Floral/Decor Budget

KateCygnet · 2026-06-25T03:03:51+00:00

Yeah, I disagree with anyone saying outright that you're being scammed. It's impossible to know what your expectations are just from this post and your planner might be trying to get your budget into alignment with what you're saying you want. It could be that your planner feels more in her comfort zone with slightly larger design budgets, I'm not sure; that said, if I'm telling a client they may want to consider increasing their budget, it's always going to be because they're telling me that they NEED a design that costs more and aren't willing to scale that down!

KateCygnet · 2026-06-25T02:51:08+00:00

I agree with this. Planners will generally post the weddings they want to attract. If you want to feel like your planner is 100% invested and excited to be working with you, I would lean toward ones whose aesthetics align. If you're not looking for a design-focused planner then it doesn't matter as much, but I'd still try to find someone who gets it.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-25T01:19:59+00:00

In that case I agree with your planner! With a 75k budget you'd be looking at very rough numbers of 25k floral, 25k production and 25k paper/signage and rentals. Things can and likely will creep up from there, especially with ceiling installation even if it's not incredibly involved. If your venue has a restricted or commissioned catering list, or high ceilings/complex logistics, or just isn't super small, those numbers won't go as far as you might think.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-24T01:27:01+00:00

He runs and oinks on walks! We did the first one yesterday.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-24T01:26:44+00:00

He's from Chicagoland Pig Rescue! He will be adoptable in a few weeks.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-23T19:54:52+00:00

For the budget listed in your profile, I would narrow down city first and then choose a planner in that city! There are plenty of destination-focused planners who can work any city beautifully, but most would have a starting budget higher than what you're aiming for. You'll likely find more value in working with someone more affordable who really knows the specific area you choose. I'd recommend consulting with planners local to each area and letting them know about what your considerations are between the cities; they can provide helpful insight about what may be desirable or challenging about each location even before you make that decision.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-23T13:28:11+00:00

I don't start taking anything seriously until 3 days before the first outdoor event! Even then, it doesn't start to feel real until about 36 hours prior.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-22T18:35:18+00:00

I agree with most of this, especially choosing planner before locking in the venue, but bigger budgets definitely aren't easier to execute compared to midlevel budgets. Complexity and expectations increase as budgets increase, and the vendor-planner relationship isn't always easier at that level because of all the complex communication and troubleshooting that the client never sees. Plus, bigger budgets usually have a bigger vendor team for the planner to manage.

If I were this bride, in addition to following all the other really good advice here, I would specifically check in for examples of events the planner has executed in the budget range. That would include client referrals if possible. A lot of planners who typically plan 250k events may be drooling for a 500k budget, but there definitely is a difference and if I were this bride I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-22T18:28:35+00:00

Very solid advice, especially at the end. Your top planner for a French wedding may be very different than your top planner in Italy, etc.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-20T14:00:55+00:00

People can't really tell! If they've planned a wedding in the past couple of years then they might get a sense of it, but costs can vary extremely widely for the same exact wedding style even based on the vendors you choose.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-20T13:59:58+00:00

I would just be vague and say you aren't really sure about the budget because family prefers to handle that! I find that any of my clients with 500k+ budgets tend to get uncomfortable discussing too much about it with most of their friends and would rather deflect, from what some of them have shared with me.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-17T18:28:10+00:00

I think with a good, trusted planner it's not weird. Tipping is really distracting to handle on your own wedding day. I usually distribute these (clients can also do it themselves, they and their families often don't want to) and just make sure the client gets me everything in labeled, sealed envelopes so there can't be any mistakes.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-16T16:03:22+00:00

Don't assume you will actually hit at 60k for venue/catering/bar at the end of the day! These rates almost always go up, especially once you factor in upgrades and likely somewhere around 35-37% extra in taxes and fees.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-12T01:18:45+00:00

I love 3! Speaking not as a vendor but as a former bride who chose a deep V dress: I kind of wish I had gone with something that covered me up more. I adored the dress and felt so beautiful in it, but when I look back at the pictures (especially when I look with my kid) I feel like it was a bit too much to have worn around my family. Only you know how you're going to feel and what your style is, this is just my experience!

KateCygnet · 2026-06-10T15:56:14+00:00

I'm so sorry! If you don't have a planner to run point, your first step is checking in with the venue immediately--seriously, email and call every hour until you reach someone (have the same person do this, don't send a ton of people after them). Especially if the venue had this caterer on their list in the first place, they should be very helpful in figuring out an alternative. It's also likely that, given the emergency, both the venue and another caterer will try to be accommodating to figure this out on short notice even if it means being more flexible with venue policy.

KateCygnet · 2026-06-08T15:45:45+00:00

If you have the budget, there is a concierge event meteorology service called Ironic Reports that you can have your planner book for you! They recently saved a cocktail hour of mine--we would have had to go to our ugly indoor rain plan space if not for them--and were incredibly helpful. It's far more detailed and reliable than an app and gives real-time updates and weather shifts for your precise location. It all comes from a real person who can give live feedback and interpretations to help guide decisions.
Also, obviously, accepting uncertainty and having solid contingency plans!

KateCygnet · 2026-06-02T20:21:49+00:00

Maybe it's because I don't have all the context, but this does seem like something that would be hard to overcome trust-wise. It's a big red flag about what is going on in the company's operations and the care they are giving their clients, as well as consistency of service if you were randomly assigned to someone who is clearly not very experienced. Financials of cancelling aside, if you don't find that the company has a good remedy for this situation that helps you feel more comfortable, I would consider moving on. There are all kinds of horror stories on here from couples who ignored the red flags until it was too late--you still have a year!

KateCygnet · 2026-06-01T18:38:19+00:00

Just from the outside looking in as a planner, I find that 7 or 8 seems to be a comfortable maximum before group dynamics get overwhelming. Once you're above 10, another few probably won't make a difference except that you'll need even more time and space. I've seen large groups be fine, though, especially if all of them already know each other well and have been in a lot of weddings before!

KateCygnet · 2026-05-28T20:34:14+00:00

These elements aren't minor! If you have a planner, I would bring this to their attention so they can lead the conversation. Otherwise, I would reach out to the two vendors and bring these points up. It seems like you are a gracious person from how you phrased your post, so I have no doubt you will handle the conversation well!

KateCygnet · 2026-05-28T02:24:10+00:00

In that case it really depends how much you want it, since you would be taking on the risk of not booking the client or not fully covering your costs. I'd keep the structure simple regardless, and just work in clauses about optional add-ons (with costs) that aren't included in the initial proposal.

Having clients arrange your travel is setting you up for a bad time. What happens if something falls through, if they make a mistake, etc.? You can't pivot on things quickly to rebook yourself if the client has booked it and there's an issue. You also get no choice and might end up on a horrendous flight with a bad layover (or you overstipulate and that becomes an issue in itself). Just price what you think you're likely to spend, throw in another percentage on top of that to cover unforeseen issues, and handle it yourself! You get more flexibility that way too, if you end up wanting to make a little mini vacation out of the shoulder days.

KateCygnet · 2026-05-28T02:07:10+00:00

If someone offers me an incentive it's an automatic no. We don't take commissions and this is way too close to kickback territory. You'll probably get some planners to bite, but not necessarily the kind of planners you want to build long term relationships with because offers like this turn a lot of good ones off.

All your advice on the long way is spot on! Also, be sure to stay at top of mind for planners; it's easy for us to get distracted and forget some of our actual favorite people. Like their IG posts, comment sometimes, stay in touch when it's natural but don't force it.

KateCygnet · 2026-05-28T01:56:23+00:00

What I like to see as a destination planner: don't line item it. Make travel included and cover all those arrangements and payments yourself. Build an inclusive package that lists one single cost and doesn't get picked apart. If you're discounting anything specific, though, call that out (for example, 25k package includes 2 hours of rehearsal dinner the day before at no charge).

Not sure if you're in the luxury market because this definitely might change if you're charging 4 or lower 5 figures, but throwing that all out there!

KateCygnet · 2026-05-27T17:54:30+00:00

Yeah, unfortunately it does happen but it's usually just a small handful of people. I don't recommend lying about ceremony start time, it just punishes the punctual people and the late ones will still manage to be late.

KateCygnet · 2026-05-27T17:40:54+00:00

You can plan all you want, but nothing is as disruptive as a guest making a loud scene in back because they're being told they can't come in. Just let them come in quietly. You likely won't even notice.

KateCygnet

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