Questions to Ask a Wedding Planner / Coordinator - Chicago Wedding Services

by Sasha Souza | Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

How long have you been a wedding coordinator?

1. Did you start your business from scratch or did you buy a business already setup?
2. Is this your full-time job or a part-time job?
3. If it’s part-time, what is your other job?
4. What did you do prior to being a wedding coordinator?
5. Do you only work to plan weddings and special events or do you also work as a concierge?
6. How many full-service weddings to you personally coordinate each year?
7. How many wedding day only weddings do you coordinate each year?
8. What type of formal training have you had?
9. Are you a member of any major bridal or wedding/special event trade associations (ABC, June Wedding, Inc, ACPWC, AFWPI, ISES)?
10. Do they require that you have formal training each year for membership or do you simply pay them dues?
11. Do you employ other people to help you plan events?
12. How many hours do they work with you a week?
13. How many event managers do you bring with you to a wedding?
14. Is there an extra charge for additional staff?
15. Do you personally attend every wedding?
16. What if you become ill or cannot come to the wedding? Who will stand in for you?
17. Do you charge for an initial meeting?
18. If you charge for the initial meeting, is it applied to my cost of coordination should we hire you?
19. Do you accept commissions, kickbacks, or professional discounts from any vendors you refer?
20. Do you sell wedding invitations?
21. What discount do you give off the cost of wedding invitations?
22. What is the largest wedding you’ve managed?
23. Give me five adjectives which describe yourself
24. Who signs the vendor contracts? Do we pay you the fee for the entire event and then you pay each vendor or do we contract with vendors separately?
25. Are you present at all vendor meetings?
    Do you come to the tasting?
26. How many hours does it take you to plan a wedding?
27. How many hours are included with your package?
28. Do you make initial contact with all referred vendors and check price and availability or do you give us a list of vendors for us to call?
29. How many hours are you on site the day of the wedding?
30. Do you help with setup and tear down?
31. Will you help with the processional and recessional?
32. Will you bring an emergency kit?
33. Describe the best wedding you’ve ever managed. Why was it the best wedding?
34. Do you charge for expenses or travel?
35. What is the average amount?
36. What is your coordination fee?
37. Does the fee include the day of the wedding?
38. Do you charge hourly, a flat rate or a percentage of my overall budget?
39. How are the payments structured? When are they due?
40. What is the amount of the initial deposit?
41. What is your refund policy in case of cancellation?
42. What won’t you help with?
43. Are you present at the rehearsal?
44. Will you set up the personal items on each of the place settings?
45. Describe the most difficult wedding you’ve managed and why was it difficult?
46. Describe some problems you’ve had with vendors not fulfilling their contract and how you handled it.
47. Will you help design the overall theme, decor, and flow of the wedding ceremony & reception?
48. Will you provide me with a detailed budget outline?
49. Will you assist with lodging arrangements for our out of town guests?
50. A question to ask yourself: Has the wedding coordinator addressed your personal concerns satisfactorily?

By Sasha Souza www.the-whole-shebang.com