I was recently asked to contribute by fellow UK Alliance of Wedding Planners (UKAWP) member Katrina Otter to a great article for Love My Dress on “Transparency, Honesty and Clarity in the Wedding Industry -things to watch out for when planning a wedding”
As a Kent Wedding Planner the points covered are well known to me and I something I always consider when planning my couples’ weddings, however, if you’re just starting out on your wedding planning journey and you’ve not got a planner helping you then I highly recommend you take a look at the blog posts to familiarise yourself with all the points covered. With contributions from a number of highly experienced wedding suppliers including a few from the UKAWP there really is a wealth of information and advice to help you.
It’s a huge topic so has been split into two blog posts, here’s a brief overview of the topics covered.
Part one covers the following:
Recommended Supplier lists
What they are and what they really mean to you
What questions you should be asking your venues
Kickback and Commissions
What they are and who charges them
What to look our for
Don’t be afraid to ask the venue or suppliers you use if they take commission, you don’t want any nasty surprises late in the day
This is a divisive issue in the industry; as a long standing member of the UKAWP I do not charge or take commission. I believe that the fee I charge my clients is a true representation of the value of my work that doesn’t need to be bolstered by hidden charges.
Paperwork: Contract, Invoices and the Small Print
An essential part of planning a wedding
Get a contract from every supplier and read the small print
You’ll know where you stand and have a clearly defined list of what you will and won’t get
Outlines your payments so you can plan your budget management
The Importance of Deposits
Expect to pay one for everything you book
Secures the supplier for your wedding date
Allows your suppliers to start working on your wedding
Insurance
Check your suppliers have the appropriate cover such as Public and Employers Liability
Get your own insurance to cover all aspects of your wedding not just your ring and honeymoon
Take a look at part one here: http://www.lovemydress.net/blog/2016/01/transparency-honesty-clarity-in-the-wedding-industry.html
Part 2 can be found here:
http://www.lovemydress.net/blog/2016/01/transparency-honesty-clarity-in-the-wedding-industry-part-2.html
Job Titles in the Wedding Industry
There are a number of different titles and roles, know the difference
You can read my advice here on the different roles:
“The job title (e.g. planner or coordinator) usually refers to the level of service…. An independent wedding planner has a bigger stake in all aspects of your wedding because we’ve invested time to get to know you and your plans and are working only for you.”
Heavily Discounted Prices
When and why this might be the case
When it is and isn’t a good thing
Who’s going to be there on the day
Knowing why it might not be who you think it will be
Ask the right questions and be prepared
Exactly what are you getting for your money?
No two suppliers are ever the same
Why you shouldn’t ever look at price alone
Testimonials and References
Where to look beyond the website
How wedding planners can really help secure trusted suppliers
So lots of great advice, do take a look here for part 1 and here for part 2.
Don’t to want to worry about paperwork, contracts and insurance etc? Just want to enjoy planing your wedding, pinning ideas and thinking of creative details? Then get in touch today and we can discuss my full wedding panning services so I can deal with all of the above and you can just look forward to having an amazing wedding day.
Get in touch if you are in need of a Kent Wedding Planner
