7 Questions You Need To Ask A Wedding Planner Before You Sign A Contract With Them

7. "How long have you been in business? Do you have a business license?" 
The longer someone has been in business the more experience and connection hopefully they will have! If someone does NOT have a business license they may not be taking this serious and are still acting as though this is a hobby. 

6. "Do you carry your own liability insurance?"
This is a great question to ask ALL of your wedding vendors. You will feel much better knowing that everyone on your team has everything covered.  We hope to never have to use this but it is nice to know it is there just in case. 

5. "How many events/weddings like mine have you done on your own?"
And note  to ask "like mine". Each wedding is so different but if you are planning one outside in a backyard vs in a hotel ballroom the logistics are much, much different! You will want an experienced person on your side who has been through anything and everything that you may encounter along the way and not someone who has never done this before. This is an area that spending a little more money will really help you. You "buy" the expertise, the advice and guidance along the way and your day will do much smoother when your planner knows what they are doing- trust me!  

4. "Besides what is quoted in your proposal, is there anything else we will need to pay you?" 
How about travel? Overnight accommodations? Outside expenses? You do not want to be surprised by anything. Ask ahead of time and save yourself the headache later.

3. "Is this your only job?"
When starting out in this industry most people will do this "on the side"  and work another job, sometimes another full time job. It is important to ask your planner if they have another job because this will tell  you how available they will be to you. Will they be available at the drop of a dime in the middle of the day on a Tuesday or will they need to call you back when they are out of work. This is why paying for an established, experienced planner is often the way to. This is my only job. I live, sleep, breath everything weddings! It keeps me focused and super organized. It also keeps me from becoming burnt out from trying to do too much.

2. "How many weddings do you take a year? How many weddings and events do you expect to have around the time of our wedding?" 
My team and I only take  a limited amount of weddings/events each year and this allows us to give as much attention as possible to each and every client. You will want to know that your planner can do the same. 

1. And the # 1 question you need to ask a wedding planner before you sign on the dotted line with them is: 
"Can I see your references and reviews?" 
 This is self explanatory. Read what their past clients have to say about them. This will give you a great sense of what it is like to work with them and what they are like to work with! The best gift anyone can give someone is a referral and sometimes not giving one at all speaks volume. Any vendor who has a lot of very good reviews about them online is a great person to hire! Look to see how long they go back as well. Do the 5-star reviews go back a few years and all say the same thing?  You will be able to see right away if people are happy with someone's services and if you go with them you will be too. 

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So often I see the final decision on a wedding planner  based strictly on price and how much it will "cost" the client to have them. If you do not hire the right professional to handle one of the most important days of your life it may COST you a lot more than just a little bit of money if you chose to hire an inexperienced planner to work with. 

Remember that the wedding planner is the person you will work the closest with throughout the planning process so you need to make sure that you and your fiancé are very, very comfortable with the person you chose to work with. 
 I try to coach my clients as much as possible to make an educated decision not an emotional one when it comes to picking anything for their wedding. This way everything is thought out and will not be regretted later on. The same should apply when picking  a planner.

Hope this helps you make the best decision possible. 
Happy Planning! 
~Tiffany