13 Questions to Finding a Party Planner

A friend of a friend has to hire a party planner. And to say she is nervous is an understatement. She is throwing a party for her daughter who is turning thirteen. The plan is to pull out all the stops and throw an unforgettable celebration. Oh did I forget to mention? She wants it all (and I do mean all) including the bells and whistles. The caveat here is it’s not a free for all and there’s a fixed budget. My inside voice yells but of course. So as it usually happens in this scenario I receive an email with the subject matter “HELP”. It’s not my skills she wants, which works out perfectly for me. It’s all about my brain and extracting the info she needs. I’m a planner, I like to help, so I don’t mind. I enjoy planning as well as talking about it.

This time the light bulb went off. And I finally understood the real reason for the emergency help email. She already had party planner appointments set up. She had a snap shot of an idea of what she wanted. Her insecurity was in interviewing the party planners. What was important, what should be asked and how would she make a decision.

Should you Hire a Party Planner?

When it comes to planning a party there are countless unanswered questions. So many doubts that demand answers. Top of the list is why hire a professional party planner? Planning anything can be a daunting and stress inducing experience. From start to finish it takes a ton of time, energy and effort. First and foremost a party planner is a time saver. And they bring to the table knowledge, expertise, creativity and a plan to ensure their clients’ needs and wants come together. And in the end ensure guests have a grand old time. Peace of mind is important. And most times working with a party planner is a road to less stress, a lighter burden and a budget friendly celebration.

13 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Party Planner

Parties and party planners are like snowflakes. No two are the same. So in answer to a friend of a friend and all our readers who have asked here are thirteen questions to ask when interviewing party planners.

How long have you been a party planner for?
What is your area of expertise?
What types of parties do you plan the most?
Approximately how many parties have you planned?
Do you just do day of coordination. Or are you full service and do it all?
Do you charge a flat fee or a percentage of the budget?
What’s included in your fee?
How would you describe your work style?
How far in advance do you start working on the party?
How many jobs will you accept for my weekend date(s)?
As we go along will you make recommendations as to where we can save money?
When things go wrong, what do you do to solve them?
What is the cancellation or refund policy?

When it comes down to it. A party planner leads the way to saving time, money and stress. And who isn’t interested in that? It really is all about a good rapport and clicking. You want to feel comfortable working with them; and be able to share info and ask questions. And always make sure to get references and always CHECK them.