In every market, there are always a few wedding planners who everyone loves. If you ask any venue or vendor in town who their favorite planners are, there are always a few who consistently come up in conversation. These are usually the planners who get the most word-of-mouth referrals.

What makes those select few planners stand out so much?

Here is what they do (and what you can do) to become one of the favorites:

1) During the planning process for a wedding and at the actual wedding, think about what you can do to make the job easier for your vendor team. Maybe it’s more communication, perhaps it involves asking for their feedback on the event schedule, or maybe it is as simple as handing the photographer a glass of ice water during the formal photos. These small details show your thoughtfulness and that you care about the team. The better they perform, the happier you and your client will be.

2) Show your knowledge AND your lack of knowledge. Good wedding planners are firm when they need to be, but are also honest when they lack the experience or knowledge about a particular aspect of planning or coordination. For example, if you are planning your first tented wedding, be honest with the clients, the caterer, and the rental company. Rely on the knowledge and experience from the rental company and the catering company for everything related to the tent rental, tent placement, and logistics. After you learn from the pros, you will have that knowledge for future events.

3) Make integrity, manners, and honesty your priorities. The longer you are in business, the more people will get to know about you and how you work. If you are consistently honest, kind, and acting with integrity, your peers will remember you when someone asks for a recommendation. And smiling is pretty important too.

4) Support other wedding planners. There is more than enough business to go around. Becoming friends with your fellow event planners benefits everyone. You can help each other with questions about vendors or clients and can refer clients to each other when you are booked for a particular date. Show your support and others will support you right back.

Do you have any other suggestions for being the wedding planner everyone loves and recommends?