Congratulations, you’re getting married! You’re about to embark on one of life’s most exciting adventures and we’re here to help you along the way. In this blog we’re telling you all the wedding questions you need to ask when planning your special day.
Planning a wedding
Planning a wedding is no easy task and it’s often hard to know where to start. If you’re not sure, you can check out our simple guide to wedding planning. Before you make any plans, take a step back and enjoy the moment, you’ll appreciate it when the madness starts.
The step we would always advise first is to plan your wedding budget. This will allow you to set realistic goals as a couple and means you can keep referring back to it to stay on track throughout the wedding planning process.
Wedding venues usually take up the biggest percentage of the wedding budget. You may be able to save money if you can have your ceremony and reception in the same place rather than at different wedding venues.
At this initial stage, it’s a good idea to create your own mood board. This will allow you to gain wedding inspiration and incorporate the elements that you wish to have on your wedding day.
If you’re reading this blog, you’ve probably already decided that you’d like support from a wedding planner. Most wedding planners will offer a range of packages with varying levels of support. Let’s get right into the most important questions to ask a wedding planner.
Wedding questions
We’re sure that you’ve already started filling a notepad full of wedding questions to ask, which is great. Our handy guide will help to ensure that you’ve not missed anything important off. Your wedding day should be the most magical day of your life so you need to find the best wedding planner to accommodate your needs.
“Are you available on my selected date?”
This is a very important question. You have to remember that it’s one thing for the wedding planner to be free on your wedding date, but can they accommodate your planning needs in the lead up to your wedding too?
If the wedding planner that you selected isn’t free then you may need to go back to the drawing board or consider changing your wedding date.
“How much will your wedding planning cost?”
This question has many answers and depends on a huge range of factors. Like we mentioned earlier, most planners will offer varying services, which you’ll need to find out about.
Some couples want support with everything while others may just want help with logistics. That’s why it’s a good idea to meet with a wedding planner when you already have a rough idea of what you want.
Setting aside a percentage of your budget for a wedding planner before this meeting is very important. This means you can go in with a set amount and if you need to, you can tailor their services to fit within your budget plans.
“How many meetings are involved in the process?”
The number of meetings you’ll have will depend on the level of service you select. Some wedding planners prefer to tell you exciting news as and when they receive it, which means they’re likely to just pick up the phone. Others will want to wait until they’re having a meeting with you in person. You’ll need to consider which method you would prefer when selecting a wedding planner.
“How much experience do you have planning weddings?”
Many planners will have a portfolio, which may contain a range of events, but you’re mainly interested in weddings. A good planner will be happy to share this with you and allow you to ask any questions.
Some planners may also provide you with reviews gathered from real couples they’ve worked with and even vendors. This can help to reassure you that you can trust them to create an unforgettable wedding.
“Do you have access to a range of wedding vendors?”
Creating a wedding you’ve been dreaming of for years will likely require the use of external vendors. Think about your music, will you hire a live band for the wedding party? Will they bring their own sound system?
Maybe you’re after a prosecco van for the adults or a magician to entertain the kids, they’ll all need to be brought in for your big day. A great wedding planning company will have worked with a range of vendors from all over the country on events and therefore have built a strong rapport with them.
You’ll need to be able to easily collect any third party products such as a cake, you don’t want to be worrying about collection on your big day. Some local vendors may even accommodate a delivery to your house the day before.
“Have you ever worked with our wedding venue before?”
Having a planner who has worked with a wedding venue previously can help you to gain inspiration and see what they can do. Additionally, they may have worked with other wedding specialists at the venue like a photographer. If they have, they’ll likely be able to give you expert advice when you’re planning your perfect wedding photos or even a wedding video.
Whether your wedding planner has worked with your venue before or not, they’ll need to work closely with them now.
If your venue is providing food then there’s lots to think about, will they provide dairy and gluten free options during dinner? Is there a cake cutting fee or a corkage fee?
Other questions for the wedding venue might include:
- How many guests can we invite?
- Do you have accessible facilities for disabled guests?
- Is there an open bar option? Will they offer a cocktail hour for a little extra?
- Is there anything that needs to be done the following day?
- What time does the reception need to finish?
- What would be the plan after the ceremony while the bride and groom are having photos and the guests are waiting for the wedding reception?
- Will you offer a welcome party for guests? Is there an option to add food or snacks?
- Are there any venue restrictions we should be aware of?
- Is there anywhere for guests to stay at the venue or nearby?
“Will you support us with the designs for our wedding?”
Your design plans can include your decorations, guest list and even your wedding invitations. Having a planner to support you with invites is beneficial. They will help to ensure that nothing is missed off such as the dress code. A great wedding planner may also be able to offer support for wedding gifts and rings ideas.
Recently, wedding websites have become popular. These allow your guests to RSVP online rather than letting you know another way. A wedding website might be used to display a countdown and they also help to protect the environment as you’re not printing on paper.
If you want to continue with the online theme, why not create a wedding hashtag? Then guests can follow along with your planning process and all the photos from your big day will be in one place.
“Will you offer your own ideas for our big day?”
Your planner’s goal should be to bring together all of your ideas but they may also offer their own where appropriate. Maybe they’ve noticed you haven’t mentioned any entertainment, in which case they may make suggestions.
If you’re inviting kids to the reception then you’ll have to consider buying a game they can play or some funny outfits they can wear. This may help them to stay entertained while the adults are dancing the night away.
“Will you be there on the wedding day?”
Ideally, you’ll want your planner’s full attention on your big day, from ceremony through to the reception. You’ll likely be feeling a little nervous and having someone there who knows what they’re doing can really help to create a calmer atmosphere. An experienced wedding planner will know how to deal with any emergencies, which will allow the day to run smoothly.
“Do you have insurance?”
Insurance might not sound like something you need to think too much about for your wedding day but it’s important that your planner has it. Insurance can cover accidental damage. Imagine something is dropped and damages both the floor and the dance floor on your wedding night. You then owe money to the wedding venue and the vendor for the damage.
“Is there anything you can’t provide?”
It’s better to ask early on in the process if there’s anything that your planner is unable to accommodate. This is up to individual planners and there’s usually a good reason for not offering an element.
Knowing which questions to ask is hard, we hope our guide has helped! Don’t forget you can contact us for absolutely any advice on planning. Our wedding planning team are experts in the field and we’re always happy to answer any questions.
