Hiring a Wedding Planner {Part 8}

Once you receive the proposal, don't do what we all inherently want to do: look for the bottom line. Instead, use willpower and start at the top ~ go through the proposal line by line, taking in each detail and description. If something in that line or description doesn't make sense to you: write down your question. The last thing that any wedding vendor wants is for you to need clarity but not ask for it ~ we are here with a wealth of information and want to share it with you!

Ultimately, you'll get to the bottom line of the proposal, its just inevitable. Now three things can happen with the $ figure on there ~ you think its reasonable, you think its absurd or you think its too cheap. None of those choices are the right answer. That proposal amount is about value. Do you think there is value to this vendor and therefore they are worth the amount that they are charging? Remember the old saying: quality versus quantity? Its totally applicable when it comes to hiring a wedding vendor. If you value their expertise and the services they offer, then regardless of what the $ on the proposal is, chances are slim that you'll get sticker shock. {Note: some proposal's you can with work with the vendor to tweak which may bring down the cost ~ but that doesn't take away from the value of their services}. Don't get me wrong: you are working within a budget and don't want to go hog wild, but in the end ~ if you value a wedding vendor's services chances are you that number on the proposal won't scare the pants off of you.

Next week: proposal received, now how to act?

Catch up on Parts I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII