A
wedding consultant can help you plan the details of your
special day.
Why Have a Bridal Consultant?
When you have something break in your house, you call in
an expert. When planning your wedding, you should think
along the same lines! A wedding consultant is the expert
on weddings. She can help you to create the wedding that
you have always dreamed of (but may not have the time to
plan). This is a once-in-a-lifetime day! There are many
different situations where a wedding consultant can be of
enormous help. Some of these are:
Long Distance Planning
If you live in one place but are going to be married in
another, such as your home town, the consultant in the area
can keep track of all the details and recommend credible
suppliers without you having to do it all long distance.
Organization
If you don't have someone close to you to help you, such
as a mother or close friend who has gotten married, you
may have no idea even where to start. A consultant can help
you get yourself on track, and keep you from forgetting
important details.
Mediator
If you have someone to help, but are afraid of them taking
over the planning, a consultant can act as a mediator, who
may help you keep your wedding as you want it.
Etiquette
If there is a delicate family situtation, she can help
you with the etiquette of the situation so that your wedding
runs smoothly with no hurt feelings.
What Can a Bridal Consultant Do For Me?
- She can save you time by doing all the preliminary
work for you. She can spend time getting all the best
places and merchants so that you can make all your decisions
at one time, without running around.
- She can save you money and headaches by knowing who
has the best values, or who is reputable and who is not.
- She can help you stay within your budget. Because she
knows where the bargains can be found, she will most likely
plan a wedding worth more than you might otherwise been
able to have.
- She can help you with all your planning, such as who
is to be where, at what time, and can make sure that everything
runs smoothly, all day.
- She can plan only those details you don't want to deal
with, such as find a good florist and caterer or you can
have her coordinate your entire wedding, .
- Her duties should include co-ordinating the rehearsal.
She should be available on your wedding day, from the
time you leave home to the end of the reception.
- You may get special attention from the merchants and
vendors you use. Rather than this being a one-shot deal,
where they see you on the day of your wedding and that's
it, the retailer is looking to establish a long-term relationship
with the consultant, so that she will recommend them in
the future.
Where to Find a Consultant
The first place to look is right here on the pages of the
Wedding Planner! Another source is the Association of Bridal
Consultants, 200 Chestnutland Road, New Milford, CT 06776:
(203) 335-0464.
How They Work
Once you find a consultant, use the initial meeting to
get a good feeling of how your personalities mesh. Will
she be someone who you can work well with?
What are her credentials/training? Will she let her tastes
influence the wedding more than yours?
In an initial meeting with the consultant, you will discuss
your budget, the number of guests, the style of your wedding
and the date. She should explain her process and fee schedules
to you and share with you a sample contract and terms.
After the initial meeting, you will meet many times to
discuss all the arrangements for your wedding. You should
expect to sign a contract defining all services she will
provide. Remember, she will present you with multiple options
for suppliers for each service, and you select the ones
you are comfortable with. She will give numerous ideas and
recommendations and often go with you to assist in the interviews.
The wedding consultant/coordinator should also be with
you throughout your wedding day to insure all plans are
carried out and questions do not detract from your enjoyment.
Fee Arangements
Fees vary, but it is normal for a consultant to charge
up to 15% of the cost of the wedding. This should be considered
as part of the budget, not additional to the budget. Her
expertise often saves you most of her fee and insures high
quality, reputable services from suppliers. She may also
charge an hourly rate, a flat fee,
or some combination of
each. All these methods are acceptable, but you should determine
in advance what your consultant will charge and sign a contract
detailing it.
The Many Roles of a Wedding Consultant
- She can be a creative planner, who may have suggestions
for you that you love, but might not have thought of on
your own.
- She can be a coordinator, who finds all the best merchants
and suppliers, and who makes sure that no detail is overlooked.
- She can help you plan the wedding the way you want
it, and can keep peace in the family at the same time.
- She can "balance your books," by making sure that all
deposits are paid on time, and that you stay within your
wedding budget.
- She can be a "Miss Manners" and help you with the etiquette
that is so important at your wedding.
- She can make sure that you enjoy your wedding day,
without having to think of all the details, and worry
that something has been overlooked.
- She is the best financial advisor you will have to
help establish a complete and comprehensive budget, track
your progress relative to the budget and help you avoid "emotional spending."
Questions to Ask
- How long have you been in business in this area?
- What types of weddings have you planned (formal, traditional,
or more casual and offbeat)?
- Can you plan only the details that I specify?
- Do you think you can provide the type of wedding we
want?
- If we have a delicate family situation (divorce, death
in family, etc.) can you make recommendations so that
the wedding runs smoothly?
- Can I have a list of references?
- Will you attend my wedding?
- Do you accept a commission from the vendors?
- If so, will I have a lot to choose from, or am I limited
to those you get a commission from?
- How do you charge for your services (hourly, or a percentage
of the total cost, or a flat fee)?
- If by percentage, what is the percentage?
- Do you make any decisions without my knowledge, or
will I be consulted on every decision?
- Is the time (or budget) sufficient to plan my wedding?
- Are there any details you know you cannot supply?
- What manner of training have you taken to prepare you
for being a wedding coordinator?
© Wedding Planner 2002 |
