As you begin interview potential wedding vendors, you will probably see a variety of lists of "questions to ask." While these are a great place to start, here are some additional questions you may want to consider for coordinators:
- How long has your company been in business, and how long have you been with the company?
- Tell me more about the weddings in your portfolio.
- How much were you involved with the couple?
- Were you a day-of coordinator or did you help from the beginning?
- What was the design concept?
- What were the couples' personalities? What was most important to them?
- Looking at specific details, did you come up with these or did the bride/groom?
- What is your process for designing an event?
- What should I expect from you if I hire your company?
- Do you have a staff or other backup plan in case of emergency on the wedding day?
- Is this your full time job or a second job/hobby? (the only reason this really matters is in regards to the amount of time they will have to dedicate to you)
- How many weddings do you personally work on at one time? (this shouldn't be too high - again, you don't want them to be stretched too thin!)
- What makes your company different from the competition?
- Are you involved with any professional associations? Are you an active member? To you participate locally, nationally, internationally?
- MOST IMPORTANT: Do you have a business license and liability insurance?
Of course, you should always ask for references - and check them! I recommend asking for the names of other wedding vendors that they have worked with, as well as former clients. DJs, photographers and venue coordinators will espeically be helpful.
Remember that anyone can put pretty pictures on a website - but were they really involved in that wedding? Or are they stock images? Are those reviews online real? If you spend some time researching reputible wedding consultants, they will have all the same information on the vendors they suggest to you, making your job so much easier!
