What to consider when choosing an event planner

When you start planning any event, you will probably begin by putting all your needs on the table. For example, suppose you are organizing a wedding. In that case, you need a venue, catering, bar, ceremony officiant, legalities, insurance, decoration, entertainment, waiters, hostess, photographer, videographer, hair and makeup artist, and the list goes on. Before you even start looking for prices, you will need to have a budget, a theme, a date, and the guest count ready.

Already feeling overwhelmed? Well, that was just the first step of event planning because on the road to happily ever after, there will be some bumps, family issues, and a bunch of meetings and contracts to sign. Luckily for you, there is someone ready to take care of every aspect of your upcoming event in a professional way; that is your event planner.

But how can you choose someone responsible for organizing your event fully? Especially when it is a wedding or a corporate event, you want every detail to be perfect. Well, the answer is not easy, but I can give you a couple of tips to choose wisely and find a professional that will only surprise you pleasantly.

Experience

I know this bit is sometimes tricky because many new event planners with little experience nail their job. Still, event planning is not only about the planner, but you also need to have reliable vendors, good working relationships with venues and event-related vendors.

And it is also about having enough knowledge about different types of events. For example, a wedding requires managing many emotions and dealing with the couple and their families while keeping control over timing and a handful of vendors. So, make sure your event planner has enough experience, ask about how many weddings or corporate events he or she has organized, and if they are familiar with your venue or location.

Reviews

Perhaps you fell in love with the photos of previous events your potential event planner has on its website, the description of their services is impeccable, and you have received so far a professional service. But there is nothing more valuable than the experience of a former client, someone who saw their magic at work and their skills working under pressure.

Try to find reviews on their profile to know what former customers say. If you see many good reviews describing an awesome job, then you are a step closer to finding the perfect event planner for your upcoming celebration. But if, on the other hand, you see consistency in the lack of professionalism or other areas, you might want to reconsider your decision.

Budget

When you meet your potential event planner, you might feel like you just found someone who embodies all the wishes you had in mind, but before you sign the dotted line, there is one little detail to go over, which is budget. The first step you must take when planning an event is to set a budget. This way, you know if an event planner is within your possibilities and your planner also knows what she or he is dealing with.

Chemistry

You probably think you need to hire a professional not to fall in love with your event planner. Still, chemistry is crucial because you want to feel comfortable working with your planner since many important decisions and intimate moments will be shared. So, meet with your potential event planner and find out if you feel like she can read your mind, and you lose track of time talking about your plans; that is the best sign of having the right one in front of you.

Follow up

My experience as a Miami event planner has taught me that to succeed in this industry, you must have excellent organization and follow-up skills; it is necessary to be persistent and committed to making a dream come true. So, if you notice that your potential event planner leaves your messages unattended or promises you to call but never does, you should start looking for someone else.

You want to find an event planner who arrives on time to each meeting, answers every question, and, most importantly, solves any issue. And if during the first interviews you don’t get that feeling, the chances are that once you close the deal, things won’t change.

When you start interviewing potential event planners, keep my advice in mind and follow your intuition. If it feels right, suits your budget, and makes you happy, then go ahead and sign the contract.