By Amy Blakeslee
Mar 17, 2010
In everyone’s life there are those special events - whether big or small, fancy or casual - that just have to be perfect. Take wedding receptions for example; couples the world over spend so much time preparing for the big day that they sometimes lose sight of themselves in the process. Planning an event, a great event, is not as easy as it looks. So if you find yourself for one reason or another having a hard time putting a plan together then you may want to consider hiring an event planning specialist. Some event planners may charge what seem like high prices for the services they perform. However, you may find it is well worth the cost to be able to stay calm and collected throughout the process and be able to actually enjoy your own event!
Here are some guidelines to help you through the process of choosing an event planner and to make sure your event turns out the way that you want it to:
Pricier is Not Always Better!
The old axiom “you get what you pay for” would indicate that if something costs more it simply must be better. While that may hold true for high-end electronics, when it comes to personal services such as event planning, price is not always indicative of value. Event planners, like everyone else, set the prices for their own reasons. A relatively low-priced event specialist may have their price set low when they first start out simply because they are inexperienced, yet you may find that they perform their duties and services wonderfully! Also, if they are just starting out they may be very eager to please their clients. If that's the case then a pay raise may just be in order for them.
On the other hand the opposite could be true. An experienced event planner may consider themselves to be one of the best in the business and have rates that reflect that line of thinking. Yet they may still fail to deliver what their customers really want. Sometimes their ‘experience’ goes to their heads, causing them to believe that they know what is best at all times and thus not necessarily paying attention to the desires and needs of you, the client footing the bill. So while prices may be an indicator of sorts, we caution you not to shop by dollar figure alone!
Do You Like Them? It Matters!
The event planner you’re meeting with is snapping their gum. Loudly. You don’t necessarily dig people who snap their gum. Is this an issue? It could be. If the person you are working with is not someone that you like (or conversely, someone you think may not like you!) you could find yourself being pretty unhappy while going through the process of planning your event. Remember, you are spending your own hard-earned money on your event. There is no reason to be miserable while setting it up!
It's crucial that you feel the person you choose has a likable personality. Are you comfortable with them? Do they make you feel as though your event is important to them? Do you feel they ‘get’ what it is that you want? Here’s an important one…is this person a control freak or will they allow you to have input on the big decisions? Again, this is your money and your event! Don’t hire someone who makes you feel badly about the process of putting the event together. It won’t matter how great the event turns out if you have a bitter taste in your mouth from dealing with a planner you didn’t gel with.
References Count!
Unless you give someone their very first gig in the event planning biz, chances are they will have a list of previous clients you can contact for references. Do it! The last thing you want after your event is to hear somebody say, “Well, if they had just asked me I could have told them so-and-so was as color-blind as a poodle.” So talk to those references. Ask them how they got along with the planner. Did they feel that their own ideas were treated respectfully? Was the planner enthusiastic about what they were doing? Was the overall experience enjoyable? \
There are many other aspects to consider when hiring a professional event planner, but before you count somebody out, or decide to hire them, be sure you can tick the three things above off your list!
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