1. Price tag
Unless your wedding planner is offering you some sort of concession or discount, beware of low price tags. True professional wedding planners should have a vast wealth of expertise in all things wedding related. Depending on the hat they are wearing, they are contract negotiators, operations managers, accountants, mediators, travel agents, floral and event designers, and more.
On average, they will spend over 400 hours over the span of a year and a half making sure your wedding lives up to your dreams and is planned to perfection. Hiring a wedding planner is an investment in all of these services from your planner.
High end planners in most metropolitan cities can range from $8,000 to over $100,000 for their services.
2. They Know What Questions to Ask
Professional Planners with experience know what questions to ask and when. Why? Because they are experts at logistics! They have been planning multiple variations of weddings for years and understand the ins and outs.
Knowing the staffing procedures of your catering company and asking that question is important. A plated menu staffed at 1 server per table provides a lower service experience than a plated menu staffed at 1 per 25 guests.
Understanding the needs of your live band and asking those questions is important. A 2000 watt speaker is certainly different than a 600 watt speaker and takes a lot more power to sustain. (Think Beyonce Superbowl when she killed the power!)
These are just a few examples.
3. They have the Portfolio and they've been featured!
Today with social media and the rise of blogging and/or vlogging, it's been easier than ever for wedding planners to become featured on some platform or another. It's a beautiful thing for newly emerging wedding planners who need the exposure.
But if you're looking for an experience professional, look for them in these blogs:
Martha Stewart
PartySlate
Style Me Pretty
Carats and Cake
Remember, always use your gut feeling when hiring a planner. You should feel comfortable with them, certain about them, and confident in them.