FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

+ My venue offers me a complimentary wedding co-ordinator so surely we don't need a wedding planner as well?

A very common misconception!

Planners work very closely with venue co-ordinators every day of the week so we know first hand how very different our two roles are.

Yes, your in house wedding co-ordinator will show you around the spaces, they may have a recommended suppliers list to pass on, they may manage the catering if it is in house and they will have an overall working knowledge of the schedule of your day - summary of timings and who your suppliers are - but they are ultimately working for the venue at all times.

They need to ensure the rooms are clean and set up as promised, that they are functioning properly and staffed as required - facilities, cloakroom, reception etc. You need to provide them with all the information they need, thereby bouncing back into your court all the detailed administration and communication requirements with every single supplier, they don't do the thinking for you for you, as planners do.

They don't liaise back and forth with your suppliers until your exact brief is met, they don't brief each and every supplier on your exact requirements and preferences and ensure that it is delivered, and they don't micromanage every moment of your wedding day to ensure smooth transitions throughout and a seamless guest experience and when it comes down to the nitty gritty, we are working for you throughout, and we painstakingly think through and plan every aspect - we take responsibility for all the details such as managing your stationery proofs and spotting the typos before printing, arranging parking for the florist outside your church, liaising with the registrars about your music and vows, providing the photographer and videographer with a minute by minute schedule carefully timed to coincide with your make up and hair team and the special mention during a speech of a particular person whose face just HAS to be captured at that moment and we discuss and agree the tracks you want played by your band or DJ - both favourite tracks and songs to be included and other songs or singers to be avoided at all costs!!

I could go on .... suffice to say that venue co-ordinators and wedding planners are all on the same team, your team, working together to achieve the goal of a perfectly seamless and stress free day for you, but ultimately our responsibilities are very different.

I have also written a blog about the specific differences between the two roles and what you can expect from each of us, you can read it here.

+ How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost?

As an accredited member of the UKAWP (UK Association of Wedding Planners), our fees for full wedding planning follow the standard industry rate of 10% –15% of the total budget, subject to the complexity of the requirements and how many days the wedding celebrations last –a single day or spread over a destination weekend. A minimum fee applies.

Alternatively, we are happy to negotiate a fixed fee based on a minimum number of chargeable days, which can then be added to if necessary, but this is likely to work out more expensive overall.

We can also arrange a payment plan for scheduled regular payments if desired. We have written a blog all about why a wedding planner is the one thing you cannot afford to be without which you can read here.

Contact us to arrange and initial consultation over the phone or in person to discuss your particular requirements and we can then prepare a detailed quotation specific to your needs.

+ Can you save us money on our wedding?

Weddings are naturally a very expensive undertaking and planners fees are naturally a consideration.

We never state that we will save you money or that you can offset our fees against cost savings as we believe that asking for discounts devalues our creative partners - their fees are commensurate with their hard earned reputation and for the excellent products and services they deliver.

We can however offer value in a number of ways:

• Our years of experience means that we know the fair cost of elements so we can tell if you have been given a quote, or terms and conditions, which could be more favourable, and if necessary we will negotiate terms on your behalf.
• Some suppliers offer commission to planners - one of the conditions of membership of the UKAWP is that we do not accept commissions, so if ever this is the case, these savings can be passed straight back to the client.
• In terms of the value of your our own time - leave the paperwork, emails and phone calls to us while you get on with enjoying your engagement, and spending your leisure time doing the things you really want to be doing, whilst feeling calm and confident that everything is all under control.

+ Will it be just you on the day or do you have a team?

As the founder and Creative Director of Couture Events Ltd, Susannah Parker will be your primary point of contact throughout the design, planning and organising process. She will attend all of your site visits and consultations and she prepares all the paperwork - briefs, schedules and budgets. On the day of your wedding, for signature full wedding planning clients, additional team members are also in attendance.

For couples working with us on a partial planning or on the day management basis, additional colleagues from Couture Events is an optional extra.