Tips in Choosing Your Wedding Planner

A wedding planner is a professional who plans, organizes, collaborates the weddings of couples who wish to marry. The wedding planner assists in the design, planning and and over all management of the wedding event. 

The professional wedding planner has the following responsibilities:

• ·     Initial consultation with the bride and groom, complimentary
• ·     Unlimited phone and email availability during business hours
• ·     At least three planning meetings between clients and planner
• ·     Preparation of  a detailed budget breakdown and management process of the budget during the planning period
• ·     Custom schedule/time line and checklists
• ·     Assistance with site tours, selection and booking of ceremony and reception venues
• ·     Assistance with menu selection
• ·     Assistance with selecting a color scheme, theme and style of the wedding
• ·     Assistance with selection of wedding attire and accessories, accompaniment to fitting if desired
• ·     Guidance in finding, negotiating, and booking suitable vendors. Assistance with scheduling appointments. We will accompany clients to a minimum of one meeting per vendor category.  (some vendors will require more meetings)
• ·     Baker
• ·     Caterer
• ·     Florist
• ·     Musicians
• ·     Photographer
• ·     Rental Facilities
• ·     Videographer
• ·     Wedding Attire (bridal shops) Alterations if needed
• ·     Officiate
• ·     Transportation
• ·     Ongoing updates and consultation with clients about vendors services/products
• ·     Coordination with vendors to ensure services/products are provided in a timely manner
• ·     Assistance with choosing invitations, printing
• ·     Assistance with tracking RSVP’s and who will be attending
• ·     Ceremony planning
• ·     Preparation of  itineraries to be provided to vendors
• ·     Final walk-through with client at selected venues the month of the wedding
• ·     Final time lines prepared the month of the wedding
• ·     Final phone consultation with vendors the month of the wedding
• ·     Final meeting covering all details with client, the month of wedding and the week prior to the wedding. This two hour planning meeting will include:
• ·     Ceremony planning, processional, recessional, placement, timing for music if applicable
• ·     Preparation of rehearsal and wedding day itinerary as a time line to be provided to client and vendors
• ·     Final walk-through with client at selected sites month of the wedding (meeting should include florist if possible)

Types of Wedding Planner

There are many types of modern wedding planner. Most of these professionals are multi taskers and take on several duties at the same time. Find out which of these types of wedding planner do you need most.

Exclusive Wedding Planner. This type of wedding planner is a professional who plans exclusively meaning the expertise of this professional is into planning, designing, concepts and devising the ways to achieve that plan. He/She knows which ideas are better, which are difficult to acquire and which ideas are feasible and attainable to the event.

Wedding Planner and Decorator. This type of wedding planner is both a planner and doer. He plans for wedding concepts and can create it with the right tools and supplies. They are mostly into site set up, floral decorations, ceiling and wall drapings and table arrangements and centerpieces.

Wedding Planner and Host. This type of wedding planner is excellent for program emcee. These are the professionals who can pull off a wedding program with their talents in speaking to the crowd using their wit and humor.

Overall Wedding Planner. If you have heard about Jack of All Trades, then this is the type of wedding planner who is an all around. He/She can do all of the above at any given point in time. But of course, no one can spread himself/herself too thinly in doing their work. There should be a focus of skills to achieve quality. 

Tips in Choosing the Best Wedding Planner for You

1. Ask questions. Don't hesitate to ask the wedding planner about his/her scope. Ask the following: 

• What are the inclusions of his/her services?
• What are the prices of the packages?
• What are the terms of payment?
• What are his/her experiences in the wedding industry?
• How long has he/she been to this job?

2. Ask more questions and samples of work. There are many wedding planners who are ready to cater your needs but there can only be one or a few who can meet your personality, style, and most of all budget. Do your research first before cashing out your down payment to them.

3. Security questions. This is very crucial for people who would search wedding planners online. There are a lot of fraud people just waiting for their next prey. If there's a doubt in your head, DON'T. You know that these people are fake with the following:

Photo courtesy: nextlevelvision.com

• They have no clear answers to your questions.
• They will evade some questions and mislead you with double meaning statements.
• They will pressure you to pay them immediately.
• They say nasty things to other wedding suppliers.
• They have no credibility online and no one can recommend or even recognize them.
• They will probe your private details and even credit cards and personal information.

With the easy access of information online today, there are also many if not millions of criminals online who are just waiting for an opportunity to make money by their fraudulent acts. It is imperative to be cautious always especially when it involves your hard-earned money.

I hope this post helps! For your wedding planning concerns, email me at leahjacobe@gmail.com

Happy Planning Your Wedding!!!

Deciding For A Destination Wedding

It's already 2014!

The race is on for weddings and events lining up the calendar year. For most people, the year of the horse is believed to be a good year for going for your dreams and taking action to make things happen. As swift as the horse, so must people be with their dealings in their lives this year.

I have been a little preoccupied these past few months in the later part of 2013 but one of my new year's resolution for 2014 is to post at least two blog entries per month to help my readers and followers and stumble-upon people in their wedding planning.

First up this month, DESTINATION WEDDINGS. Let's talk about destination weddings!

Ever dreamed about having a wedding somewhere out of town? How about that dreamy place you have always envisioned your special day? With these in mind you are still not sure whether having a destination wedding is the right thing to do. Here are the pro's and con's of having your dream Destination Wedding.


Advantages of Destination Wedding

1. Your dream wedding in that far flung place is finally coming to fulfillment.
2. The event will be intimate and memorable for close family and special friends only.
3. It will serve as a dual purpose for your wedding and vacation as well.
4. It may also serve as your place of honeymoon getaway after the wedding ceremony.


Disadvantages of Destination Wedding

1. Some of the family and relatives won't be able to afford the fare and accommodation for the event.
2. Most of the cost of this out-of-town event will be shouldered by the couple.
3. You will need a skilled wedding planner and coordinator who knows the local vendors. Although this might be a great idea, prepare for a hefty professional fee.
4. You will have to travel at least a few times to the place in order to see the venue and other amenities you might need during your stay there.


For Filipinos, traditional weddings are still the top choice for many couples. By tradition, weddings are always held in the church for Catholics and in the gardens for most Christian denominations.The idea of Destination Wedding is reserved for the rich and well-off families who want to have intimate celebration of the wedding.


There is one determining factor that will make or break a destination wedding: BUDGET. This kind of wedding will probably cost more than traditional weddings especially if the couple is going to handle all the accommodation, meals, and transportation of the invited guests. There are ways to minimize the expenses of the destination wedding event but for wise advice, make sure you have the available budget to cover all the wedding expense including other unforeseen expenses that you must anticipate.