Trust Your Wedding to a Professional

You're considering hiring a wedding planner for hourly consultations, full planning services, or simply wedding day coordination and now you're getting quotes from various companies.  The industry standard for professional planners starts at $600 for day of coordination and includes the services of a lead coordinator and an assistant.  The average full planning package starts at $1500 and should include the services of wedding day coordinators as well.

There are planners out there who charge $200 a wedding day.  I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for so I'd be very wary of what services you'll receive for that price.  At about $10/hour you need to ask yourself, and them:

• What wedding experience do they have - what sizes of weddings, venues, cultures?
• How many staff does that include and what experience do they have?
• How did they handle problems and emergencies that arose?
• What training and education do they have?  Is it by a government and/or industry-approved program?

Wedding coordinators who have successfully completed the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada course are trained in all areas of wedding planning and coordination, how to run a wedding business, and how best to serve our brides, grooms and their families.  WPIC expects all graduates to adhere to a code of ethics, continue to build on their education through attendance at annual conferences and training, and to network within their large international community of alumni.  They are also the only wedding certification program recognized by the Government of Canada.

Another association for accredited wedding planners is the Association of Bridal Consultants.  In addition to an application process that requires proof of education and experience from consultants, they also have a professional code of ethics for all members.  They have an education program for novices and professional development for more seasoned planners, and hold their Business of Brides conference each November for members.

Wedding professionals who belong to these organizations, as well as others such as ISES (International Special Events Society), have proven their commitment to providing the best possible service to you for your wedding and take their business and reputation very seriously.

WPIC and ABC wedding coordinators and planners do include those just starting out as well as wedding veterans.  The fees they charge will range depending on their experience, location and the services best suited for your personal needs. Think about it - if it came to something important like getting your taxes done, would you rather have a certified accountant doing them or the woman next door who will do it for a quarter of the price?  On such a special occasion as your wedding, you deserve the best service available from a wedding professional.