WEDDING PLANNING CONSULTATION EXPLAINED

Also known as a DISCOVERY CALL, your first consultation will help you determine whether you and I, the planner you are considering, are the right fit.

So you've either booked your first consultation with me or are about to hit send of the contact form, and now you are wondering how to prepare to make the most of your discovery call? I got you!

Before anything else, ask yourself these two fundamental questions: WHAT TYPE OF HELP DO YOU NEED and WHY?

Do you need someone to take the load off your shoulders and take the lead on everything from start to finish?

Perhaps, you are too busy with your professional life to take on a complex management and design project planning a destination wedding is?

Does the prospect of sourcing vendors from afar, in another country (possibly working around the language barrier) overwhelm you, and you need an experienced professional to take the reins? Or perhaps the two of you love planning, and just need help coordinating the day itself? Understanding your motivation behind wanting to hire a planner will help you play an active role during your consultation.

Once you establish that, it's time to...

PREPARE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS Because my destination wedding planning service is fully bespoke, apart from the obvious (date, location, guest count, and budget), there is a myriad of questions I will ask you during our consultation to know how to best tailor my service to your needs. Some of the questions you should prepare for:

• Civil, religious, or symbolic - what type of ceremony would you like, and why? Trust me, the "why" is quite important here.

• What are you looking for in a venue?

• Are you planning on having any events around the day itself? Think rehearsal dinner, welcome cocktail, the morning after brunch, etc - all these have to be planned, time-lined, and coordinated as well.

• What are your 3 main priorities? It can be anything between specific cuisine, flowers, photography, activities, entertainment, etc.

• Do you have any must-haves? Sounds similar to the previous question, I know, but this time, think about any type of unique requests you might have - an animator to engage kids present at your wedding? a food truck delivering a midnight snack? an open bar? a cooking show? This can be anything from what you need to what you'd love to have.

• The look & feel - how do you envision your wedding day? Minimalist decor? Epic floral arrangements? Alfresco dinner? Pro tip - start from the atmosphere and gradually make your way down to the smallest details.

I believe your destination wedding should be the reflection of who the two of you are as a couple.The reason behind all these questions is for me to gather as much information as possible, so I can prepare a proposal that's tailored for YOU.

PREPARE TO ASK QUESTIONS I always aim to cover the answers to the below questions during the discovery call, but it's always best to have a few prepared just in case. Depending on what information you'll need to confidently make your decision the questions to keep in mind would be:

• Where do we start, and when does our working together begin?

• How does the design process look?

• How does your pricing model work?

• What is your role during the day of the wedding itself?

• How many suppliers per category will you recommend us?

• Do you take commissions from our suppliers?

SET YOUR GOALS FOR THE CONSULTATION

As much as the consultation allows me to get to know you & your vision, and gauge how I can best tailor my proposal to suit your specific needs, this chat is, first and foremost, for YOU. Think about what is most important to you to make a decision, and don't be afraid to communicate that during your chat. After all, it's YOUR day you are planning.

From asking your most burning planning questions, diving deep into what the planning service includes & understanding the pricing model to simply seeing if you and I are on the same page.

AND JUST REMEMBER... If all of the above sounds "oh so serious" keep in mind the consultation really is a chance for you & I to get to know each other.

Planning a destination wedding means working closely for 10-12+ months. I'd say it is only natural you'd want to work with someone you get along with!

I can't wait to hear from you!

xo

Magdalena

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cover image photo credit: Adriana Morais