Weddingbee

Part One
Part Two 

My sincere hope in sharing my unfortunate wedding planner experience is that it will help you ladies avoid the same pitfalls. All brides deserve a planner/coordinator who will be a wonderful help, rather than a hindrance. Below are some of the hard-earned tips I learned along the way!

(1) Do your research: This is probably the most important tip I can share. Do as much research as you can on any planner/coordinator. Do a Google search of the planner’s name and event company. Check sites such as The Knot, Wedding Channel, Project Wedding, etc. for reviews and experiences from other brides. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been lodged against the planner you are considering. Also, if you already secured a venue and/or other vendors and you’re searching for a day-of coordinator, ask them who they’ve enjoyed working with in the past. Catering managers, photographers, makeup artists, and florists are often great, untapped resources for information on the better coordinators to work with.

(2) Be open to working with a planner from a different background: This might be a controversial tip, but I feel it’s important to share. It’s common in the Indian community for brides to work almost exclusively with Indian vendors: coordinator, florist, caterer, photographer, etc. Likewise, my parents and I thought that only a South Asian planner would understand what goes into an Indian wedding. But I found that is not necessarily true and it kept me from choosing the right planner for me. While I can understand the desire to choose and support vendors from your own background, don’t be afraid to look beyond them. The right planner (or other vendor) will be enthusiastic to learn about your culture and the traditions and customs you wish to incorporate. Don’t limit yourself!

(3) Share your expectations: It’s critical that you and your planner are on the same page. If you’re someone who likes frequent contact, prefers email over telephone calls, and has a funky/edgy style– share that! Chemistry between a planner and her bride is key and you want to make sure that your coordinator understands who you are, how you operate, and what you expect.

(4) Ask the important questions: Before you meet with any potential planner/coordinator, make a list of all the questions you want to ask. This is a great list of questions to start with, but also feel free to add ones that are unique to your event. Take detailed notes on the coordinator’s answers and pay close attention to how comfortable you feel during the conversation. This coordinator will serve as the go-to person on the most important day of your life– you want to feel happy, relaxed, and at-ease in his/her presence.

(5) Protect yourself in writing: Go over your contract with a fine-toothed comb. Does it cover all the tasks your coordinator is responsible for? Does it indicate what will happen if the coordinator cannot be there on the day of the wedding? Or what happens if you want to release yourself from the contract early? Make sure all these important considerations are outlined before you sign on the dotted line!

I hope these tips help all of you in your search for a planner/coordinator! If you have tips of your own, please share in the comments section!

• Knottie Bios of the Week
• Wife Tactics