Q&A With Kawania H. Wooten: Expert Tips For Your Perfect Wedding Day

Congratulations, you’re engaged!

During this exciting time, you have so many new and amazing choices to make like what kind of engagement photos you want, choosing the perfect venue, who will be invited to the wedding, and if should you hire a wedding planner, etc.

As you begin to celebrate your new life it’s time to start planning your ceremony. For couples, this part of the planning process can become a bit stressful but don’t worry it doesn’t have to be that way. Principal Consultant Kawania H. Wooten at Howerton+ Wooten Events gave us some expert advice about choosing the right planner for you as a couple and how to get the wedding day of your dreams with your specific budget.

Learn more about how to plan for your dream day in our interview below!

What are the main things a couple should look for as they search to find the right wedding planner?

• The planner’s portfolio of work. Do you find their previous weddings appealing?
• The planner’s references and reviews. What do the planner’s previous clients say about him or her?
• The planner’s vendor and venue partners. Has the planner worked in your preferred venue before? What does the venue coordinator say about working with the planner?
• The planner’s experience with specific cultures and religions.  Does the planner have experience taking care of wedding traditions that matter to you and your family?  

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As an event management boutique, how do you try to create a dream wedding on a budget of less than $5,000.00?

For such a small budget, I would talk to my couple about their wedding day priorities and expectations first. What is most important to them as a couple?  They should focus on that priority and push their resources toward that.

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What are some specific things that you tell your clients you can or cannot do?

As far as expectations are concerned, I would be very honest with the couple about their capabilities with $5,000. They can have a lovely event, but it will be small and it will be focused on the priority that I previously mentioned.  I would also explain to them that a wedding with a $5,000 cap will more than likely be a micro wedding.  The easiest and most effective way to maintain control of a budget is to maintain control of the guest list.

What are some red flags that couples should pay attention to as they search for the right wedding planner?

• Ask the venue coordinator if s/he recommends the planner.
• Read the client reviews on-line.  One or two less than stellar review(s) could be a unique scenario.  More than two bad reviews are red flags.
• How does the planner respond to your questions during the consultation?  Does s/he get offended easily? Do they talk over you?
• Ask the planner if all of the photos on his or her web site are the work of the planner? If the answer is no, dig a little deeper. That can definitely be a big red flag.

Are you seeing any new trends in the industry like micro weddings that will continue?

COVID has affected the budgets of so many families, so I believe that micro weddings will continue because numerous couples need to be mindful of their budgets.

Do you feel couples want their weddings to be more intimate so that they are the focus rather than impressing their guests?

I believe that couples are more into intimate weddings because privacy is the new form of luxury.  So much of their lives are public right now with Instagram, so more couples are drawn to small, private affairs that feel special to them and their close family and friends.

How do you help your clients choose quality vendors when they are on a strict budget?

• Book your wedding during off-season. You will more than likely get a bigger bang for the dollars you spend.
• Consider working with the associate planner or the associate photographer (instead of the owner) of a well-known company.
• Consider a brunch wedding that allows a vendor an opportunity to work a second wedding later that day.