How to choose a wedding planner: key questions, red flags & contract

Choosing a wedding planner is one of the most impactful decisions. Beyond coordination, they translate your vision into an executable plan with budget, timeline and plan B. Here’s how to hire with confidence.

What a planner really does

Strategy & budget: define categories, priorities and smart savings.
Vendor curation: request quotes, compare, book visits and tastings/trials.
Design & production: turn the moodboard into layout, florals, lighting and ambience.
Contracts & logistics: review scope, venue restrictions, weather plan and permits.
Day-of coordination: minute-by-minute schedule, install, rehearsals and trouble-shooting.

Service types

Full planning: end-to-end. Ideal if you’re short on time or a destination wedding.
Partial: you join mid-process; the planner completes and organizes.
Month-/Day-of coordination: takes over 4–8 weeks prior to run the event.
Design & styling: focus on aesthetics, layout and visual production.

When to book

12–15 months before for full planning (or as soon as you have date, city and guest count).
4–8 weeks before if you only need day-of coordination.

Interview questions

What’s your planning process (phases, deliverables, tools)?
What’s included and what incurs extra fees?
How many events do you oversee per day/weekend and who is with me on the day?
Tell me about an issue you faced and how you solved it.
How do you manage budget, changes and approvals?
Do you use exclusive vendors or recommend based on my brief?
How will we communicate (response times, meetings, reports)?
What does your contract say about cancellations, rescheduling and insurance?
Can you show a real report (timeline, layout, moodboard) from a full wedding?
Do you have references I can contact?

Red flags

No contract or no written scope.
Kickbacks or “closed packages” without price transparency.
No plan B for weather, power or critical logistics.
Won’t show a complete wedding (only Instagram highlights).
“All inclusive” at an unrealistic price with no breakdown.

How to compare proposals

Scope: phases, deliverables, number of site visits and day-of hours
Team: size, roles and staff/guest ratio
Fees: flat, % of budget or hybrid; payment schedule
Policies: changes, cancellation, rescheduling
Transparency: who invoices what; direct payments to vendors
Tools: timeline, budget by category, progress tracker

Fees & transparency

Flat: price for a defined scope; clarity from the start.
Percentage: tied to event size; ask for caps and reporting.
Hybrid: base fee + % for production/design.
Ask for a written commission policy and, when possible, pay vendors directly.

Healthy contract essentials

Clear scope and exclusions.
Schedule of payments and deliverables.
Day-of coverage (hours and staff).
Change/cancellation policies.
Responsibilities of venue/vendors and client.

Shall we talk about your wedding?

We’ll share our process, a sample timeline and a line-item estimate so you start on the right foot.

Request a proposal

FAQs

Can I book coordination only for the wedding day?

Yes. You’ll need to deliver the full dossier 4–8 weeks prior for walkthroughs, confirmations and the final timeline.

What if my planner gets sick?

Ask about the backup plan and who leads on the day.

Do you work destination weddings?

Yes; confirm fees, travel expenses and extra on-site logistics time.