How to choose a wedding planner in New York

A portfolio of real weddings tells you more than any description. Look for weddings at your guest count, in venues like the one you have in mind, with the traditions your family carries. Ask to see a full wedding, not a highlight: the ceremony, the dinner, the details at the end of the night.

Many planners at this level keep much of their work private, because their families are private. Ask whether there is a private portfolio you can see after a first conversation.

Some firms are one person; others are large teams where the founder meets you and someone else runs your day. Neither is wrong, but you should know which you are hiring. Ask who will be your point of contact, who will be at the venue on the day, and how many other weddings that person will have that month.

Every wedding has a moment that does not go to plan: rain, a late delivery, a guest who needs care. A planner’s answer to “tell me about something that went wrong” shows you how they think, and whether they plan for it in advance or improvise on the day.

Good planners have long relationships with venues, caterers, florists and musicians, and those relationships open doors. Ask how they choose vendors for you, whether they accept commissions or referral fees from them, and whether you sign vendor contracts directly. You should always know whose interests a recommendation serves.

Full planning, partial planning and coordination are different services, and it is worth deciding which you need before you compare planners. Our guide to full planning, partial planning and coordination explains the differences.

For full planning, twelve to eighteen months before the wedding is usual, and ideally before the venue is booked, because the venue decides so much of what follows. For a wedding across several days, a destination or a venue in high demand, earlier is better.

Notice how you feel afterwards. A planner who is right for you will ask more about your family than about your budget, will tell you honestly where they see risk, and will leave you with fewer worries than you arrived with.