The fact that you stumbled upon this page and are still reading it, is a start!
In that flush of excitement on your engagement, probably a thousand things flood your mind; you begin browsing through a million Pinterest images, website recommendations from the faint memory you had of someone else’s wedding, and scouting for the best package deals because, let’s be honest, a wedding ain’t cheap (and deep down you wishfully hope your other half is able to afford those premium floral arrangements you saw somewhere on Instagram).
Undoubtedly, you would want a wedding that’s perfect to the very last detail and to have a once-in-a-lifetime event you’d want to look back with fondness. Enlisting the right experts to make it memorable, commonly include craftsmen in photography, décor, catering and not forgetting the entertainment involved.
Nonetheless, engaging the right vendor can not just be tricky, but daunting at times. It’s like treading on murky waters where you never know what you’re getting into, or in this case, signing up for. With a plenitude of wedding planners and event organizers to choose from, finding the right ones can be an absolute stressor; to discern the subjective matter on scalling them from ‘excellent’ to ‘mediocre’ and risking a trial-and-error involvement, or facing obligated meet-ups where they turn up because ‘it’s just yet another job’.
Looking for the right planning partner will is very much like finding the one; rather than looking at it as a paid job, it should always be a built relationship that can be kept flexible, open and trusted. Think of it as investing in a great pair of shoes; one that is the perfect fit and walks with you in comfort through the hills and bumps on distressing moments and ultimately, gets you to the end destination looking amazing.
Often times, the misconception lies within the fact that couples find hiring a wedding planner is spending additional, unnecessary cost. But the truth is, the right planner can save you quite a bit of moolah and time, and well, time is commodity too in many ways. To begin with, they have a lot more connections and have been in the court much longer; their experience should be able to precede in many areas by recommending the best venues and vendors that works within your preferred budget and style.
Building A Relationship and Right Chemistry
We always strongly advice to look for the right planner that you are most comfortable talking to, as you will be spending a lot of time with your planner over the next several months to a year, so communication is key. Whilst looking for an experienced and professional planner is no small feat, it is also vital to find someone you personally click with from the get-go. It might take a while to find the right fit (and that works within your budget); but once you’ve gotten that sorted you can take a sigh of relief.
Virtual communications are definitely great as a starting point, but you can only get so far via those Whatsapps, Skype chats and mails. If you’ve heard much praise about the planners, thoroughly vetted through their work and would like to move forward, suggest to meet up face-to-face before hiring as an in-person meeting will always give you a better sense of their personality, just like a scenario at a job interview. You’d also be able to see how you can connect with your planner in a personal level, and if he/she is able to make you feel at ease and excited about your big day. You'd then be able to better gauge if they would be the right, helpful fit to your planning squad.
Know Your Priorities
Be sure to prepare a list of queries prior to the scheduled first meeting that addresses all your concerns and main pointers to highlight across. Take the time to jot down what matters most to both yourself and your fiance, and lay down your priorities so that you are able to seek professional advice right away, rather than be flustered and caught off guard with a gazillion things that hits your way. Some pointers to consider asking your planner could be: Does your planner have prior experience working at the venues you shortlisted? How stringent are they in the meetups, or how often are you able to meet and discuss along the way of the planning process? Are they flexible and open to certain ad-hoc requests? What are the payment terms like? Does your planner work as a team or solo, and also for the coordination on the actual day?
Referrals
Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions, as it is crucial to have clarity and assurance before jumping into a commitment that will last through the next entire year. Your planner would be the ultimate contact point that should help ease the planning stress. You’d definitely not want to end up being bounded to one who does not see eye to eye with you, or does not resonate with your wants and visions, or worse, dictate your big day.
For additional reassurance, ask your prospective planners to furnish you with a list of their past clients and works as reference. You’d then be able to hear out their thoughts directly with an unbiased review. Don’t worry or be shy about asking them for referrals in your decision making process. More often than not, you’d be surprised that planners are happy to make recommendations on their portfolio and clients for you to look up and get a review from. Their valuable and honest opinion might help point you in the right direction.
Find Your Style and Prepare A Rough Budget
Take some time to do some homework and research on a preferred style both yourself and your partner will settle on. It it important to discuss your major likes and dislikes, that way you are both on the same page about what are the must-haves and the absolute nos (be it a fusion buffet-style menu, an out-of-this world décor or a stellar multilingual band and everything else in between).
Again, research goes a long way and creating a budget alongside the preferred style will help your planners gauge your rough ballpark, and take it from there to further advice you what is possible and what isn’t. Always be upfront with them on how much you are willing to spend and look for a partner who can be in your shoes and understand your best interests, instead of talking you into overspending. Ensure that they are transparent about costs and don’t be shy to ask for photos of past weddings they have done which fits into your budget range.
In all honesty, high chances are that there will always be some unforeseen expenses along the way, whilst keeping your budget in mind, try not to begin the wedding planning interview by going over the budget with your planners and vendors. Listen to what they have to say and their reasoning, as they come with years of experience and understand that market rates much better as well.
At the end of the day, your heart and instincts will tell you the best. Just be honest about what you want and your expectations; and if there are any grey areas, don’t be afraid to ask. It is always better to ask upfront before finding out additional hidden charges or last minute surprises in the latter. Often times, a package compromises of key pointers stated in black and white, but more often than not, planners will be able to handle many more ad-hoc matters and requests than what’s stated in the contract. Always talk it out and your planner may be able to tailor something to better fit your custom needs.
Finding someone who truly understands your vision and makes you feel pumped up for your dream day is definitely the ideal scenario we are all looking for. We hope that the teeny bit of sharing above would be able to tide you through your decision making better; whether it’s a full planning service or an actual day coordination.
Either way, investing in the right wedding planner would help relieve the pressure and burden from you and your partner, leaving the both of you to enjoy this special journey and cherish the moments along the way in preparation. After all, your big day is a once-in-a-lifetime event you’ve been dreaming of since the very beginning - so make the most out of it!
One thing we strive to promise for sure, we’ve always got you covered :)
