It’s very likely that you will be planning some weddings for free in order to get experience. But just because you are new and still learning doesn’t mean you have to work with brides and grooms who don’t value your time and hard work. That’s what’s happening to the wedding planner-to-be in today’s Q&A.
Question
A few months ago I agreed to help a friend plan her wedding for free. Now we are a few months away from the wedding day and I haven’t been able to get her to do anything. She hasn’t ordered her dress, picked a venue, or made any other plans. I’m afraid nothing will be done in time. I keep telling her she has to make some decisions, but she won’t do it. Her fiancé has not been much help. He told her not to use me because I don’t know what I’m doing but I assured her I have successfully planned weddings for others.
How do I get her to listen to me and take action so we get everything done in time?
Answer
It doesn’t sound as if your bride is ready to plan her wedding so no amount of work on your part is going to motivate her to take any action. I suggest you tell her that you appreciated being asked to plan her wedding but you don’t feel she needs your help at this time, so you are going to step out of the picture.
Normally, I would recommend that you ask her to contact you when she feels ready to commit time and effort to working with you. However, in this case, I suggest you just walk away. If her fiancé doesn’t want you to plan their wedding, you should not do it. If you continue to be involved you will be causing a lot of drama for yourself and your bride and this is not the type of wedding planning experience you want.