How to Find a Wedding Planner

Did you recently get engaged?

If so, you’re probably ready to start planning your wedding, or maybe you’ve already started! Either way- it’s never too late to hire a wedding planner.

It’s not as easy as you may think. There are so many things to do, and knowing where to start isn’t even the half of it.

That’s why you need a little help, and knowing how to find a wedding planner will be the hardest thing you have to do once you find the perfect person or team to plan your big day!

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I was inspired to write this post after seeing so many great photos and moments that a friend of mine shared on Facebook. She’s a wedding planner, of course, and her passion for planning shines bright in everything she does!

You can check out Jess’ page(Wedding Co. of Williamsburg) to get a glimpse of what an extraordinary wedding planner will do to make sure your special day is perfect in every way!

The reason I’m mentioning Jess and her talent for wedding planning is because not all wedding planners are passionate about what they do. You should take the time to find someone that truly enjoys every aspect of being a wedding planner.

You’re only going to do this once, so do it right!

How to Find a Wedding Planner

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First of all…if you’re already getting into details…don’t worry about that right now. It’s okay to think about things like what kind of wedding you want, where you want to have it, your guest list, etc., but your wedding planner is going to help you plan and organize your thoughts so there’s no need to get carried away just yet!

 

1. Estimate your budget.

You need to figure out what your estimated wedding budget is and your wedding planners’ fees should be included. Even if you think you can’t afford one- it doesn’t hurt to schedule a few consultations and get some quotes.

Also, this is one of the first questions your wedding planner will ask you. They can’t help you plan until they know your budget(big or small- a great wedding planner will know where to allocate spending and how to cut costs)!

 

2. Start your search on Instagram.

Instagram is one of the best ways to find a wedding planner, florist, hairstylist, etc. because you’ll get an idea of what their style is like, if they’re popular or well-liked, how passionate they are about their work, etc.

All you have to do is search using hashtags that are specific to weddings, wedding planners, venues, etc. and choose your location.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

• #weddingplanner
• #weddingplanning
• #weddingvenue
• #winerywedding
• #wedding
• #”your city/state”weddingplanner
• #”your venue name”

You can also search for wedding planners on Facebook or Google, but I like Instagram because it provides an almost infinite stream of options rather than having to comb through listings/websites.

 

3. Make a list of your favorites.

I love lists- they keep me organized and help me track my thoughts! Even if it’s a small list…you need one!

Write down the name and contact information of each wedding planner as you find the ones you like, and put a star beside your favorite and/or your top three picks.

As you contact each wedding planner you’ll get a feel for who you want to schedule a consultation with and you can cross the others off your list!

If you’re ready to dive in you’ll love The Knot Book of Wedding Lists!

 

4. Contact your top three to schedule a consultation.

It’s important to set up an appointment with your prospective wedding planners as soon as possible! The best wedding planners will get booked fast and they often accept an average of 4-7 weddings per year(unless it’s a big company).

You should also consider the differences between hiring a small company to plan your wedding versus a large company. I’ve been to a lot of weddings(as a guest, hairstylist, or in the bridal party), and it’s always clear as to what type of wedding planner was hired.

There are planners that invest their time and effort as if it were their own wedding, and there are planners that can’t wait to check out once everything is in place(they consider their job done). I’m not saying this is always the case, so be mindful during your consultations! Choose someone that wants to know every detail about what you want your wedding to be like and is excited to make your dreams come true.

 

5. Choose your wedding planner!

You’ll probably know who you want to hire without even thinking about it, but if you’re unsure then you should write down the pros and cons for each wedding planner you liked to help narrow it down.

Sometimes the deciding factor is cost, but it can come down to the littlest of details like personality, attentiveness, communication, etc. so be aware because it all matters!

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Now that the hard part is done- it’s time to have some fun! Start with Pinterest for inspiration and save everything you like to a fresh pin board(you can even make it private). You can also save most web pages and/or photos you find that aren’t on Pinterest by using the “Pin It” extension for Google Chrome.

This is a great tool because you can share it with your wedding planner to give them a sense of your style and what’s important to you for your special day!

 

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