It goes without saying that we are biased toward the decision to hire a wedding planner, but the decision of which wedding planner to work with is not one we believe should be taken lightly. There are so many talented professionals that you can bring on board for this very personal and intimate journey. It is important to make sure that the planner you select is a strong fit for you and your event’s needs. We recommend considering these three factors when interviewing a prospective wedding planner, Experience, Industry Relations and Chemistry.

Experience and Portfolio Does this wedding planner have experience working on weddings of your size and locale? Does their design aesthetic appeal to your desires for your wedding day? How long have they been active in the industry? No two weddings are ever the same and the most experienced planners will tell you that there is something learned from every they have wedding planned. Every wedding “under their belt” will only enhance your wedding planning experience. This knowledge and insight, which can only be gained by hands-on experience, will help in forecasting any logistic or technical issues that can arise. Forecasting issues = less stress! Don’t you want that for your planning journey? 

Industry and Vendor Relations Word of mouth referrals are gold in any service industry and the wedding industry is no different. It is important to consider the reputation of your wedding planner among their peers and those they work with weekend after weekend. Do they make the wedding day easier for vendors involved or more difficult? Are they professional, organized and timely in coordinating details with each party? Are they a team player or are they in it for themselves? Those with strong vendor relationships are going to be the best at building the perfect team to execute your wedding dreams. Those who make the day/process harder for other vendors will disrupt their ability to do their best work for you. On one of the most celebrated days of your life, you will want all vendors doing their best!

Chemistry Do you get along well with your potential planner? Does conversation flow easily or does it feel forced/awkward? This may seem cheesy or silly to add in the mix, but we believe the chemistry you have with your planner just might be the most important piece of this puzzle. It is crucial that you and your planner “speak the same language” and that you feel a sense of trust between you. Trust is necessary in any working relationship. When the planning process moves quickly and the stakes are high, you have to be able to trust that your planner is making decisions that support your vision and your goals for your wedding day (and not decisions that only support their goals). When meeting potential Madison Sanders Events’ clients, we feel that the best way to determine if there is strong chemistry is if we are totally transparent in our approach to the planning process. While we think weddings are meant to be a beautiful and celebratory occasion, it is our greatest desire for our clients and their families to have the time to focus on the sole reason for their celebration — their marriage. By lifting the burden of the stressful (and time-consuming) parts of the planning process – logistics, timing, researching vendors, etc. – they are able to devote additional time to strengthening something that will last much longer than one day. When a planner’s mission resonates with your goals for your season of engagement, it is a good indicator that chemistry is strong and that you will make a great team.

Whether you consider Madison Sanders Events for your planning needs or another fabulous planning team, it is our hope that you have found someone you love and trust to make your wedding dreams come to life! For more information on how we can partner together during this very special time, visit our Offerings page. 

Happy Planning!

Images by Alea Lovely.