my wedding planner is pushy

i2012do

So I hired a wedding coordinator. Actually shes like an acquaintance that is starting a high end wedding planning business after working in the business for some time. She agreed to do my wedding gratis, as long as I gave herphotos she could use in her business/on her website thats in development etc.

She is not really a help. Instead she is WICKED pushy about things.
I keep telling her my idea about things and she says things liek "for my most popular weddings I planned in the past" or "for my wedding,what I did"
Without regard to my own wedding.

She makes me feel like because I am not doing the things she suggests, she won't help me. She said she is doing my full service wedding planning but about 12 times I mentioned I needed help finding a priest--and she hasn't helped.

I don't know if I can politely tell her I don't need her help slash Fire her. She's also met with some of my vendors and I don't want to explain to them the issue. Also, she kjeeps setting up meetings for me to these really expensive places- andhonestly, I can't afford $5000 flowers!! and I told her this.  She then said "well tell them you can only spend $1500 and they will show you the flowers you can get"

I also mentioned DIYing some of my own centerpieces and she goes "hun, just SPEND the money- I mean I am surely not lugging thes branches up there and no one else will.."

Also, I think if she wants to become a successful planner she should work within ALL budgets- so its frustrating.

Also, in reality I do need a DOC. There is a lot of set up at my venue
Also, I wish now, that I hired someone else because now all my vendors are booked. And If i hired someone else originally, they would have paid for themselves with the cost savings I would have had with other vendors.

AHHH
suggestions?

MNNEBride

I think I know the answer to this, but, do you have a contract with her?

4LeafClover3

I was wondering the same thing MNNEBRIDE! If you don't then I would look in to possibly getting someone else to help. Who cares if she was the one that vendors spoke with. Or what you can do is to sit her down and tell her exactly how you feel. Tell her how she isn't listening to you and that you are not happy with how she is coordinating things, etc. Get it all out. She can't change if you don't communicate with her. Let her know! Then if you talk and she still doesn't get it then maybe look in to hiring someone else. You have to be able to trust your coordinator and be happy with the job they are doing!

i2012do

Actually no, I sent her a contract I made up months ago and she never signed it and sent it back.

I send her emails and she half answers the questions.

I kind of wish i hired this one other person originally, now I feel like I have to pay for them when I did most of the work myself they would have helped me with- or gotten me discounts on.

IO am def. unhappy with her and I feel like she only wants to do the "fun"wedding stuff.

I just don't politely know how to tell her, we have gone a "Different" direction and no longer need her help.

MinM

You use your big girl words and say "thank you for all that you have done to assist me the wedding to date. However, from now I will no longer require your services. Thank you again for all that you have done. Good-bye."

And I hired my wedding planner after I had selected all of my other vendors. She did what she could at that point to help me save money where she could. You are not stuck.

MNNEBride

So you have no contractual obligation to her.  Cut the ties politely (see above) and move on.  Lesson learned.

i2012do

thanks
i especially like "big girl words"

Just as a side note:
the little girl words im thinking are "you are annoying and pushy and  a bad wedding planner"

But I will use my big girl nice words and say "we no longer need your services, but thank you for all your help thus far"

demandala

Sit down and talk to her. Let her know what you expect from her. Also tell her you like to hear ideas, but these are the ones you want to run with. 

As for the flower thing.. She might know something you don't. The very $$$ place should be able to work with what you can afford. If not, on to the next one.