A Guide to Finding the Perfect Wedding Consultant

If you have a hard time with organizations or simply don't have the time do deal with the planning of your entire wedding, hiring a professional wedding planner might be the perfect solution for you. Wedding planners, also known as wedding consultants, are for some a very worthwhile investment. These walking wedding encyclopedias know the ins and outs of wedding planning and can help to make your big day perfect and stress free. There are two types of wedding consultants- Independent and Store-Affiliated. And Independent wedding consultant can help you with planning every aspect of your wedding from A-Z. They are like your own personal secretary dealing with the florist, baker, DJ/Band, photographer and caterer. Store-affiliated consultants are people that are employed by bridal salons, reception sites and other businesses involved with weddings and wedding planning. The downside to the store-affiliated consultant is that while they might be very knowledgeable in their area of expertise, they generally won't offer as many resources as an independent consultant will.

When picking a wedding consultant, it is very important to speak with more than one before making a choice. It's very important that you choose someone that you think you can work easily with, as well as someone you feel will follow your wishes. The last thing you want is someone who is not going to listen to you. Don't be afraid to ask for references and follow up on them. You are paying for their services and you want to make sure that you are going to get your moneys worth. Finding the right wedding consultant might seem just as daunting as planning the wedding itself, but having a guideline to work with may help to make things easier. Here are some questions that you might find useful when searching for your wedding consultant.

1. How long has the consultant been in business?
A consultant who has been in business for a long time usually means they have a lot of experience and contacts. Don't automatically dismiss someone who is new in business though. They may actually be very good at what they do and are just starting their business. Ask them about previous experience and references.

2. What areas does the consultant work in?
Are they a full-service planner or do they only specialize in certain areas? You don't want to hire a wedding consultant thinking they are going to be able to handle everything and then find out you'll also have to pay others to cover the services your consultant does not.

3. Does the consultant work full-time or part-time?
Some wedding consultants might have other jobs and only work as a consultant part-time. If your concerned about having your consultant available at all times, you may prefer to hire someone who only does wedding consulting full-time.

4. Does the consultant have any other weddings scheduled on the same day as yours?
For optimal results, it would be best to choose a consultant that does not double-book events.

5. How does the consultant compute the price?
Do they charge hourly or a flat fee? Some consultants charge a percentage of the total cost of the wedding. If they charge a percentage ask them up front how the final cost will be determined. Make sure to ask what the quoted final fee will include or omit. The last thing you want on your big day is the be handed a bill with unexpected charges on it.

6. What businesses and organizations is the consultant affiliated with?
This is an important question to ask before you hire a consultant. Many consultants have deals worked out with specific businesses. Finding out which businesses they are affiliated with and researching those businesses can be extremely beneficial to you. You want to make sure that the consultant that you hire is doing business with companies that will meet your needs.

And don't forget one last vital source of information--word of mouth. People get married all of the time, so chances are someone you know may have knowledge of a good wedding consultant that they can share with you.