Wedding planner cancelled meet at wedding venue

Also if they just said June, was the planner meant to block out the whole of June just in case

We told her then that we’d be visiting the venue in June 2026 and would love to meet her there in person, walk around the venue together, and discuss our plans.

We told her we were visiting the venue in June. Not “can we book a meeting with you in June”. To me that implies they were visiting the venue anyway in June and wanted to book her in while there. If someone said to me I’m visiting your city in June and would love to see you I wouldn’t think they were coming just to see me at all. I’d assume they were there anyway regardless if they see me or not.

Nowhere has OP said they are flying over ANYWAY.

It sounds like this June visit has been booked in with this planner for quite some time. And this new issue isn’t related to the other couple’s actual wrdding day, so it sounds like a cop out.

We’re getting married in Italy in 2028, and I booked her back in October last year because securing a planner was one of the first things I wanted to get sorted. We told her then that we’d be visiting the venue in June 2026 and would love to meet her there in person, walk around the venue together, and discuss our plans.

@lilybit2025 Have you lost sight of what marriage is about?

It is a lifelong commitment between two people. It's not about wedding planners, posh venues, fancy meals etc...

Go out to Italy and just get married next week instead of visiting the venue. Drag a couple of witnesses off the street. The whole day is about you and your husband to be. Not loads of people watching some pretentious over-planned event.

If you know you want to get married now, then why are you waiting two years. Just go and get married!!

And yes, sack the wedding planner. She clearly isn't right for you if she's pissing you off with over two years to go.

I laughed at this, but I do agree, having had a wedding and got swept up in all the ridiculous bullshit I should have just eloped or done the registry office and 2 witnesses.

Save yourself £10,000s and endless stress and tedious nonsense and go on holiday to Italy, get married in a 10 minute ceremony in your home town.

The way the OP worded it was that they are flying over ANYWAY to visit the venue and they emailed her to say they would love to meet up with her as well while they were there. So she’s not flying over specifically to meet with the planner. Plus the planner has already warned the OP that earlier weddings will be taking priority at this moment. I don’t really think the planner has done anything wrong. But I understand it’s disappointing for the OP.

You started planning this wedding last October and it is not for another 2 years! Why the wait?

Yes you are bottom of her priority list. Any wedding planner you will be bottom of the list. Too much can change in 2 years to make any firm plans.

jeez. Chill out. Its not for 2 years

I’d be very uneasy about her casualness. Many weddings are 2+ years in the planning, and an overseas destination wedding you need to be 100% confident in them as you’ve less immediate control. It’s not like you’ll be flying over to meet her every month. Did she draw you up a timeline? Any good planner would give you a timeline, and that’s partly so she can manage her time commitment to each client, ie a wedding in summer 2026 will get more of her input now but that’s not to say a 2028 bride should have a planned meeting cancelled. Have you paid her a deposit, and have you confirmation if she has paid a deposit to any of the service providers? Have you seen contracts and receipts?

I think the slow communication is probably deliberate on the planners part. She knows things will change between last year and in two years time, so encouraging getting in to details of catering etc. now will only result in huge amounts of unnecessary work that will have to be altered over and over again. Basically, if she gives an inch...

The venue and planner booked is all that is needed for now really.

Are you only going there for a short time? Given that it's only a meeting there should be some way to find a time when she can be there.
Have you paid her anything yet? If all you have done is tell her you want to engage her services in future then she is not being unreasonable to prioritise actual customers.

If you can find an alternative organiser who you like and who is available then it would be fine to swap - you will never quite trust the original one after this.

So you’ve paid for flights and accommodation to Italy and she’s letting you down last minute? Coupled with her unprofessionalism and slow responses, you would be absolutely mad to continue with her.

Fire her and maybe ask the venue for a recommendation. Or find a venue that plans it all for you.

Can you try and do all the planning and visits in the 'off season', then the wedding planner and venues won't be so busy.

Its your wedding and if your already feeling unimpressed with her communication that's enough to change to someone else. Further down the line you will feel its too late to change, so now you have enough time left if you change now.
With a wedding planner your paying for individual attention, it could be that shes taken on more than she can cope with. If you do find another one make it clear at the start you value consistent communication/ and a professional attitude.

So, you booked her almost a year ago. That’s 3 years before your wedding. How long have you been engaged?

I’d want the marriage. You’re waiting servers years to get married because you want a party in Italy? World has gone mad.

Of course she isn’t paying you any attention. Your wedding is years away.

2028?!! Here's an idea, pop down to the registry office in a couple of weeks and save yourself two years of stress.

Also, in 2 years anything could happen. The venue could go bust, the wedding planner could go bust, the world could blow up, laws could change, airlines could change routes, you could get ill or pregnant or broke or your fiance could, your friend group could change, as could your family make up...

Of course the current season comes before a wedding two years away, but find someone else due to the lack of communication. She should of asked about budget etc when you booked her.

OMG you are planning for TWO years away?! And you're already this precious?

YABVU IMO

Your wedding is two seasons away, of COURSE she’s going to attend a current season event last minute rather that yours.
It doesn’t mean she doesn’t care/isn’t any good. It means she prioritises appropriately. And it sounds like she’s given sufficient notice (and a warning that this might happen further in advance).

I think that if you fire this woman and hire another one straight away you're just going to hit the same issues. I don't see that she's done anything wrong here.

Is she booked throughout your stay, or could you reschedule the meeting? How local is she to the venue a d is it one she has dealt with previously? Maybe the venue could suggest an alternative.

It’s all too much, too early! Weddings do not take this long to plan. You want to stretch out the experience of being a bride for literally years. Lovely. But she has to earn a living, so she can’t invest as much time in your extended timeline as you want.

You are just getting married. The King’s coronation was planned in less time. The Pope’s ordination was planned in less time. Chill.

Ah okay. I misunderstood in that case.