Courtsey of  Save The Dave Events 

Do you take commissions or kick-backs from vendors?

To really compare pricing, ask potential planners if they mark up vendor prices.  You may be paying $3000 for a wedding planner but not realize she marks up all your vendor proposals by 10-20%.   If it is important to you that your planner doesn’t take commissions, make sure it is in your contract with the planner and ask to see the original proposals from your vendors.  Also, keep in mind that you are paying for their design talent and style.  A planning company with a fantastic portfolio of well styled weddings is going to charge more than a planning company focused on logistics and time lines.

Do I have contact with any of my vendors during the planning process?

You may want to be really involved in the planning and be able to contact your vendors directly if you have a question.  Or, you may want your planner to always be the point of contact.  Either way is just fine but you need to know what your wedding planner prefers so there aren’t any surprises.  You also want to know if your planner will attend all of your vendor consultations or if she just gives you recommendations.

How many weddings and events do you personally do per year?

This is going to really clue you in on the level of service you are going to receive. If your planner personally does 40 weddings per year, you are not going to receive the level of commitment and service of someone who only takes 15-20 per year.   If your wedding planner is working every single weekend in the summer, how excited and dedicated is she going to be at those last few weddings of the summer?