wise to make sure they understand what your expectations are before moving to far in the planning process. Perhaps you’ve assumed that planning the event means you planner will remain on-site after setup is complete and coordinate the flow of the event. That’s called day-of-coordination and it’s a separate service that usually requires a separate fee. My team and I typically stay on-site for all of our events unless brought on for “décor-only” services”. The associated labor fee is included in the initial estimate after consultation. Not asking the right questions in the begincould result in you incurring unexpected charges after the event is over.
4. Is my deposit transferable?
A planner’s least favorite phrase…. “Life happens”. It’s true – no matter how well-developed a plan may be, there are some occurrences you simply cannot prepare for. Therefore, it’s important to know your planner’s policy for unexpected changes and/or cancellation due to acts-of-God, inclement weather, and injury. Typically, a deposit is a percentage of the estimated cost of your package that is taken in good faith as a mutual intention to secure and/or provide a service. Most quotes have an expiration date to let the client know that this price may be subject to change past the cited date. The deposit is attached to that specific agreement and if that agreement changes, the deposit may be a non-refundable expense. You should ask if can be transferred to another date and whether that date must be within a certain time frame. DFM Birmingham policy is that any event can be canceled at any time, but the client will forfeit the deposit for services initiated. The deposit is transferable to another date if the new date is within the same calendar year.
5. What should I be prepared to commit too?
Often when we list solicited services, we focus only on what the provider is responsible for. Most of us rarely think about what the vendor make expect from us past the agreed upon monetary compensation. For example, DFM clients agree to a response window. To be the most effective, I respond to all communication from my clients within 48 hours and I require the same of them. Also, the DFM Client Agreement includes a promise that they customer will make the reasonable effort to share professional photography from the event for marketing and promotional purposes. The clauses differ for different companies, and you should ask to ensure you’re never in breach of contract.
MAY 2022
