What Questions Should I Ask a Wedding Planner?

1. Have You Worked at My Venue Before?

One of the first questions to ask is whether your Vancouver wedding planner has worked at your chosen venue. A planner with venue-specific experience is familiar with the layout, potential challenges, and overall logistics. This can save you time and help avoid unexpected issues. For instance, they may know which decor ideas work best, where photographers can capture the best lighting, and how to manage the space to accommodate your guest list. 

More importantly, planners with venue experience likely already have established relationships with the venue’s event team. This can result in smoother communication between all parties, allowing your wedding day to flow effortlessly. Experienced planners can also offer insight into hidden costs or challenges specific to your venue, such as restrictions on noise levels, curfews, or setup times. These are all things that can be managed better when your planner has worked there before.

For example, if you’re planning a wedding at one of Vancouver’s premier venues, like Stanley Park Pavilion, an experienced planner can guide you through common logistical issues that might arise in a space with a historical or natural setting.

2. How Many Staff Will You Have at My Wedding?

Your planner’s team is essential to ensuring the day runs smoothly. The number of staff a planner brings will depend on the size of your event, the venue, and the specific needs of your celebration. Typically, the more complex the wedding, the more staff you’ll need to cover every detail.

A good rule of thumb is to have at least one staff member per 50 guests. However, it’s essential to ask for more specifics. For instance, will there be different team members responsible for setup, coordination, and breakdown? How many team members will be managing guest logistics like transportation or hotel accommodations? And, importantly, who will be your primary point of contact on the wedding day?

The right ratio of staff to guests ensures everything runs smoothly—from directing vendors to ensuring guests are seated promptly for dinner. If your planner is handling a large or detailed event with multiple moving parts, you want to be sure they have enough manpower to execute your vision. Be sure to ask about the roles of each team member and how they will coordinate on the big day to cover every detail.

If you’re hosting a destination wedding or a multi-day event with multiple venues, this question becomes even more important, as you may need a dedicated team in each location. Read more about coordinating multi-venue weddings in our article on destination wedding logistics.

3. Are You Insured?

Insurance is often overlooked but is an incredibly important aspect of hiring a wedding planner, especially in Vancouver, where many venues require planners to have liability insurance. Having an insured wedding planner protects not just them, but also you, the couple, in case of unforeseen circumstances.

A Vancouver wedding planner’s insurance typically covers situations like venue damages or accidents involving guests. Without it, you could be liable for any mishaps that occur during the event. Additionally, working with an insured planner ensures that any complications with weddings leading up to yours do not impact your event, as their business will be safeguarded from potential risks.

When asking this question, request to see a copy of their insurance policy to verify the coverage. Make sure it includes any necessary provisions that your venue requires, such as vendor insurance or coverage for subcontractors like florists, photographers, or caterers. Some planners even offer cancellation insurance, which can be an extra safeguard in case anything derails your plans.

4. What Will the Planning Process Look Like?

Planning a wedding can be an intensive process, so it’s crucial to understand the timeline and what the planning process will look like. This helps manage expectations on both sides and ensures that you know what to expect from your wedding planner.

Start by asking how the planner structures their process. Do they use specific tools, like planning software, to keep things organized? Will you receive regular updates, or are meetings only scheduled at key milestones? It’s also helpful to know when major decisions—like selecting vendors or finalizing the guest list—need to be made.

A comprehensive wedding planner should offer a well-organized schedule with clear deadlines. This ensures you can balance the wedding with your personal life and avoid feeling overwhelmed. For example, will there be a ‘quiet period’ where not much is happening, or is there a constant need for decision-making? Ask when the biggest expenses will come due and how you should budget your time leading up to the big day. This helps prevent any surprises as the wedding date approaches.

For more tips on managing a wedding planning timeline, read our comprehensive Vancouver wedding timeline guide.

5. What’s the Average Budget for Your Couples, and Can You Work Within Mine?

Talking about budgets is always a sensitive topic, but it’s one of the most important questions to ask. Your wedding planner will be responsible for managing much of the financial aspect of your wedding, so transparency and understanding are key.

Ask what the average budget is for the weddings they typically plan. If your budget is significantly lower or higher, ask how they plan to work within your financial constraints. Some planners specialize in high-end, luxury weddings, while others may be more accustomed to working with smaller budgets and helping you allocate your money efficiently.

Additionally, be clear about your financial priorities. Are you more focused on the venue, the decor, or the guest experience? An experienced planner will be able to offer advice on where you can afford to splurge and where you might be able to cut back. They should also offer insight into common hidden costs that may arise, like overtime fees from vendors or additional décor expenses.

Some planners even work with specialized software or spreadsheets to track the budget, ensuring that every dollar is accounted for. Request to see examples of how they’ve managed budgets for previous clients to get a better sense of their financial approach.

We also have a handy guide on managing Vancouver wedding budgets for additional insights.

6. What Are Your Company’s Values and Why?

Weddings are highly personal events, and you want to work with vendors who align with your values and vision. Asking a Vancouver wedding planner about their company’s values gives you insight into how they approach their work and their commitment to their clients.

This question is especially important if certain values are significant to you—such as sustainability, inclusivity, or supporting local businesses. If you prioritize eco-friendly weddings, for example, you’ll want to work with a planner who has relationships with local vendors that share the same environmental values. Similarly, if cultural traditions or religious elements are important to you, you’ll want a planner who respects and honors those aspects of your celebration.

A good Vancouver wedding planner should care about your story and how to best represent it through your event. By asking about their company’s mission, you can better understand how their values will influence the decisions they make for your wedding day.

7. How Many Weddings Have You Planned?

Experience matters when it comes to wedding planning. While planners who have managed corporate or social events may bring useful skills to the table, nothing compares to the unique requirements of planning a wedding. Weddings involve not only logistical precision but also a deep emotional connection with the couple and their guests.

Ask your potential Vancouver wedding planner how many weddings they’ve successfully planned. The more weddings they’ve done, the better prepared they’ll be to handle unexpected situations. Inquire about different types of weddings, too. Have they handled outdoor weddings, destination weddings, or multi-day events? Experience with various styles and sizes of weddings will give you confidence that your planner can manage any situation, no matter how complex or unique your vision is.

A planner with extensive wedding experience will also likely have developed strong relationships with vendors, which can be a huge benefit when negotiating contracts or coordinating services.

Choosing a wedding planner is one of the most important decisions you’ll make during the wedding planning process. By asking the right questions, you can ensure that you hire someone who is not only experienced but also aligned with your vision and values. From budget management to planning logistics, and ensuring the planner shares your company’s core values, these are crucial aspects to cover.

For more wedding tips, advice, and real Vancouver wedding inspiration, be sure to visit our blog. If you’re still in search of the perfect Vancouver wedding planner, check out our guide to finding Vancouver’s top wedding vendors.