What to Look for in a Wedding Planner — A Conversation with Nicole Tricomi of Nicole Gabriella Planning

Finding the right wedding planner might be one of the most important decisions a couple makes in the planning process, and one of the most misunderstood. It's not just about who has the prettiest Instagram feed or the lowest starting price. It's about who will show up for you, advocate for you, and make sure the day you've been imagining actually feels the way it should.

We sat down with Nicole Tricomi, Owner and Lead Planner of Nicole Gabriella Planning, to talk about what couples should really be looking for — and what most of them get wrong. Nicole brings a decade-plus of hospitality and event management experience to every wedding she plans, and her perspective is as practical as it is passionate.

Building Something of Her Own

Nicole's path to founding Nicole Gabriella Planning wasn't a straight line. But that's exactly what makes her so good at what she does.

She started her career at Marriott International as a front desk associate during her sophomore year at Lasell University, where she earned a degree in Hospitality Management and Event Planning. From the front desk, she moved into the Sales and Events Office, eventually earning the title of Senior Event Manager — a role she held until the pandemic brought the hospitality industry to a halt.

"I loved helping people celebrate life's biggest moments, but I wanted the ability to provide a more personalized experience than a large corporation could offer."

After being laid off, Nicole spent time supporting the property in various capacities before stepping back entirely to regroup. A friend connected her with a remote marketing agency, where she spent the next several years managing national client programs, all while quietly building Nicole Gabriella Planning on the side.

In 2021, she hired a business coach and officially launched her planning company. For the next five and a half years, she ran both in parallel, taking on weddings while maintaining a full-time career in marketing. On June 5, 2026, she made it official: wedding planning full-time.

"I come from a big Italian family where every gathering felt like an event. I loved the art of hosting and hospitality from a young age."

Today, Nicole serves her own couples through Nicole Gabriella Planning while also freelancing on-site for fellow planners throughout New England. This combo allows a setup that keeps her embedded in the industry from every angle.

Why Boutique Matters

One of the first things couples notice about Nicole Gabriella Planning is how personal it feels. That's intentional.

"I intentionally keep my business boutique so every client receives direct access to me throughout the planning process. I believe wedding planning should feel collaborative, personal, and enjoyable — not transactional."

For Nicole, the work of getting to know a couple goes well beyond the wedding itself. She asks about their jobs, their families, the trips they take, what they do on weekends. Over the course of a planning process that typically spans six to eighteen months, that depth of relationship isn't a nice-to-have, it's the foundation everything else is built on.

"Yes, they are my clients," she says, "but we are all still just humans, and it's important to remember that."

The Most Common Mistake Couples Make

When we asked Nicole what she sees most often in the planner search process, she didn't hesitate.

"Hiring based solely on aesthetics or social media presence. Beautiful weddings are important, but couples should be looking at communication style, planning philosophy, and experience managing complex situations."

A planner's portfolio tells you what their weddings look like. It doesn't tell you how they handle a vendor who's running late, a family conflict that surfaces the morning of, or a timeline that's quietly unraveling behind the scenes. Those are the moments that define whether a wedding planner is actually worth hiring.

"The best planner for one couple may not be the best planner for another," Nicole notes. Personality fit matters, and so does price transparency. "Cost normally does matter," she adds, in her characteristically direct way.

The Questions You Should Actually Be Asking

Most couples walk into a first consultation with questions about packages and pricing.

Nicole has a different list in mind.

The essentials, she says, are:

What does communication look like throughout the planning process?

How many weddings do you take on each year?

What level of involvement will you have on the wedding day?

But the questions couples most often forget to ask are the ones that matter most when things get complicated:

What happens if something goes wrong on the wedding day?

How do you handle family dynamics or unexpected challenges?

What tasks are not included in your services?

How many team members will actually be present on my wedding day?

And — one most people would never think to ask — how do you work best?

That last one might seem strange, but Nicole frames it as a sign of a healthy working relationship. Understanding how your planner prefers to communicate, make decisions, and navigate stress makes the entire process smoother for everyone involved.

Planner vs. Coordinator vs. Venue Coordinator — Let's Clear This Up

This might be the question Nicole is most passionate about — and for good reason. The confusion between these three roles leads couples to make some of the costliest planning mistakes they'll make.

Here's how she breaks it down:

Wedding Planner

A wedding planner is your advocate, strategist, and project manager from the very beginning. Depending on the level of service — full or partial planning — they help with budget creation, vendor recommendations, contract review, timeline development, design and décor planning, floor plan development, vendor communication, and full oversight of the rehearsal and wedding day.

"A planner works for you, not the venue," Nicole says. "Their primary responsibility is ensuring your vision comes to life while protecting your interests throughout the process. Think of a wedding planner as the general contractor of your wedding."

Wedding Coordinator

A wedding coordinator comes in closer to the wedding. Typically they will start four to eight weeks out and focuses on executing plans that have already been made. They'll review your plans, confirm vendor details, finalize the timeline, and oversee the day itself.

"Think of a coordinator as the person who takes the baton near the finish line," Nicole says. But they generally didn't help you build the plan in the first place.

Venue Coordinator

A venue coordinator works for the venue, not for you. Their job is to manage the venue's operations: catering (if in-house), facility access, venue staff, and ensuring the property's policies are followed. They are often invaluable, but their scope is limited to the building. They are typically not responsible for managing outside vendors, handling personal items, tracking down late arrivals, or solving problems unrelated to the venue.

"Many couples hear that their venue includes a coordinator and assume they no longer need a planner. The reality is that a venue coordinator and a wedding planner serve completely different purposes."

The simplest way to think about it, Nicole says:

• Venue Coordinator = represents the venue.

• Wedding Coordinator = executes your plans.

• Wedding Planner = creates, manages, and executes the entire experience.

What a Great Wedding Day Actually Feels Like

When everything is working the way it should, Nicole says, you can feel it. And so can everyone else in the room.

"A great wedding day is one where the couple is able to be giddy all day long — feeling loved and celebrated and supported by all vendors and my team."

Vendors know where they need to be. Timelines are flowing naturally. Problems are being solved before they ever reach the couple. Parents and siblings are relaxed enough to actually enjoy themselves. And the couple? They're spending time with the people they love instead of answering logistical questions.

"If I've done my job well," Nicole says, "they leave the day feeling like guests at their own wedding."

The Thing Couples Consistently Underestimate

Without hesitation: time.

"Couples often underestimate how long things actually take on a wedding day. Hair and makeup, transportation, family photos, bustling a gown, greeting guests — it all adds up."

Building a realistic timeline, Nicole explains, isn't just about keeping the day on schedule — it's about creating space to be present. It also gives the creative vendors, photographers and videographers especially, room to breathe and explore. "When we have time to play around a little," she says, "it means your photo and video team can offer different shots or angles in the moment. That's so important."

What Separates a Great Vendor Team

A wedding vendor team can either feel like a collection of individual contractors all doing their own thing — or it can feel like a real team. Nicole knows the difference intimately, and says it's felt immediately by everyone in the room.

"The best vendor teams view themselves as part of a collective effort rather than operating in their own lane. They communicate proactively, support one another, and stay focused on the couple's experience."

She also emphasizes the human side of it: "I like to have fun with the vendors I work with. It loosens up the couple and makes them feel like they have the best team working for them. People who actually like each other and want to be there. It does make a difference. I have been a part of both."

Why the Planner–Videographer Relationship Matters More Than You Think

Of all the vendor relationships on a wedding day, the one between the planner and the videography team is one couples rarely think about — but it shapes the day in more ways than most realize.

"Videographers are capturing moments that can never be recreated, so I want them to have the time, access, and information they need to tell the story well."

Nicole emphasizes that it's not just about the planner and videographer getting along, it's about the entire creative team being aligned. Photo and video need to know what each other is doing and when. And all of it needs to flow without wearing the couple out.

"I don't like to overwhelm my couples with too many questions or re-dos of poses or moments," she says. "Being able to work seamlessly without tiring out the couple — but still getting the perfect shots — means more than I can express. Couples can get media fatigue, and a great creative team knows how to avoid it."

When a planner and a videographer have built that kind of trust and communication, the couple gets a better experience on the day and a stronger film in the end. Both things are true at once.

What She Wishes Couples Knew Before They Started Booking

"The cheapest option is rarely the best value. You're not just hiring a service — you're hiring expertise, guidance, problem-solving, and peace of mind."

Nicole is direct about this. The vendors who communicate well, care deeply about their clients, and consistently deliver are often worth every penny. Especially for the people you'll be spending the most time with on your wedding day.

"Personalities matter," she says, "especially for the vendors you will be spending a lot of time with, like your hair and makeup team in the morning and your photo, video, and planner throughout all the events. The way they present themselves, handle stressful situations, and communicate with the couple is so important."

Why Wedding Planning Has Her Heart

We asked Nicole: what keeps bringing her back?

She described a few. A parent seeing their child fully dressed for the first time. The deep breath before walking down the aisle. A private exchange between a couple before the celebration starts. Being the one standing next to the bride and her escort in those final quiet seconds, telling them to breathe and smile before sending them down the aisle.

She also loves the room reveal. That moment just before guests are seated when she gets to walk the couple through a space they've only ever seen empty, now lit with candles, every design detail finally real. "Their reactions and gratitude are priceless," she says.

But what seems to move her most is the long game. The couples who stay in touch. The parents who send referrals. The friend groups she's planned for one by one, brides becoming bridesmaids for each other. Being called the family planner.

"I get to be a part of my couples' families by the end of it. It truly is the best feeling in the world to feel so trusted at such an important time."

"Weddings aren't really about timelines, flowers, or logistics," she says. "They're about people, relationships, and memories that last a lifetime — and how much it means to their families."

There is a lot of pressure, she acknowledges. But there is way more reward.

A Final Wedding Vendor Lesson

If there's one thing Nicole Tricomi makes clear across every answer, it's this: the best wedding vendors aren't just skilled at their craft, they're invested in the people behind the day.

Whether you're searching for a planner, a videographer, or any of the team members who will shape your wedding experience, the question worth asking isn't just "what do you do?" It's "how do you show up?" The couples who get that right tend to look back on their wedding day not as an event that went perfectly, but as a day that felt completely, unmistakably theirs.

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Nicole Tricomi is the Owner and Lead Planner of Nicole Gabriella Planning, a boutique wedding planning company serving couples throughout New England. Learn more at her website.

HBZ Media is a Massachusetts-based video production company specializing in cinematic wedding films and brand content. If you're looking for a videography team that shows up prepared, communicates well, and cares about your experience as much as your footage — we'd love to connect.