Recommend planning visit?

[mhcueball2]

For custom weddings, would you recommend a planning visit?

We basically know what we want, but of course...there are tons of details. If you had a planning visit, did it really help? If you didn't have one, were you running around at the last minute?

 

[dsnyfan6/18]

If you can get down there for a planning visit, I strongly recommend it. I think that you get a better idea of what everything will be like after you go down there and meet with your planner face to face.

 

[Luvndisney]

I agree. if you can afford one - do it. it helps a lot.

 

[hmgolden]

I would go for a planning visit - if only for the food tasting. Doing the tasting really helped us narrow down what we would serve at the wedding, and allowed us to make changes so the dishes were more to our taste. I honestly think the rest of the planning session could have been done over the phone/via email with no problems, but it was really nice to meet our planner in person and get to know them before our wedding. It was also nice to have a block of set face time with them where you can ask them any question you have at that moment rather than having to wait for a response. So, if you can do it, I would go, but if you need to save the money for your wedding trip, you should have no worries that you'll be planning things down to the wire. It will all still be taken care of ahead of time.

 

[wendy46001]

Yes make the trip, even if its just to try the food. The food/cake tasting is the best part of planning.

 

[ead79]

I agree with the others--do it if at all possible. Meeting with my planner was invaluable in terms of getting things more decided on, and the food/cake tasting was wonderful.

 

[purplegirl247]

When you say "if you can afford it," do you mean if someone is out of town and have to pay for the trip down? Or do you mean that they charge you for the planning and tasting and all that good stuff? Thanks!

 

[wendy46001]

The planning session and food tasting is part of the package. No extra charge

 

[Laurafoster]

I agree, my planning session was really worth it - mostly for the food tasting, it really helped me narrow down what i wanted! - and you get free cake!!

 

[Janet2k]

For custom weddings, would you recommend a planning visit?

Mhcueball2, I had a custom vow renewal and thus opted for a planning session. I wrote about it in great detail here on the Dis website: click here. If you look through my trip report, you'll pretty much see exactly what I went through. (Please note that my planning session was unusual because my dinner party was being held inside a theme park after-hours.)

If you are the organized kind who knows exactly what she wants, then you should be able to do a planning session via telephone. If you can relay to your Event Manager your likes and dislikes, your desires and needs, then everything can be planned long-distance. The Fairy Tale Weddings folks plan hundreds of weddings in this manner each and every year. Discuss it with them before making your final decision.

No matter how you choose to plan your wedding, I hope you have fun with it.

 

[Codie]

My planning session was very upsetting as I had a temporary planner who literally got assigned about 30 seconds before she met with us and the banquet team greatly upset my parents because of inconsistencies between them. We kept getting passed from person to person and it was very strange. I think mine was an anomaly though and that most are awesome experiences. I DID love meeting with the floral lady and it totally made my life easier as I had planned to use an outside vendor before I met her. The food tasting was awesome too--I LOVED chef edwin and the waiter Tim who was at my reception. I really looked forward to the food the whole day because of that!! If you can, I would go!!

 

[chipscinderelly]

We also loved our planning session and the tasting and cake were awesome. Just remember that some locations are not allowing tastings now and others are not confirming tastings until 3 weeks prior so you could plan a visit and not have a tasting. The planners work very hard to make sure everyone's requests are handled and they do an awesome job!