A wedding consultant should be one of the first professionals hired to assist you with your wedding.  Bringing on a reputable wedding planner from the beginning can help alleviate stress as they can source venues and the rest of your vendors for you in far less time, and with access to much more information than you will ever be privy to as a non-industry insider.

Here are some questions to ask your wedding planner when interviewing them:

What time do you arrive on the wedding day and what time do you leave?
If you're expecting your wedding coordinator to oversee strike (the tear down and packing up of the reception) or counting on him or her to organize your grand exit, you may be surprised to learn that they only stay through the cake cutting or toasts.  Don't get caught in a case of comparing apples to oranges when it comes to the wedding planners you interview.  Find out exactly when your wedding coordinator will arrive and how long they will stay on your wedding day before you sign any contracts.

Will you oversee the wedding rehearsal?
If your wedding consultant coordinates multiple weddings per weekend, they may not include rehearsal coordination in their services as they may be at another event.  Ask about this before you hire anyone. 

What do you and your staff wear on the wedding day?
Seems trivial, but on your wedding day do you want your great aunt Betsy gabbing about how in love you and your new husband are or about the fact that your wedding planner is sticking out like a sore thumb by running around in dirty tennis shoes?

Some planners wear suits, some wear dresses, still others wear a less formal yet business chic ensemble.  All black tends to be the service industry standard, but this will vary based on your planner's personal tastes and your location.  Whatever their dress code, it should be professional and their hair and makeup should not look unkempt either. 

Do you receive commissions from the wedding professionals you refer?
In this case, commission is a prettier word than kickback, but it is the same thing.  This is a very grey ethical boundary and is still a prevalent practice in the wedding industry.  If a wedding planner has monetary incentive to refer you to certain wedding professionals, either from receiving a commission from them or by charging them to be on a preferred vendor list, you may not be getting the best vendors or the right people for your wedding. Ask if this is part of their business model and be sure to read the fine print in their contract before you sign.

{photo by Eyes 2 See}