Getting Started by Setting Expectations

My standard office hours are 11 am to 7 pm Tuesday-Friday, but you are welcome to email outside of these hours. On Sundays and Mondays, I do not typically hold office hours and weekend/evening hours are by appointment only made no later than 1 week in advance (aside from your big day!). Calls and emails received outside of business hours will be replied to within the next two business days.

Unspoken expectations cause a lot of stress, so I like to communicate some of my expectations that I have for you as a client. From the moment you hire me, no matter where you are in the process, we will need to pull all the work you’ve done together to create a cohesive and coordinated wedding day. For us to get the best out of this process and have the most successful planning experience, I ask that you:

Be respectful of my time by being on time to all meetings, phone calls, etc. If an emergency arises, please call with as much notice as possible. Cancellations should be made with as much notice as possible, preferably 24 hours.
Be prompt with replies to emails and questionnaires that require your input. I will require input from you to complete planning tasks as assigned to me. Please reply within 48 hours to avoid delays on critical planning tasks. At minimum your reply should be with a request for extension.
Complete any action items that were provided to you during a consult or meeting in a timely manner. I do my best to assign a to-do date for your task, but the earlier you complete them, the more time we will have to focus on other areas throughout the process.
Agree to be responsive and forthcoming with information, including any changes to previous plans, in the days leading up to the wedding. I ask that all changes be communicated a minimum of 48 hours prior to your big day. Sometimes this is unavoidable, and I understand that, but keep this as your goal.
Notify me of any additional last-minute guests within 1 week of wedding and will add no more than 10 additional guests.
Commit to informing your vendor team that Magpie Weddings will be handling day of management and/or permission to reach out on your behalf. I also ask that you commit to copying me on all vendor communications from this moment on.
Understand that executive decisions may need to be made on your behalf. I strive to avoid this, but I will keep the health and safety of all individuals involved a priority which may result in executive decisions.

And with all that being said, here's what you can expect from me as your planner:

I will respond to your emails within 48 hours, or by the next business day if on a holiday or weekend.
Each meeting, whether in-person, over the phone, or conducted remotely will have an agenda provided to you
I will follow up all phone calls and meetings with a detailed email outlining topic discussed, decisions made, action items with assigned responsibilities, and next steps.
I will be available to you for vendor meetings, phone calls and consults but ask that you provide proper notice for vendor meetings. Requests made with less than a weeks notice cannot be guaranteed, although I do my best to accommodate.

Please do not hesitate to reach out and discuss if there are additional expectations you have for me as your planner. I am here to make this a great process for all of us and welcome your feedback!

A Note about Meetings

Most appointments will need between 1-2 hours of your time. As we move along in the process, I will notify you of any items I need completed by you before our meeting. I do ask that you complete the required informational packets I will request and associated to-do's at least 48 hours before our meetings, in order for me to best prepare and make our time efficient. Currently, I am only holding remote and phone meeting, but this will change as we evolve in both the process and current state of the world.

Please contact me to cancel or reschedule any appointments with as much notice as possible. In the rare case that I am unable to keep an appointment with you, I will let you know no less than 48 hours in advance and will reschedule at your convenience. But, if we have learned nothing from 2020, this does not apply when a true emergency arises, in which none of us can control. If you will be late for a scheduled meeting or appointment, please make me aware of the situation as soon as you are able. If you are more than 30 minutes late to a schedule meeting, a charge for each half hour you are late will be imposed at my prorated hourly rate. After 3 hours, the meeting is effectively canceled and will require an additional rescheduling fee of $50. Please know, I completely understand that we are all human and the need for flexibility does arise, so these directives may not apply to every situation and will be assessed on a case by case basis.

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