Think you should be your bride’s best friend when you plan her wedding?  You shouldn’t, she doesn’t need a friend, she needs a professional wedding planner.

Here are 5 things to remember as you work with your brides:

1) Be the expert

You are not a bride’s assistant, you are a wedding planning professional. Know the services your client wants then offer directions and solutions based on your knowledge and experience. Guide her to make the best choices.

2) Deliver what you promise

Know your strengths and weaknesses and set realistic time lines before you make promises. It’s best to “under promise and over deliver.”

3)  Give status messages

Most brides like to know that things are going smoothly. Keep brides up-to-date on what you are doing.

4) Be respectful

Don’t gossip or speak disrespectfully about your current and former clients.

5) Set limits

Make sure your clients understand when and how often they can reach you via email and phone calls. Think twice before offering “unlimited access” if you cannot, or do not want to, devote as much time as brides might want.