Once you have a referral, set up a meeting with him or her to discuss what services they can provide. It can be beneficial to meet with more than one consultant to help provide you with perspective and comparison. It is important to choose a consult you like and feel extremely comfortable with. This person will be helping you plan one of the most important days of your life, and you want to feel supported by them. Make sure you have a good rapport and that you do not feel the consultant is attempting to push any of their own ideas at the expense of your desires.
When you sit down to discuss your wedding with a consultant, be as specific and straightforward as you can. Communicate what type of wedding you want, what your budget it, and what kind of time frame you are working with. Ask what they charge and how they determine their fees. A few other things to consider:
• Do they have a business license or a certificate of membership to a professional organization? Professional wedding consultants should have some type of documentation to indicate their status as a qualified specialist, rather than someone who does wedding consultation as a hobby.
• Ask if they have any photos or newspaper articles of other clients with whom they have worked. You can get a good idea of their style and see what types of weddings they have produced.
• Always sign a written contract that clearly lays out what services they are committing to provide and how they will bill you for those services. If they don’t offer you a contract, do not give them your business.