Finding the perfect wedding venue has been an experience, to say the least.  Ray and I both thought that we would walk into a place and fall head-over-heels.  While that happened, there are so many other factors that come into play that it’s not even funny.  (See: last week’s post.)

While I think we’re off and running on that one (not saying a word under we have a full contract submitted), finding our perfect wedding planner was a breeze in comparison.  There are four specific tips that made finding our perfect wedding planner as simple as saying, “I do!”

1. Go crazy on their website – You’ll find out fairly quickly that, while weddings differ, planners typically have a particular style they like to stick consistently.  Does this match the look and feel you’re going for in your wedding?  If you’re looking for glitz & glamour, then the planner that focuses on bohemian/hippy-chic is not going to be your match.
2. Be willing to ask the tough questions – While I had a wide array of questions that I asked every planner, the question that told me the most was, “what is the average price of wedding for the wedding you work on?”  This doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about the planner, but it will tell you a lot.  Are you on an even playing field?  How transparent are they about finances?  Do they regularly work with the vendors that will work for you?
3. Talk to them on the phone, but get important answers in writing – I can’t tell you how many people I’ve spoken to that purely email when looking for vendors, including wedding planners.  While it’s incredibly important to get certain details in writing (contract obligation, etc), TALK to the people you’ll be working with across the year.  You’re going to be spending a significant amount of time with your planner in the next year, so you better make sure that they’re your bestie!
4. Personal Preference: Work with someone familiar with the area – As we were looking in both Vail and Aspen, we found planners that we liked and could easily work with in both areas.  While some people have specific individuals that they want to work with as a destination planner, Ray and I both felt that it was important to work with someone that is familiar with the space and vendors in the surrounding area.  You know how when you go to visit someone that lives in a different city and they know all the local haunts?  Same idea here… what local florist will work best for our needs?

Hope this helps – and I’m looking forward to sharing with you guys as we go through the in-depth details of this process!

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For those married, did you work with a wedding planner?

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