Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/223347
Pros 101 Need professional help organizing your big day? Here's how to find the best wedding planner for the job By Lauren Kramer Illustration by Mandy Lau prefer to communicate — by in-person meetings, phone calls or emails." Viewing a client file in progress can also be helpful, so you can understand just how a planner puts a wedding together. Check to see if all the contracts are there, if there's a production schedule, a copy of the budget and evidence of communication with vendors. "You're looking for completeness and a lot of information," Peters explains. THE PERSONAL FACTOR The wedding planner you choose should feel like someone who could, under different circumstances, become a personal friend of yours. "You want them to make you feel like you're their only client. So ask yourself if the planner is a good listener," says Peters. Your relationship with your planner needs to "click," adds Bishop. But at the same time, remember that your planner is not your friend, but an advisor. "The line between professionalism and friendship becomes very blurred in the course of wedding planning because you get to be very close with your planner. Be aware that your planner has other clients too, and if they can't answer a text instantly all the time, that's not unreasonable." MONEY TALK Peters suggests brides allocate up to 10 per cent of their budget for wedding planning. realweddings.ca p20-23_Choosing Wedding Planner.indd 21 21 13-11-26 11:56 AM