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Buying Property: Working with Tradesmen and Agents

Welcome to my blog. My name is Darren. I own several rental properties in Western Australia. Once I had made the purchases, I discovered that several of the properties needed extensive work before I could rent them to tenants, so I had to hire construction contractors, plumbers, electricians, waste disposal experts and roofing experts to make sure the homes were in top condition. Once I had repaired the buildings, I contacted a letting agent who put them on the market for me. I learnt a lot from working with some many different businesses so I decided to start this blog to share everything I know.

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Buying Property: Working with Tradesmen and Agents

Ten Questions You Should Ask Before Hiring A Wedding Planner

by Louella Brewer

Wedding planners have become increasingly popular in recent years and there are plenty of excellent reasons to consider using a wedding planner's services, but finding the right one can seem like a daunting task. So what should you ask before you take the plunge?

  1. "How big is your business?" Small wedding planning businesses generally have one or two employees, which means you'll have the same consultant through the entire process. Larger companies can have many benefits--they're often more established and have a greater wealth of experience, for example--but you should check that you'll be working with the same planner through the entire process, and that they'll be there in person on the day.  
  2. "Where can I find your portfolio?" You'll want to be sure that your wedding planner is good at their job before you hire them, of course--but more than that, you want to know that their personal style meshes with yours. If their specialty is impressive, dramatic blossom arrangements and you hate the idea of cut flowers, you're probably not going to work together very well. If you want a quirky, original wedding and they've only ever worked on traditional white-dress services, it's a good idea to look for someone else.  
  3. "Who are your contacts in the industry?" There are a lot of interconnected industries involved in wedding planning: florists, dress shops, photographers, venue hire companies, caterers, bands and DJs...the list goes on and on. A good wedding planner will already have professional contacts in all of those categories, and their experience of working with them can get you discounts and a better all-round service.  
  4. "How long have you been in the business, and when did you get started?" There are multiple routes in to wedding planning, but most of the best worked for an established planner before striking out on their own. If the planner you're interviewing is new to the business and set up immediately on the back of planning their own wedding, you might want to investigate some other options.  
  5. "How will you help me stay within my budget?" You don't want a wedding planner who has no respect for your budget and is constantly trying to get you to overspend. Good planners will have plenty of tips and tricks up their sleeve to help you save money, and a planner who is really on your side will be invested in helping you do just that.  
  6. "How many other weddings do you have booked close to mine?" Ideally, your wedding will be the only one they're working on for that week--and if they have another wedding booked for the same weekend as yours you should have some serious alarm bells. Event planning can be draining and takes a lot of concentration, and booking too many back-to-back is a rookie error.  
  7. "Do you offer additional package services outside the day itself?" Some wedding planners are able to offer help with planning stag and hen parties, rehearsal dinners or honeymoons. It's worth finding out if yours is in that category, particularly as it will help you create a cohesive theme.  
  8. "Can I talk to any of your previous clients?" It may be possible to see testimonials from someone who has used this planner before, or drop them an email to chat about their experience. This can be invaluable while you're making your decision!  
  9. "Do you have experience with our venue?" This shouldn't be a deal-breaker, but if you've got your heart set on a particular venue it can be worthwhile to have a planner who has worked on events there previously. They may even be able to make it more likely that you'll snag a place there, if it's a popular one.  
  10. The most important question of all, though, isn't for your potential wedding planners--it's for you and your partner. Ask yourselves this: "Do I genuinely like and trust this person?" Going with your gut can sometimes be helpful, and a planner you really 'click' with can be worth more than the perfect answers to every one of these nine other questions.

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