Choosing Your Vendors

Choosing your vendors is a lot of work and a lot of pressure. You always hear that your guest will remember the music and the food. I can attest. Of all of the weddings I have been to, I remember if the DJ was terrible or the food sucked. But that doesn't mean that you should be any less picky with your other vendors!

Being picky is okay! This is your day. Do not settle for less than spectacular.

Tip One:

Know what you're looking for before you start having meetings.

Pinterest is a great starting place for finding your style. Once you've got a vision, it is a lot easier to find vendors that can make it happen. Sites like The Knot and Wedding Wire are great places to start researching vendors. They provide a summary of what is offered, reviews by real clients, and sometimes price points to narrow down who to contact, but be wary because those companies make the vendors pay to advertise, so you may not be getting a full view.

Make sure your vendor can create your vision. Not every vendor can accommodate every request. It is essential to do as much research as possible to get a feel for what services you need before the meetings. This step saves both you and the vendor some time.

Tip Two:

Read all reviews.

Even if you love everything about your vendor on paper, be skeptical. Read all reviews, especially the not-so-great ones. You will want to know if the vendor didn't show up for a meeting, was unorganized, etc.

Also, be wary if there are no bad reviews. This is usually too good to be true. Some companies will pay to have bad reviews removed. Yeah... shady, right? Ask around!

Word of mouth is more reliable than Yelp. 

Tip Three:

Ask all of the questions.

No questions are ever stupid when interviewing potential vendors. Get as much information as you can. Ask about cancellation policies, in-case-of-emergency plans, hidden fees, etc. No questions are too small or too impractical. Make sure the vendors you use are prepared for everything you throw at them and are dedicated to making sure that your day will go perfectly.

You are going to need to know what the plan is if your chosen photographer is sick on the day of the wedding or if the equipment the caterer uses spontaneously stops working. Back-up plans are a must.

Tip Four:

Go to bridal expositions.

Bridal expos are a fantastic place to start for finding vendors. These events allow businesses to showcase their work and reach out individually to you. Every vendor you could ever possibly need will be at an expo. Florists, photographers, catering, DJ, live bands, orchestra, bakery, spa, travel agencies for your honeymoon,...I could go on all day. The point is, if you want to do all of your vendor research at once or fill in the cracks of what you need, bridal shows are the place to be. 

Most of the time, bakeries and caterers provide samples of their food, and if you are lucky, vendors offer discounts if you book them after talking to them at the bridal show.

Tip Five:

Stay within your budget.

It is essential for you to be certain that you can afford everyone you hire. If you have a budget of $20,000, it would be impractical to spend over $10,000 on catering, $6,000 on the venue, and $4,000 on photography. You'd have no money left in the budget for anything else. 

Write. Everything. Down.

Before you sign that contract, make sure you have everything accounted for in your budget. 

With Love,

Macy