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 Hello and welcome back to this week's episode of the Wedding Lounge pod class.

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 Today we are going to be talking about how to work with a planner.

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 So first things first, before you book a planner you need to do your research.

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 Yes, very, very important.

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 There are so many different planners, so many different styles,

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 so many different ways that we all work.

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 Yes, you need to find the right ones for you.

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 Exactly, you need to do your research.

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 You need to look on their website, their social media and Google reviews.

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 Of people who actually work with them, not just the highlights of the penning on Instagram.

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 Yes, you do need to know, and it sounds really obvious, where they work.

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 How much they're going to cost roughly.

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 And what they offer, because there's no point inquiring with our lovely colleague Laura at your wedding your way.

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 If you want, have a thought plan.

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 Because she doesn't do full wedding plans, she just does on the day coordination.

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 So if you're looking for someone to help you from the start and book your suppliers,

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 who's not the plan for you, she's the plan for you.

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 If you want someone who specialises in bringing your plans on getting them executed brilliantly.

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 Much like with both of us.

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 Yes, if you're looking to get married in a venue, like a London venue, like the Ned, for example,

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 or the Savoy, neither of us are going to be the right planner for you.

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 No, we don't do those kind of venues.

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 London freaks me out.

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 I mean, I'm capable of getting around London,

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 but trying to think of the logistics of half an hour unloading slot here and there,

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 I just know it's a difficult game.

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 Some tree lane and mud to deal with and much happier and nothing in a field.

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 Yeah, no running water.

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 Yeah, exactly.

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 That's what we want.

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 So once you've done your research and you know the type of planner you want to speak to,

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 you've found some that you really like the look of, inquire with a couple of them.

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 I would start with two or three.

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 Yes.

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 No, roughly when you want to get married.

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 Yeah, roughly what you want to spend and roughly the style.

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 Yeah.

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 Well, obviously that's, that's going to help you decide on your planner anyway.

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 Yeah.

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 So then you can go to them and say, look, we're aiming to get married September 2026.

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 Are you available and then you can discuss the availability, have the conversation, speak

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 to them.

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 If you click with them.

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 Yeah.

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 When you're working with very closely in the lead up to your wedding, yeah, even if it is

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 wedding day management or full planning, they're with you on the most special day.

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 You've got to actually like them.

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 Yeah.

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 Exactly.

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 And also liking them means you have that open communication.

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 Yeah.

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 And I also would suggest that if you really like them, whether it's your parents are paying

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 for the day, perhaps have a conversation with your parents as well, maybe once you've

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 had the initial conversation, planner sent you the proposal, maybe then book a second

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 call.

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 Yeah.

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 Speak to your parents.

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 Like, if it's someone you really, really want to work with, your parents need to be on

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 board.

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 And if it's at their home, if you're married at your parents' home, your parents have got

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 to be comfortable with the planner you've chosen, you may well just, your parents may just

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 trust you and know that you know someone who's going to get on with your parents.

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 If they want to call with them or to catch up, then I think it's a good idea to start that

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 relationship off on a good set.

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 Yeah.

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 Exactly.

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 And it's quite nice as well for us.

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 Yeah.

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 To know who it is that whose home we're going to be coming into and probably making top

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 to T4 and things like that, it's quite a nice way to say hello.

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 And I think that's what's different about the sort of weddings that we plan is there are

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 in people's homes and we've helped other friends with landing weddings in London and they

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 don't necessarily have that interaction with the parents because the parents are pretty

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 much like guests.

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 They just turn up, enjoy the day and leave.

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 Whereas when it's someone's home, you're there setting up the week off, they might be making

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 your bacon butty, you're having a cup of tea in their kitchen, you know, it's all very personal

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 and you want to make sure that you have a planner that you can see fitting in with your family

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 especially in those circumstances.

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 So once you've had those initial calls, your planner will typically send you a proposal,

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 a quotation, an investment, a brochure, some literature for you to then sit and go through

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 in your own time, discuss, compare as well, make sure that what you want is included within

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 the offering.

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 Plan is all offered slightly different variations on the service.

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 So when you're comparing quotes, for example, if it comes down to that, then look and see

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 what is included and what isn't, just so that you're making a fair comparison.

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 Yeah, exactly.

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 Once you've booked them, it will be different depending on what service you've booked.

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 If you've booked sort of wedding day coordination, a full plan, partial plan, it will look a bit

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 different about how your planner helps you.

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 But we're going to talk about what full plan would include, but as you've already said, Natasha,

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 it will be set out in your proposal from the planner.

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 What is and isn't included, how they're going to work.

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 So it will look different for whatever service, but it should be very clear.

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 Yeah.

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 On the whole, most planners will have the same sort of scope of work, essentially, they just

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 might be a few things that are additional for one planner, aren't for another.

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 On the whole, your planner will do your project creation and budget management.

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 Yes.

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 They will probably keep an eye on when payments are due.

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 Yes, definitely.

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 I was always reminding clients, yeah, payments are happening.

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 They'll help you create mood boards, even if you have an idea of a design in mind, they'll

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 just help you finesse that and create something that's cohesive and works with exactly what

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 you want.

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 And just make sure it flows right for the space where you're choosing to get married as

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 well.

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 You get married in a venue that's got blue carpets, but you want red flowers, it might

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 be some advice.

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 Yes.

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 Exactly.

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 And also your wedding planner will research your suppliers.

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 We've talked about the little black book before.

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 If a planner doesn't have a supplier that matches what you want, they will obviously research

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 and find out someone who is going to suit exactly what you need using their contacts.

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 They will liaise these suppliers when they will make sure that they support you in booking

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 them.

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 We both work in a way where we do not form the contracts between us and the suppliers.

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 The contracts and the payments are made from our clients directly to the suppliers.

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 We just do the research, the liaising, set everything up, as you said, remind you of payments,

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 but we do not form the contracts with that supplier.

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 So we will, we will the research for you and make sure that you've got the right suppliers

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 for you.

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 We'll also attend meetings of the suppliers, tastings with the caterers, yeah, just to make

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 sure that you're having to make notes on that, we're there, we're asking the right questions,

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 build a relationship.

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 So the logistical questions as well.

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 The questions that you won't need to know the answers to so that you can just sit back

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 and enjoy the day.

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 They're the questions that go up behind the scenes exactly, but your suppliers need to

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 know.

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 Mm-hmm.

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 We'll help you with, that's correct, readings, chains, song choices.

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 Any advice on your wedding day if you're struggling with, we will have an answer

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 for.

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 Awesome advice.

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 Yes, exactly, not telling you exactly what to do, just some options for you.

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 We will also help track your RSV piece from guests.

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 Some planners may send out invitations as well.

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 We've chatted before, had neither of us do that.

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 No.

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 A track of the responses for destination and keep an eye on any direct requirements, make

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 note of those or if there's any additional needs, any of your guests have like wheelchair

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 access, high chairs, any push chase, yeah, we'll keep an eye on.

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 And then we create a schedule for you.

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 So it would be for the entire set up of your wedding.

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 So if the marquee is first going up on Wednesday, we would have a detailed schedule of what

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 supplier is in on site when, what they're doing, what they're providing throughout the whole

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 thing, super detailed on the day.

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 Mm-hmm.

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 And then also for the clear down when suppliers are collecting things and taking things down

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 yet well.

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 And there will be there for that time.

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 I don't know about you, but I, even though there's not very much the pros on, I like to

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 be there the day that the marquee actually goes up.

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 Yeah.

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 Good to not answer any questions, then just make sure it goes up, make sure it goes up.

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 And then we'll be there for all the set up, deliveries, making sure everything arrives

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 and everything is correct.

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 Yes, as well.

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 So checking things, we'll be there on the day, making sure the day runs smoothly, your supplies

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 arrive on time, sorting out any if-use, logistical or otherwise, helping with guests, helping

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 with guests, helping with you, or selling if you need it, yeah, grabbing your drink, yeah,

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 making sure you are relaxing and enjoying your day.

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 And then we'll be back to help clear down the whole day, yeah, or whenever, whenever clear

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 down is happening sometimes, people leave it to the Monday day.

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 We're essentially confident, yes.

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 And like, a wedding PA is there, I say, what you are, like we are there to be the person

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 who has the total control over your wedding and knows all those logistical things and

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 has the answer to the questions that will stress you out essentially.

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 Yeah.

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 You just don't need to be asked.

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 You don't need to be...

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 Someone doesn't need to come and ask you on the day whether the dessert thought is going

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 out, start with or whether it's going to be on the dessert table, for example, we will

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 know the answer to that.

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 So we can confirm that with the caterers.

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 You don't need to be worrying about that on the day, yeah.

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 There are a couple of things that most planners will not get involved with.

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 The first and the biggest one is wedding insurance.

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 I mean, if you don't have wedding insurance, you're a very silly person, and I highly recommend

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 you book wedding insurance now, cause this podcasting bow and sort your wedding insurance

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 out.

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 Google.

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 Yeah.

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 You can't advise that quick, Google.

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 No, we can help you.

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 Put you in touch with insurance brokers, but we cannot offer you advice.

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 Is it legal?

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 Yes.

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 And we're not financially accredited to do that.

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 Yes.

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 We can also, we don't get involved with organising the legalities of the marriage, so it's

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 your responsibility to, in your meeting with the registrar, to book in a meeting with the

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 thicker, to get your bands read, you know, we cannot be involved with that.

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 We couldn't advise, but it's your responsibility at the end of the day, again, you can remind

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 you.

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 Yes.

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 Have you had your bands read yet?

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 One of your bands, but have you given notice, we didn't get you to do that, but you need

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 to actually do that because it's you that's legally getting married.

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 It's not us.

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 Yeah.

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 Also, it's your table plan.

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 Now, we've done a whole episode on seating plans, and while we can help with thinking how

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 to tackle it, and obviously producing them on the day, we don't know your guests like

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 you do.

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 We don't know the intricacies of family relationships, family dynamics.

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 If you have an issue, and you say to us, I've got forced parents, this partner, you know,

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 what would you recommend?

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 We can do that, but we can't sit there.

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 We don't know all 150 of your guests, and whether Sarah wants to sit next to Jessica

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 or whether that's going to cause fight.

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 We just don't know that.

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 You were privy to that information, not us.

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 Yeah.

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 It's much better that you handle that.

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 We can advise on honeymoon, but again, we don't typically get involved in booking them.

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 No, that was something when I started planning on, because I love travel, I thought, I'll

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 offer that.

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 I don't want to.

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 I don't want to.

223
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 I don't.

224
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 I booked trips for other friends and stuff before, but I just leave that one, leave that one

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 to the travel agent.

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 I'll begin your wedding rings.

227
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 Yes.

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 I mean, it's something I feel is very personal to a couple, and the last of my clients, the

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 grooms traditionally don't wear a wedding ring, so it's only for a woman.

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 But again, it's not something we typically get involved in.

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00:12:01,665 --> 00:12:05,465
 Yeah, that's a nice personal thing for you to go and choose to.

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 So as we've said, we advise our clients throughout the process.

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 At the end of the day, they're your decisions.

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 I think some people believe if they have a planner that we're just going to tell them,

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 have this plan up, can have this use that supplier, but it's not a decision.

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 It's your wedding.

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 There are.

238
00:12:20,585 --> 00:12:22,225
 There are plans out there that will do that.

239
00:12:22,225 --> 00:12:23,225
 Yeah.

240
00:12:23,225 --> 00:12:26,945
 And again, that's you in doing your research and speaking to those planners.

241
00:12:26,945 --> 00:12:30,905
 If you want to have zero involvement in your wedding day, find that planner.

242
00:12:30,905 --> 00:12:31,905
 Yeah.

243
00:12:31,905 --> 00:12:37,185
 But most planners want to work with you, not for you.

244
00:12:37,185 --> 00:12:38,185
 Yeah.

245
00:12:38,185 --> 00:12:42,465
 I mean, if the client came to me and they said, we want traditional hens, I really don't

246
00:12:42,465 --> 00:12:43,465
 mind which hens.

247
00:12:43,465 --> 00:12:48,345
 You know, we would be able to advise and sort that out, but we don't tend to make decisions

248
00:12:48,345 --> 00:12:52,905
 for you unless you really want us to, but it just takes out the traditional side of things

249
00:12:52,905 --> 00:12:53,905
 really.

250
00:12:53,905 --> 00:12:54,905
 Yeah, exactly.

251
00:12:54,905 --> 00:12:59,745
 It is your wedding day at the end of the day and we just want to make sure that you have

252
00:12:59,745 --> 00:13:05,185
 the best day and the best experience that it does take some involvement from you.

253
00:13:05,185 --> 00:13:10,825
 So we're here to take the pressure off, but we're here just to advise you.

254
00:13:10,825 --> 00:13:16,045
 So we do have expectations of our clients and we do try and set them out at the beginning

255
00:13:16,045 --> 00:13:20,625
 of working with the clients that they know to explain what we expect from our clients

256
00:13:20,625 --> 00:13:21,625
 is honesty.

257
00:13:21,625 --> 00:13:25,865
 There's no point in telling us that you absolutely love the rat on placemats that we've

258
00:13:25,865 --> 00:13:29,745
 suggested just you don't have our feelings if that's not what you want for your wedding.

259
00:13:29,745 --> 00:13:33,625
 It could be that you want something different for your wedding table design, but we need you

260
00:13:33,625 --> 00:13:36,385
 to be honest about what you like and don't like.

261
00:13:36,385 --> 00:13:38,625
 Similarly, honesty around budget.

262
00:13:38,625 --> 00:13:39,625
 Yes.

263
00:13:39,625 --> 00:13:46,345
 That we need you to be upfront with us and about financials is an awkward topic, but we

264
00:13:46,345 --> 00:13:50,705
 are there to support you and to make it work with what you have.

265
00:13:50,705 --> 00:13:56,825
 So if finances are such a big conversation, it's really important that you are honest with

266
00:13:56,825 --> 00:13:57,825
 us.

267
00:13:57,825 --> 00:14:00,105
 Otherwise, it just will create difficulties.

268
00:14:00,105 --> 00:14:05,785
 Yes, because if we think you have more money than you do have to spend on the wedding, we'll

269
00:14:05,785 --> 00:14:10,665
 be picking suppliers who fit that when we make our budget, we'll be tweaking the percentages

270
00:14:10,665 --> 00:14:13,905
 based on something that you just may not be realistic.

271
00:14:13,905 --> 00:14:18,385
 It may be that you would spend that, but you have a set amount that you want to spend and

272
00:14:18,385 --> 00:14:23,105
 we put a bit more maybe in the contingency, so you might say, "I want to stick to under

273
00:14:23,105 --> 00:14:26,705
 100, but I do have £10,000 give all take."

274
00:14:26,705 --> 00:14:28,945
 So we could put that in the contingency, couldn't we?

275
00:14:28,945 --> 00:14:32,865
 But there's no point saying that you have £150,000 to spend.

276
00:14:32,865 --> 00:14:36,505
 And expect honesty from us as well, like we will be honest with you.

277
00:14:36,505 --> 00:14:41,705
 If you turn around and you say, "I have £5,000 to spend on flowers.

278
00:14:41,705 --> 00:14:47,185
 I want two floral arches, three pedestals, three is going up the middle of the room."

279
00:14:47,185 --> 00:14:52,585
 We're going to tell you that's not durable within your budget, so expect the same from us

280
00:14:52,585 --> 00:14:55,065
 and what you are receiving essentially.

281
00:14:55,065 --> 00:14:56,385
 Yes, honesty as well.

282
00:14:56,385 --> 00:14:59,705
 And we've touched upon it with helping you with seating plans.

283
00:14:59,705 --> 00:15:06,345
 If there are any guest relationships that are tricky and need a bit more consideration

284
00:15:06,345 --> 00:15:09,625
 on our part, then be honest with us, let us know.

285
00:15:09,625 --> 00:15:11,985
 We don't want to offend anyone on the day.

286
00:15:11,985 --> 00:15:12,985
 I've had weddings.

287
00:15:12,985 --> 00:15:17,745
 The people have told me that the stepmom is just not to be involved and normally I would

288
00:15:17,745 --> 00:15:22,945
 obviously treat a stepmom like mum in that sense, but I had to make sure that I was obviously

289
00:15:22,945 --> 00:15:28,145
 delighted to her, but I knew the bride did not want her influence over things.

290
00:15:28,145 --> 00:15:32,585
 It's tricky, but we need to know that, and it is, again, like finance, all could talk about

291
00:15:32,585 --> 00:15:33,585
 it.

292
00:15:33,585 --> 00:15:35,865
 It's more awkward if you pass it in it.

293
00:15:35,865 --> 00:15:36,865
 Yeah, it is.

294
00:15:36,865 --> 00:15:41,345
 And it makes it harder as well to back metal if we've said something that's wrong, or as

295
00:15:41,345 --> 00:15:46,225
 if we know from the outset, like having those clear conversations and communications just

296
00:15:46,225 --> 00:15:49,505
 help us help you in the long run.

297
00:15:49,505 --> 00:15:51,625
 Communication is something that's really important.

298
00:15:51,625 --> 00:15:55,305
 Like, we are here to guide you and to help you.

299
00:15:55,305 --> 00:15:58,865
 We need you to communicate with us.

300
00:15:58,865 --> 00:16:02,265
 Obviously, as I mentioned earlier, there are some planners that will just do your wedding

301
00:16:02,265 --> 00:16:05,665
 for you, but there are lots of planners that need responses.

302
00:16:05,665 --> 00:16:06,665
 Yes.

303
00:16:06,665 --> 00:16:07,665
 We need you to decide.

304
00:16:07,665 --> 00:16:08,665
 Highly responses.

305
00:16:08,665 --> 00:16:09,665
 Highly responses.

306
00:16:09,665 --> 00:16:14,665
 So we're going out there and researching these suppliers, we're contacting these suppliers,

307
00:16:14,665 --> 00:16:16,785
 we're getting quotient these suppliers.

308
00:16:16,785 --> 00:16:21,625
 We then need to go back to these suppliers with decisions, even if you said to us, we come

309
00:16:21,625 --> 00:16:22,825
 back just in a few months.

310
00:16:22,825 --> 00:16:27,945
 We can then go back to, if it's videographers, for example, and you say, "Oh, we're still

311
00:16:27,945 --> 00:16:32,545
 not sure if we want a videographer," I can then respond to the videographers and go, "We're

312
00:16:32,545 --> 00:16:36,585
 still making decisions about it, we'll come back to in a few months, hopefully you're

313
00:16:36,585 --> 00:16:37,585
 still available."

314
00:16:37,585 --> 00:16:42,465
 But if not, it's just leaving people hanging, which is quite tricky.

315
00:16:42,465 --> 00:16:43,465
 Yeah, it is.

316
00:16:43,465 --> 00:16:48,505
 And it's hard because we're kind of in the middle, so we don't want to keep chasing clients

317
00:16:48,505 --> 00:16:54,225
 for decisions, but likewise, the suppliers obviously chasing us, not you, that we want to try and

318
00:16:54,225 --> 00:16:55,225
 get that balance.

319
00:16:55,225 --> 00:17:00,265
 So it's just worth setting aside an hour or a week, we sit down and just go through your

320
00:17:00,265 --> 00:17:02,905
 webman with your wedding planner, or for your wedding planner.

321
00:17:02,905 --> 00:17:05,705
 It doesn't even need to be that you talk to us.

322
00:17:05,705 --> 00:17:09,585
 It's just wiki mail responding to everything that we've discussed.

323
00:17:09,585 --> 00:17:14,505
 I tend to, we were just talking like this before we started recording, I tend to try and

324
00:17:14,505 --> 00:17:21,145
 send out like an update every week, four nights, during busy times of planning to clients just

325
00:17:21,145 --> 00:17:22,145
 so I can go through it.

326
00:17:22,145 --> 00:17:25,785
 And so that's a really good email, just to have a look at and then sit down and kind of

327
00:17:25,785 --> 00:17:29,025
 tackle anything you need to tackle, come back with any decisions.

328
00:17:29,025 --> 00:17:33,105
 And then, as you say, just like spend an hour a week, but if we keep on top of those decisions

329
00:17:33,105 --> 00:17:38,025
 every week, even if you say, like you said, "We've got photographer on the list, I'm

330
00:17:38,025 --> 00:17:41,505
 not quite sure exactly what style can we come back to this because I just really want

331
00:17:41,505 --> 00:17:46,505
 to sort out this element or I've got this don't want to work," then we know and we can

332
00:17:46,505 --> 00:17:48,025
 give it to it in a certain time.

333
00:17:48,025 --> 00:17:52,705
 But I just think letting us know that you're not coming back to us is also, yes, and then

334
00:17:52,705 --> 00:17:53,705
 we can, yeah.

335
00:17:53,705 --> 00:17:59,025
 I've had clients this year actually who he very sadly lost his father recently.

336
00:17:59,025 --> 00:18:04,225
 So that has, you know, is just and halted all planning, but because they've communicated

337
00:18:04,225 --> 00:18:08,985
 with me and we've discussed that, I can then go back to all the suppliers that we're

338
00:18:08,985 --> 00:18:11,065
 currently in discussions with.

339
00:18:11,065 --> 00:18:15,205
 We can just have, I can have those sympathetic conversations without them needing to be

340
00:18:15,205 --> 00:18:19,445
 aware, and they can just be left in peace for a couple of months just to kind of absorb

341
00:18:19,445 --> 00:18:22,785
 everything that's happened, that throw in everything off kilter.

342
00:18:22,785 --> 00:18:24,545
 But it's that remunication.

343
00:18:24,545 --> 00:18:25,865
 Yeah, exactly.

344
00:18:25,865 --> 00:18:31,225
 It's just going on in the background and for us, that's really, really crucial.

345
00:18:31,225 --> 00:18:33,865
 It just keeps everyone in the loop, doesn't it?

346
00:18:33,865 --> 00:18:35,225
 This one's a bit of a tricky one.

347
00:18:35,225 --> 00:18:39,545
 We do need our clients to understand that they're not our only clients.

348
00:18:39,545 --> 00:18:44,945
 And that's a horrible thing to say because everyone's wedding is super important.

349
00:18:44,945 --> 00:18:48,665
 And that's why when you're picking your planner, you pick someone who doesn't do 30 weddings

350
00:18:48,665 --> 00:18:49,665
 a year.

351
00:18:49,665 --> 00:18:54,145
 You pick someone who takes on a select few, yeah, because you will get that personal experience.

352
00:18:54,145 --> 00:18:58,985
 For example, if you're getting married next year, we've sorted your market out, we've got

353
00:18:58,985 --> 00:19:04,305
 your caterers, we've sorted your bar, we've possibly got your photographer bit.

354
00:19:04,305 --> 00:19:07,345
 We don't need to worry about the cake just yet.

355
00:19:07,345 --> 00:19:11,665
 We've got people's weddings this summer where we need to finalise details, actually run

356
00:19:11,665 --> 00:19:12,985
 their weddings.

357
00:19:12,985 --> 00:19:16,825
 It might be that your planner communicates to you that they're going to just need to take

358
00:19:16,825 --> 00:19:22,785
 a step back unless there's anything urgent to it in September, for example, but if this

359
00:19:22,785 --> 00:19:26,905
 is explained to you in advance, hopefully everyone will then be aware.

360
00:19:26,905 --> 00:19:31,145
 It's just you would expect the same when it's your summer, your wedding, we would obviously

361
00:19:31,145 --> 00:19:34,265
 prioritise weddings that need stuff doing, essentially.

362
00:19:34,265 --> 00:19:36,105
 And there is a law that is a law in planning.

363
00:19:36,105 --> 00:19:37,105
 Yeah, there is.

364
00:19:37,105 --> 00:19:41,865
 After you've booked some of the first big things, it is a law before you have to finalise other

365
00:19:41,865 --> 00:19:42,865
 suppliers.

366
00:19:42,865 --> 00:19:45,745
 Yeah, I tend to, I time block.

367
00:19:45,745 --> 00:19:51,025
 So I will handle, I try to do it like twice a week for each client, basically.

368
00:19:51,025 --> 00:19:55,785
 So I'll spend who time blocks per week, one at the beginning of the week, one towards the

369
00:19:55,785 --> 00:20:01,665
 end of the week, so that I'm covering all communication in timely manners, but each couple.

370
00:20:01,665 --> 00:20:07,345
 So it might be that I deal with John and Mary's wedding Monday morning and Matilda and Steve's

371
00:20:07,345 --> 00:20:11,265
 wedding Monday afternoon, and then I'll deal with it again on Thursday.

372
00:20:11,265 --> 00:20:12,265
 Yeah.

373
00:20:12,265 --> 00:20:16,225
 So it's just, and if there's communications going on between them, so say Matilda messages

374
00:20:16,225 --> 00:20:19,905
 me on a Tuesday morning, I'll email her back and I'll say, "Oh, I'm next dealing with

375
00:20:19,905 --> 00:20:22,105
 your wedding on Thursday, please bear with."

376
00:20:22,105 --> 00:20:26,305
 Yeah, I've still gone back to them to say, so it's all about that communication.

377
00:20:26,305 --> 00:20:27,305
 Exactly.

378
00:20:27,305 --> 00:20:31,785
 Yeah, but yes, just immediate responses aren't always possible.

379
00:20:31,785 --> 00:20:36,185
 No, that comes down to boundaries setting as well, like when we on board clients, we set

380
00:20:36,185 --> 00:20:41,025
 out clear boundaries of what we expect and what the client can expect.

381
00:20:41,025 --> 00:20:45,345
 Each planner should set out boundaries of how they want to be communicated with.

382
00:20:45,345 --> 00:20:48,705
 You know, some planners just won't be able to answer the phone, some don't like WhatsApp,

383
00:20:48,705 --> 00:20:52,345
 they prefer emails that's all on a thread, they'll be able to work out something that works

384
00:20:52,345 --> 00:20:56,425
 for both of you and all the time that they reply to.

385
00:20:56,425 --> 00:21:01,465
 So, for example, they might be working within school hours or they might have to work evenings,

386
00:21:01,465 --> 00:21:07,345
 but I tend to say that we'll respond within working days, quite often I do my emailing at

387
00:21:07,345 --> 00:21:11,705
 night and schedule it to get a sensible time for the next morning, so I'm sort of communicating

388
00:21:11,705 --> 00:21:15,625
 every 24 hours, but I do it then because that's just how it fits in with balancing childcare

389
00:21:15,625 --> 00:21:16,625
 at the moment.

390
00:21:16,625 --> 00:21:20,665
 But it's having those expectations, you know, I'm not just going to pick up a call from

391
00:21:20,665 --> 00:21:24,585
 someone at eight o'clock on Friday night, unless their wedding is the next day.

392
00:21:24,585 --> 00:21:31,345
 But much like your boundaries as well, if you're working at a busy office, you won't be able

393
00:21:31,345 --> 00:21:37,505
 to respond to emails during the day, which is why having those communications and say,

394
00:21:37,505 --> 00:21:43,185
 say WhatsApp might not be the best form of communication for you, but WhatsApping you between

395
00:21:43,185 --> 00:21:47,145
 the hours of nine and five, you can't then respond until seven, eight o'clock in your

396
00:21:47,145 --> 00:21:52,745
 home at night and having dinner and having the chance to catch up with your fiance, you're

397
00:21:52,745 --> 00:21:57,425
 then going to be WhatsApping us later in the evening, we'll be responding so email might

398
00:21:57,425 --> 00:21:59,865
 be a better way of communicating between you then.

399
00:21:59,865 --> 00:22:04,185
 So it's having those conversations, setting those boundaries in place and knowing how you're

400
00:22:04,185 --> 00:22:05,705
 going to work moving forward.

401
00:22:05,705 --> 00:22:06,705
 Yeah.

402
00:22:06,705 --> 00:22:07,705
 And how it works could be you.

403
00:22:07,705 --> 00:22:08,705
 Yes.

404
00:22:08,705 --> 00:22:11,705
 And it, you know, a planner will be able to tweak how they work, you'll be able to tweak

405
00:22:11,705 --> 00:22:14,785
 what you want so that you kind of meet in the middle and find something that suits both

406
00:22:14,785 --> 00:22:15,785
 of you.

407
00:22:15,785 --> 00:22:16,785
 Exactly.

408
00:22:16,785 --> 00:22:20,625
 But if you, let's bust all this at the start, you know where you stand.

409
00:22:20,625 --> 00:22:21,625
 Yes.

410
00:22:21,625 --> 00:22:23,185
 That's quite important.

411
00:22:23,185 --> 00:22:28,625
 You need to have your expectations of what you would like from a planner, do your research,

412
00:22:28,625 --> 00:22:33,265
 figure out exactly who it is that you want to be working with or the type of person you

413
00:22:33,265 --> 00:22:37,225
 want to be working with, then speak to those people, see how you click with them.

414
00:22:37,225 --> 00:22:38,225
 Yeah.

415
00:22:38,225 --> 00:22:39,905
 And then you can move forward from there.

416
00:22:39,905 --> 00:22:40,905
 Exactly.

417
00:22:40,905 --> 00:22:41,905
 Next week.

418
00:22:41,905 --> 00:22:42,905
 What are we talking about?

419
00:22:42,905 --> 00:22:43,905
 Photography.

420
00:22:43,905 --> 00:22:44,905
 Oh, we've got photography guest next week.

421
00:22:44,905 --> 00:22:47,265
 We've got a photography guest.

422
00:22:47,265 --> 00:22:53,705
 So this week, our top tip is about photography and it's something that I've just always heard

423
00:22:53,705 --> 00:22:58,465
 from when I started my training and that is when you're choosing a photographer, make

424
00:22:58,465 --> 00:23:04,425
 sure you have a look or ask them for an entire wedding album because obviously we're all

425
00:23:04,425 --> 00:23:08,665
 going to part our best work on social media and Instagram, your website, but it's a really

426
00:23:08,665 --> 00:23:13,105
 good idea to see an entire album so you know what that photographer covers throughout

427
00:23:13,105 --> 00:23:17,525
 a whole day and you know what you're likely to get at the end of your wedding, it's not

428
00:23:17,525 --> 00:23:18,525
 just the highlight reel.

429
00:23:18,525 --> 00:23:21,865
 You're going to see the detail shots that they take, the guest shots that they might not

430
00:23:21,865 --> 00:23:27,185
 put on their Instagram, but you know, all of these small things like just, and it just builds

431
00:23:27,185 --> 00:23:30,665
 up a bit better picture and you'll get an idea of exactly what it is you're going to

432
00:23:30,665 --> 00:23:33,245
 receive from them at the end of the day.

433
00:23:33,245 --> 00:23:37,425
 So top tip, last photographers that you like, not every single photographer you're inquiring

434
00:23:37,425 --> 00:23:43,945
 with, just select for you that you're sort of short-list to see if it really works for you.

435
00:23:43,945 --> 00:23:44,945
 Top!

436
00:23:44,945 --> 00:23:45,945
 Thanks, TV!

437
00:23:45,945 --> 00:23:46,945
 See you next week!