Happy New Year! With engagement season (aka the holiday season!) having just passed, I thought we’d dedicate the month of January to all things wedding planning for those of you who are newly engaged and just getting started.

We've spoken previously about what wedding coordinators do - but I realized I hadn’t done a deep dive into the wedding planning realm. Having a professional planner can be an invaluable resource you may want to consider - so we’re today we’ll talk about what wedding planning services are out there, as well as how to find the right wedding planner that fits your needs.

Which Wedding Planning Services Are Right For You?

The first step is to think about what kind of help you really need - and want.

We offer both partial and full planning - and depending on who are as a couple, either one may be the better fit for you. If you’re someone with an incredibly busy job, who isn’t always great staying on top of to-do items and really want some major hand-holding and guidance throughout the wedding planning process, full planning is the right option for you. We help you formulate your budget, clarify your needs and wants and priorities, schedule and attend all wedding related meetings, assist in researching and booking your venue and wedding vendors, arrange hotel room blocks, among many other details.

If, on the other hand, you’re slightly more proactive, want to be more involved in the planning process, but still want guidance, partial planning is an awesome option (and we find we tend to attract these couples the most!). For Partial Planning we help create your initial budget and nail down your major vendors (venue, caterer, photographer, music, and florist). We then provide you with a planning timeline, with major to-do’s for you to cross off throughout the next months, and then reemerge to assist in month-of coordination to make sure the event runs smoothly. We’re also always available throughout as a resource, with unlimited communication!

Event Design is another wrinkle often thrown into wedding planning services. Some planners offer it with all their packages, others don’t offer it at all. I personally think ours is a great option because it’s similar to our other packages in that we’re able to provide you with event design guidance and tools, tailored to YOU, to then help you make other design related decisions down the line.

I think one of the final questions to ask yourself is what you value and what matters to you for your wedding. If you’re someone who wants someone to make decisions for you and tell you what to do - hire someone who will do that! I will say, however - that won’t be us! We are very upfront about the fact that as planners, we are here as resources and guides, someone who will help narrow your decision making, and make the process easier - but we won’t ever make decisions FOR you. We firmly believe the wedding should be a reflection of the couple - whoever they are and whatever they love - not us, as planners. Also, frankly, it’s your money. So it’s your final decision.

So now that you know what you want…

What Should You Look For In A Wedding Planner?

This is a tough one because every couple is so different. I firmly believe ALL wedding vendors should make the process of planning easy for you. Therefore, look for someone who is a clear communicator and who is easy to talk to. Did they respond to your inquiry in a timely manner? Did you enjoy speaking with them and feel like they “got” you? What about other forms of communication? Is their website clear? Does it clearly state their services, pricing (pricing transparency is key!! We try our best to be as upfront as possible), and values (see below)?

I also believe your wedding planner should reflect your values. Whether you’re an LGBTQ couple or not, hiring a planner who is outspoke and very explicit in their support and beliefs means that planner will only be recommending similarly supportive vendors. As one of our clients said about The Plannery, “as both my husband and I consider ourselves allies of the LGBT community, I really appreciate how open they are about supporting LGBT couples as well couples of diverse/mixed backgrounds and religions… It was a refreshing ‘icing on the cake’ to work with a vendor who was so transparent and open about this topic and even though we don't personally identify, we truly admire this honorable approach to their services as we have many loved ones in our lives who do.”

Finally, I always recommend reading reviews and asking for references! Hearing from couples first-hand is a wonderful way to get a feel for a planner - both throughout the planning process as well as on the day-of. I recently went back through our many, many reviews to see what words stuck out the most. We were often described as “responsive”, “organized” planners who provided “seamless” and “stress-free” experiences. If that speaks to you, wonderful! If not, find a planner whose clients describe what matters most to you for your wedding day!