5 Things One Must Know About Before Approaching A Wedding Planner

It is the wedding season and either you or somebody you know is surely getting married. On one hand there would be the bride going crazy with her gazillion details and things she will surely want on her D-Day and on the other hand will be the groom who would try to match up with her excitement, yet she would complain that he is not involved enough. The family would be on another tangent where they would want all the religious customs to be followed. 

The younger lot is busy planning for all the fun they want to have and amidst this chaos would be the parents who want to ensure that the wedding function goes by smoothly and everybody likes the food. If you would like to sit back and enjoy your wedding, then hiring a wedding planner is a great idea. With many wedding planners, it is always difficult to zero in on one. Here are 5 things one must know before approaching one as shared by Vaibhav Sadhwani, Co-founder, Behind The Scene Weddings – Destination Wedding Planner:

When to approach?

Approach a wedding planner at 6 months before your wedding. Opt for an in-person meeting or an online meet and sit down with your partner and parents to clearly convey all that you want on your wedding day. Also finalise the number of guests so that both the parties know whether it will be an intimate wedding or a big fat one with huge number of guests. This is also the time to finalise your budget and location for a destination wedding. A good wedding planner can deliver designer décor, local cuisine and great entertainment within your budget.   

Is the wedding planner experienced enough?

There are only a handful of wedding planners who can curate destination weddings that are truly spectacular. Choose one with a proven track record of conducting intimate as well as large scale weddings. Those who have experience will know the destination in and out and will have an excellent network of the vendors that can help curate a truly localised wedding. For intimate wedding, they will be able to cater to each guest and give them an experience that is unique. 

Do they understand your aspirations?

Well, you may have a vision for wedding day, and like it always happens, others in the wedding may also want things a certain way. Before finalising a wedding planner, see if they understand your aspirations and vision. You should have a basic layout in your mind, whether you want a fairytale wedding, a chilled out one by the beach or a Pahadi wedding with local food in the lap of Himalayas. Also make sure that the wedding planners understand your values and culture and create a wedding show flow that is in accordance with it. See their previous work. Never hesitate in asking for a pitch as to what they can deliver exclusively for you. 

Variety of entertainment they offer

Wedding is all about good music, lots of dancing and having fun together. A good DJ is a must have at any wedding. Live musicians showcasing the folk music of the wedding destination can take the experience many notches higher. And for those who love a particular celebrity or artist, the wedding planner must have a network where he can make this happen. This variety of entertainment with local flavour and celeb performance will make the wedding a memorable one. 

Food preferences

Like with everything else, local cuisine must be on top of the list. However, there are certain families that are strictly vegetarian or have requirements such as no onion or garlic, this must be catered to in every meal. Also, if there are guests flowing from different parts of the world then there must be food that goes well with their taste buds. And of-course a great dessert spread will make the wedding a gastronomical extravaganza.