Join me as I chat with Emily Birk and Melissa Montgomery of Honeycomb Wedding Planners and operating property managers of Hazelnut Farm. I met Melissa and Emily in October of 2019 at Wedding MBA in Las Vegas. We were introduced by a mutual DJ friend and instantly hit it off. When starting Why Weddings these two were on the top of my list to have as guests. The love they have for weddings and their couples is contagious. In this episode we discuss what a wedding planner does, how to find the right planner for you, and what questions to ask a potential planner.

When looking for vendors to book for your wedding you want someone as excited about your wedding as you are. Emily and Melissa are those kind of people. We could have talked all afternoon and did run down our phone batteries but, it was totally worth it.

Show Notes::00 Welcome to Why Weddings1:04 Emily Birk Introduction1:45 Emily's favorite part of the wedding2:19 Melissa Montgomery Introduction2:55 Melissa's favorite part of the wedding3:47 The real reason for a wedding4:20 Welcome to the podcast Emily & Melissa4:54 How we met5:30 MobileBeat parties6:00 A little about Emily 6:50 A little about Melissa8:44 Home base is Hazelnut Farm9:02 Giving tours as a planner and property manager9:08 My wish for new venues being built10:20 Nothing goes 100% according to plan10:48 Keep the "stage" perfect11:17 Weddings are magical11:50 The wall at an event12:13 Brides see the magic but have a hard time executing12:32 What to consider when thinking of hiring a planner12:54 Choosing a planner is a personal decision and relationship13:22 If you don't jive with a planner don't hire them. They aren't the right fit13:58 Miami bride story14:46 Picked pepper out of bride's teeth15:17 Create your dream team15:42 Not your typical office setting15:55 It's a new company every weekend16:20 Vendor referrals17:06 We are professionals, friendors18:13 Who is the bad guy?18:58 Neutral 3rd party21:00 What to look for from a planner21:48 Role of property manager22:13 Role of coordinator23:16 Coordinator responsible for making sure stuff happens24:02 A coordinator/planner real wedding story25:55 Things to look for from a professional wedding planner26:42 Look at their work and events they've done27:09 Cheap is not always affordable27:20 What is important to you?28:40 Some ways to work with your budget28:57 The #1 way to stretch your budget29:35 Guest lists30:18 A wedding reception is NOT a family reunion31:20 A tip for potential wedding guests31:30 Unpopular opinion32:20 Cultural exceptions33:57 Where most of the tension in wedding planning comes from35:20 Be prepared for your max36:19 FOMO in weddings37:16 Planners help you not stress.37:34 No one RSVP's38:40 The planners job is to execute the wedding of your dreams39:04 It's not just about the couple39:30 A bridesmaid whose dress doesn't fit39:49 Rebecca's Weddings saves the day40:48 Professionals troubleshoot41:19 Connect with Melissa & Emily42:14 Close42:22 See you in Vegas!

Connect with Emily & Melissa on Instagram @honeycombweddingplanners and @hazelnutfarmevents, on Facebook at @hazelnutfarmevents, and online at Hazelnut Farm.

Make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode and connect with us on Instagram @whyweddingspodcast. Share your wedding and engagement stories with me at [email protected]. Check out previous episodes