The right questions reveal more about an event planner than any portfolio. Ask these ten before signing anything, and you'll know within one conversation whether this is someone who can actually run your event — or someone who's good at selling themselves but thin on real experience.
It usually comes down to presentation. A professionally designed Instagram page, a good website, a confident phone manner — these are real skills, but they're not what gets 400 guests fed on time with working microphones and a DJ who shows up sober.
What actually predicts a good event is operational experience: a planner who's had vendors cancel, power fail, and caterers arrive two hours late — and who solved those problems without the client noticing. You can't see that from photos. You have to ask.
The emphasis on "similar in size and format" matters. A planner with ten beautiful intimate outdoor ceremonies isn't necessarily equipped to manage a 600-person owambe reception in a hotel ballroom. Portfolios look impressive in aggregate. What you want to know is whether the events that look like your event went well.
Ask to see photos, not just testimonials. Ask what their role was — "I assisted the lead planner" is a very different answer from "I managed this event independently."
A planner with genuine vendor relationships will answer this without hesitation. They'll name people, describe working with them, and may offer to introduce you. A planner who is vague — "I work with various vendors depending on the event" — is sourcing fresh every time, which means no relationship discounts, no trust built from previous events, and no social capital to call in when something goes wrong.
Some planners manage two or three events per weekend. If they're managing two large events on the same day, will you have a dedicated assistant planner at yours? Who specifically, and what is their experience? "I'll be there" and "I'll have a team there" are very different answers. Get specifics.
Every experienced planner has a story. A caterer who arrived three hours late. A venue that double-booked. A generator that cut out during the first dance. How they tell the story matters as much as what happened. You want someone who took control, stayed calm, and protected the client's experience. If a planner says nothing has ever gone wrong at their events, end the conversation.
There are three common structures in Nigeria: a flat fee, a percentage of the total event budget (typically 10–15%), and a day-of coordination fee. Each model has trade-offs. What you're really checking: is there anything that would add to this fee after you've signed? Vendor communication fees, extra assistant costs, overtime charges. Ask directly and get written answers.
A serious planner has a contract. Always. If they don't, that alone should make you reconsider. The contract should address: what happens if the planner falls ill, who takes over, whether deposits are refundable if they cancel, and what their liability is for vendor failures within their coordination.
Not email. Not a testimonial form. A name and a phone number you can actually call. Good planners don't hesitate here. The conversation you have with that client — how quickly they answer, whether they sound genuinely positive or diplomatically lukewarm — tells you more than any formal reference letter.
Venue familiarity matters more than people realise. A planner who knows your venue knows where the generator is, which entrance deliveries use, how early setup access actually starts, and which staff member to call at 7am when the gate isn't open. First-time venue experience isn't disqualifying, but the planner is learning as they go.
Specifically: do they provide regular written budget updates? Do they flag you before spending anything above the agreed line? Do they keep receipts and a full accounting? A planner who "tracks everything" but can't tell you how they track it is how budget surprises happen in the final two weeks.
A stress-test question. Venues cancel or double-book — it happens. A planner with a real network can answer this immediately: "I'd call three alternative venues I work with, and I'd have options to you by end of day." A planner who pauses too long or says "that wouldn't happen with a reputable venue" is telling you something important about how they handle unexpected problems.