My first thought when I decided to get married is that I will arrange everything by myself, from finding fabric for my wedding gown to my dais. I thought I could do it by myself with help from some friends and family members but I was wrong. Lucky it was at the early stage of the preparation. I wasn't that stress at the early stage because I've already planned out what will my dress and my nikah outfit will look like, what kind of pelamin and meja beradab I wanted, the color theme and what type of deco will it be earlier last year. I want things to be organized. It saves a bit of time because I will not be having  a mini dais for my nikah. I feel it will be a waste of money for that 15 minutes ceremony. Most likely I won't even look at the dais on that day it self.

I did my survey middle of last year. I knew which wedding planner to look for as I have asked my friends around too. There were a few bridal shops that I visited  but the prices were too pricey or the packages were not interesting. Most of the visits lasted around 10 to 15 minutes. Usually I will view their wedding gowns first. If I do not like any of them, I'll ask for the price of custom made dresses and other wedding packages. Do not waste time if you're not interested in hiring them.

Before you visit any bridal studio, make sure you have a rough idea on what you want for your wedding beforehand. With the help of Google and blogs scattered around, your search can be narrow down. Lay these plans to the wedding planner so that it'll be easier for them to quote the price for you. DO NOT RUSH or make impulse decision. Go back and think. Make sure you know your budget and be realistic because you know you can't afford to spend lavishly on your wedding like Kate Perry.

Dnas Qaseh was not on my list. We were passing by coincidentally while driving. It was a small shop by the roadside and I believe most people won't even notice it. So I tried my luck. Went there twice. The second time was to confirm whether or not we're taking her after getting quotation from her the first time. I was quite satisfied with her service. Not only she listens to her customer, she also gave ideas and inputs. It was easier for us. Since she already have  the experience in doing weddings, at least she could tell us on details that we might missed out.

So when I confirmed with Kak Ina that we're hiring her for my wedding, I printed the pelamin design, baju nikah and wedding dress designs and pass them to her on my next visit. It makes things easier for both side. She knew what I wanted and I know how she'll work through it. So from the moment we started to execute the plan, we gave each other time frame. This is a good way for those who lives in a different state from your wedding planner. I'll tell her upfront through sms on when I'll be meeting her so that she'll have plenty of time to prepare the things I want before hand. So when it is time to meet, she'll just briefly tell me the progress. Her shop might look small but she has what it takes to be a wedding planner.

Wedding is not just about you, it's between working with your wedding planner. Have respect with each and lay down the right expectation from the start. Have a contingency plan, in case your plan A doesn't work out. It also gives you several options instead of just one to you and your planner.