Plum & Poppy

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Sarah Agee. I'm a wedding planner and I've been working on weddings for 7 years now. I've been in the hospitality industry for 16 years. I am a mom, classically trained French chef, and black coffee drinker.

How did you become a wedding planner?

I love relieving stress for people.

I started my own wedding planning company through the encouragement of a friend based on my background. I love relieving stress for people. I always thought I couldn't have a job where I helped people because I would be a terrible nurse (I don't do blood). Then I realized there are so many other ways you can help people through stressful times in their lives by making their burden lighter and allowing them to focus on the happy and fun parts of the experience.

Which portion of the process keeps you busy the most, and what takes the most energy?

I spend most of my days in client meetings then doing the follow-up work afterwards. My life on a wedding day starts with hair & makeup and ends with the last formality. We touch every piece in between those two. They're long days but so fulfilling!

If you could ask one thing of the grooms and brides that would make your job at their wedding easier, what would it be?

Go with your gut. Trust yourself.

Go with your gut. Trust yourself. I feel bad when clients struggle with indecision. I think deep down people truly know what they want and that's usually the best choice.

Are there things that differentiate wedding planners?

You want to select a wedding planner that you feel like you want to spend time with. We see a lot of each other so it's important to like them and want to share your wedding process with them.

There are lots of different kinds of wedding planners in the world. We do full-service wedding planning as well as wedding coordination. You know you're talking to a good one if they aren't the least expensive option and they have a professional process that they take you through. You want to select a wedding planner that you feel like you want to spend time with. We see a lot of each other so it's important to like them and want to share your wedding process with them.

What does a wedding planner do?

We manage every detail from the way the napkin is folded to vendor timelines. We work as a team captain for all your vendors. We make a plan for every detail that day then we handle any unexpected challenges that arise.

What are the advantages of hiring a wedding planner?

You have someone on your team that day to handle every wedding detail so you can relax and enjoy time with family & friends instead of worrying about the details.

What is the most unique wedding tradition you have ever seen?

We do a lot of different cultural weddings. I always take full advantage of learning more about someone's culture in the wedding planning process.

We do a lot of different cultural weddings. I always take full advantage of learning more about someone's culture in the wedding planning process. I have been fortunate enough to go to a Hindu temple with clients and participate in some of their prayer ceremonies. It was beautiful and so different for me. It gave me so much insight into the ceremonies taking place on the wedding day. Their culture is so focused on family and I love that!

What are your best expert wedding planning tips?

Hire great vendors! The better the team you create the smoother your wedding day will go!

What are a wedding planner's duties during the actual wedding?

We manage every detail from the song you walk down the aisle to being played at the right time to their being a fork next to the plate when you cut your cake.

What is the average price of a wedding planner?

Wedding planning pricing varies greatly depending on help much assistance you want and how much experience your planner has.