Exactly one minute after becoming engaged couples are expected to become experts in all the areas they will need or desire to procure services. They call their friends, recall past weddings they enjoyed, spend a small fortune on bridal magazines and traipse to weddings shows far and near in search for the perfect vendor. The arena for wedding industry vendors is broad and full of talent. It is easy to be wowed by a photographer’s work blown up life-sized or a sliver of wedding cake that was "to die for", but when it comes to signing on the dotted line The question becomes which one? Cost is always a factor as is quality. What about referrals? How long have they been in the business? These are all great questions, but inevitably it’s the questions that weren't asked that pose the most problems for brides. And vendors are only the tip of the ice berg what about "etiquette" and dealing with RSVP's and guest seating charts—that alone has caused a number of couples to elope.
There is help out there in the form of a wedding coordinator. Whether referred to as a wedding consultant, bridal consultant or wedding planner; in a nutshell this person is the encyclopedia of weddings in your area and most importantly, once hired, your advocate. A coordinator is essential to the well planned affair. Your coordinator will be well worth every dime spent (and saved). The immediate experience you gain on your team in the areas of negotiating contracts, design, etiquette and most importantly logistics management.
With the average wedding taking nearly three hundred hours to plan paired with the fact that most of today's brides are working professionals, finding the time to adequately compare vendors and review deals can be near impossible.
Take into account that most reputable wedding coordinators have planned numerous events at venues in your area that you are probably considering. They have also worked with many of the vendors in the area and can help to pair you with the vendors best suited for your type of event. An additional plus of using a coordinator is that the relationship that they have with your vendors can only benefit you. Vendors enjoy working with other vendors they know, and as vendors get to know each other their work flows smoothly and seamlessly.
Being a subjective third party also works to your benefit. Your wedding coordinator is there to advocate on your behalf, they will fight your battles in dealing with difficult vendors or situations. You want more than anything to feel like a guest at your wedding as you attend to your new spouse and your guests who have come to share this day. A coordinator will allow you to do just that while making sure everything stays on schedule and to manage all the details.
How to you choose a coordinator? You should feel completely comfortable with the coordinator and feel assured that he or she completely understands what your needs are. View their work. Have they accomplished any events that appeal to your sensibilities? What are their credentials? This will let you know how much pride they take in their trade. Is this their full time occupation? Do they have referrals from former brides? These questions will help you identify the coordinator that is right for you. As for their fee structure, it can vary greatly from planner to planner. Examples you can expect to see are a percentage of the total cost of your event (anywhere from 10-20%), flat fee packages or hourly rates. Many consultants will offer a la carte services to allow you to build the package of services that best suit your needs. Most consultants will offer full scale planning or day of wedding coordination others will have a myriad of specialized services for you to choose.
About the Author
Vicky Johnson is a full time, certified Professional Wedding Consultant and owner of Holy Matrimony with offices in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. She has coordinated weddings nationally for more than 15 years.
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Vicky Johnson was my wedding planner. I wound up obtaining all of the vendors myself, because she could not work with my budget. I still spent quite a bit of money on my wedding, but I would have spent more if I would have listened to her. She introduced me to a videographer that was a scam artist. Search the Internet for him. He has several names, Larry Knight, L-Kae, or Lawrence Knight, to name a few. She never apologized for doing this. Due to her poor advice, I received my wedding license the day BEFORE my wedding. She never showed me the liquor's license she said she could get from the Courthouse, because the caterer did not have one. For all I know, she pocketed my money. She gives the illusion of having several offices. Her Baltimore office was a storage room at a Church in Baltimore. She never allowed me to see her DC office; she met me downstairs. With the exception of the caterer, I found all of my own vendors (people she was supposed to help me find), because she never recommended anyone within my budget. She was the ONLY vendor that left me feeling cheated. At the point I realized she was a zero, I was too exhausted to find another wedding planner. My family was out of state, as well as ALL of my bridesmaids. She called me on my cell in the car from the reception to the hotel. She wanted to know why everyone else got paid, but her. She wanted her money. I told her I would speak with her the next day. I actually had other vendors that called me for guidance, because Vicky had not followed up with them. The next day, my complaints to her fell on deaf ears. She wanted to know why I had not brought this up earlier. I told her I had. She referred me to florists I could not afford. I did not want to risk fighting anymore with this woman right before my wedding, so I suffered silently. I did all of the footwork myself to find vendors in my price range. I gave her an option to adjust my bill or go to Court. I gave her a few examples of her incompetence and told her I had many more. She agreed to adjust my bill and promised to also send me keepsakes for a scrape book, such as the wedding program. I was not able to get those things myself on the day of the wedding. Needless to say, once I gave her the final payment, I did not receive those keepsakes from her. I would recommend a wedding planner for the day before and the day of the wedding. I would even recommend one for a month before to make sure things are in order with the vendors, but not for longer than that. My experience with Vicky Johnson was a nightmare. I was really counting on her to help me and she failed me, horribly.
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