• Ask friends, family and colleagues for referrals.
• Get a resume or determine the planners’ training or education. Coleen Fitzpatrick of Flourish Designs Unlimited, for instance, has been involved in all phases of the industry, from hospitality to florals to sound.
• Visit their website and check out any social media presence. Look for recent posts about wedding trends and photos of recent weddings. “The wedding industry is ever-changing, and you want someone motivated in the field,” says Leanne Silicato Prosser of Make My Day Event Planning.
• Get references.
• Before you meet, know your budget. It’s even better if you know your wedding date—or at least the time of year—and the ceremony and reception sites.
• Bring other decision-makers, such as parents, to the meeting.
• At the meeting, see if your personalities mesh and complement each other. “If you’re not super-organized or you lack the assertiveness to negotiate a deal with a vendor, then you need someone with those skills,” says bride Alaina Chamberlain.
• Make sure the planner is tech-savvy. Pinterest makes it easy to post your ideas, and Make My Day often schedules Skype appointments with out-of-town brides.
• Talk to your vendors about whom they recommend and why they like them. “How well the planner works with vendors is crucial,” Prosser says.
• Don’t go for the lowest price. Go for the best-qualified planner. “You get what you pay for,” Prosser says.
» For more Pros and Cons of Hiring a Wedding Planner, click here.
