Interviewing a Wedding Planner - My Answers

I wanted to share my answers to the questions I posted yesterday. The answers are current and is something that is constantly changing with each wedding season that passes. I would recommend using questions similar to these when interviewing any of your wedding vendors. It will give you a good measure of each vendor without a flashy website or blog to distract you. Of course spend that face to face interview time to make sure the person you are interviewing really gets your vision and your personalities mesh.

Here we go!...

1. Is wedding planning your only job? Yes, this is my full time job.



2. How many clients do you have right now? 11 weddings and special events are currently being planned.



3. How many weddings have you planned and executed in the last 24 months? We had 10 in the last 24 months that we had the privilege of planning start to finish.



4. How many weddings have you coordinated (wedding day coordination)in the last 24 months? We have had 12 weddings in the last 24 months.



5. Who were the last 4 photographers you worked with?

C Studios

Adam Lowe Photography

Aion Arts

Simon Yao Studios



6. What venues have you worked at in the last 6 months?

The Renaissance Cleveland

The Columbus Athenaeum

The Renaissance Columbus

The Athletic Club of Columbus

The Columbus Museum of Art

The Hyatt on Capital Square



7. Can I get a recommendation from one of your last 4 full service clients? Yes, absolutely.



8. Can I get a recommendation from one of your last 4 coordination clients? Yes absolutely.



9. Where can I see samples of your creative or design work? And are all the pictures on your website weddings that you planned? Yes, we have a very diverse portfolio to share with our prospective clients. Our website and blog are the best places to see our current projects.



Yes, all of the images are from weddings we have been a part of. None of the images you see are stock photos that were purchased or "borrowed" from stock photography sites.



10. Are contracts with vendors with my name or yours? Yes, contracts are in your name. The only time this is an exception is when we are purchasing something available to us as a trade professional for your event.



11. Do you only work with select vendors or at select locations? We do have vendors and companies we prefer to work with. They are companies we have experience working alongside of and are true, qualified professionals in their field. However, we do enjoy working with new vendors if the opportunity presents itself.



12. Have you ever worked for the venues you now plan weddings at? No, my past event planning work experience includes The Walt Disney World Co. As well as the fashion retailer -EXPRESS and national cheer & dance company - AmeriCheer Inc.



13. Do you accept any kick-backs or commissions? No.



14. Do you offer invitation etiquette assistance? Yes.



15. Can I order any products from you, such as linens, invitations, and chairs? Yes, we offer a specialized line of invitations that is very fitting for our clientele. We arrange linen and rentals for a majority of our clients.



16. How quickly can I expect replies to phone calls and emails? We strive to return phone calls and emails with in 24 hours.



17. Do you have assistants that will be helping at my wedding day? How many? Yes, there will be a minimum of 2 of us on site for your wedding. That can vary depending on the size and complexity of the decor and logistics of your event.



18. Will you be on site the entire length of my wedding day? Yes we are there before the ceremony and in most cases (depending on what we've been contracted for) stay until everyone has left for the night. This, too, can very depending on the size, complexity of the decor and logistics of the event.



19. Are your rates negotiable? No they are not negotiable. However we are happy to work with you to create a package that best suits your wedding needs.



20. Did you receive any type of training to become a wedding/event planner? Yes, I rely on my past event planning experience with AmeriCheer and EXPRESS as well as the Association of Bridal Consultants Professional Bridal Consultant course. We are also required to maintain our Professional Bridal Consultant status by continuing our education every year.



21. What happens if you are sick and can't be there the day of our wedding? I have another senior wedding planner on staff who can step into my role should something happen to me. I am also a member of the Columbus Bridal Consults and have a network of 16 other qualified professionals I can call on to assist in an emergency.