Just as you would trust your doctor to tell you the honest truth about your health, your accountant to tell you the state of your finances and your spouse to tell you if your jeans look too tight (ok, maybe not that one), so too do you expect your event planner and designer to tell you what works and what doesn’t in the scope of your event.

Let’s face it…it’s hard to hear the truth. When you have something set in your mind and you believe that you know the right way to do it and how much it should cost, you do not want to be told something else. That said, if that something else could make for a better outcome, a more valuable end result and one that caused far less stress than the alternative, who amongst us wouldn’t trust the expert?

When considering hiring a planner and designer, consider that you are doing so because if you could go it alone you would have in the first place. Go in knowing that you are looking for someone who is knowledgeable, well connected, honest and transparent. Know that the person you choose should have earned your trust at the first meeting and the reason you signed on the dotted line was because you felt at ease.

Remember, there are planners and designers out there by the dozen. Look for the ones who will tell you your jeans look too tight (but not in those words, of course) and not feel badly about it. That makes for the kind of honesty you will treasure in the end. Trust me.