This month, I’ve been featured in MoneySense magazine’s article titled “5 things your wedding planner isn’t telling you“. It’s a fun article with a few tips for brides and grooms getting married to save a few dollars. See the full article here and in your latest MoneySense printed magazine. In preparation for the article interview I actually prepared for a few more tips and pointers that I wanted to share with you. Consider this the extended version of the article!

Photo: Brandon Scott Photography

5 things your wedding planner isn’t telling you

1. Being nice is helpful. Weddings vendors and wedding planners alike are service oriented businesses and relationships are at the heart of it. No one wants to work with a bride- or groomzilla. If you are really interested in working with a specific vendor or you really love someone’s style, let them know! It’s not just about getting a good deal and jumping the package offerings. We want to hear your story, what makes you excited and what you have envisioned. It’s a very relationship-driven job and we want to work with great people as much as you do.
2. Do you have a unique venue or story? Share it! Wedding planners and photographers are always looking for unique weddings and stories that will inspire them. If you have a unique value proposition like a unique wedding venue, or a story that speaks volumes, make sure to share it with them in the inquiry stage. As a service-oriented industry that is all about connections, it is important to connect and if you have an idea that would inspire your planner, make sure to bring it to the table.
3. Last minute weddings are the same price, sorry. For wedding planner fees, there are often little or no discounts for off-season weddings or last minute weddings. I am busy all year round and it’s the same amount of work no matter what month it is.
4. You get what you pay for. That goes for your planner, photographer, florist and other vendors. If a vendor is much less expensive than others you have researched, ask why. Usually it is because they are starting out (lacking experience), or not very popular (lacking quality). Not to say that anything cheap is not good (and sometimes new vendors can be good quality but just needing to build a portfolio), but be wary of deals that are too good to be true. Your wedding day is special and you won’t be able to redo it. Don’t compromise on the items you really care about. Spend on quality and experience
5. I am not Jennifer Lopez. I don’t wear heels and a headset. I’m not Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner movie (and I don’t fall in love with the groom, ahem). This is a job I take seriously. I have to wear comfortable shoes when I am on my feet for 12+ hours a day. Sometimes my job entails answering emails all day, or answering to angry parents on the wedding day that want everything their way. Sometimes I am on my knees wiping dirt off of a wedding dress after photos outdoors. It is not always the glamorous job that people envision it to be. But it is a rewarding one when you work with awesome couples and get to see your hard work come to fruition.