When deciding on using a planner there is so much to think about do you even want one?? If you decide yes, you need to find the perfect fit for you. I have listed some questions I would suggest asking any potential planners to work out if they are right for your special day.
There are lots of couple specific things you need to ask a planner especially if they are planning your whole wedding as you will need to know how involved they will be in the planning and booking process, but below I will detail some of the more generic things you should ask.
Firstly is your wedding date free, yep I know its obvious but you don't want to tell someone all your plans invest your time into one planner and then find out they don't have your date free.
Then I think it's hugely important to understand what is included for the price quoted lots of planners will include slightly different things and offer different prices before settling on one make sure you have everything you want to be included, personally I offer bespoke packages to match each couples needs.
I personally think another huge thing to ask is who is the main contact will they be the co-ordinator on the day. With something as important as your wedding day I think it is important to build a relationship with the person who is your co-ordinator on the day but some large planning company will have a team of people so just make sure you know who is your main contact and if they will be there on your special day.
This one may not impact you massively but if you are looking for quick responses and someone on hand 24/7 then the hours of work need to be confirmed, some people might only work certain days or only evenings. the other time to confirm when discuss hours is what hours they will invest in your wedding. I have had someone book my 'On The Day Package' purely because I offer more hours in the lead up to their wedding.
This one I don't think is important but many couples would like to know how many wedding do planners take on each year, I don't know if this is because they think you might not focus enough time to them if you have a lot of weddings but I believe that most planners wouldn't take on more than they can manage as this is what their job is all about managing time.
This next one is tough but ultimately people need a backup plan in case they are ill on your wedding day so you should always ask what there plan is if they can attend your wedding. My plan is to find a replacement to cover what I would have done on the day using the information I have already gathered from the couple.
This one I think is hugely important to ask is if the planner has worked at the venue before. I have heard of people who have just turned up on the day to a brand new venue they have never worked a wedding at before which if that's how they work that is great, but I personally like to visit a venue before working there so I know exactly how it is set up and how everything works there. I don't think you have to have worked at a specific site before but it's always best to have visited at least.
When you book a wedding planner/ coordinator you want them to be the calm on your wedding day when everyone else is stressing and concerned you want that person to be serene and relaxed. So I would suggest asking anyone you book how they stay calm. Personally I will always remember from my training in hospitality many years ago that you should be like a swan serine on the top and kicking like mad underneath which I think is true of wedding planning the couple should never know the challenges you faced on the day unless its something disastrous.
If you have any other questions please do get in touch and ask anything.