We know picking the team to turn your wedding ideas into your dream day is hard, so we’re here to help! Choosing the perfect wedding vendors is a huge part of planning, yes, and more importantly, achieving your big day – so here are 13 tips to assure you pick the right ones for you!
1. Watch Out for Change Fees: Every contract has a change fee. Make sure you understand exactly when this fee will be applied, as well as what each change to your order will cost. If you don’t understand the reasoning behind a fee, never hesitate to ask!” – Carla Hagan of Carla Hagan Calligraphy and Designs
2. When hiring your wedding vendors, do your own background check. Read the reviews. Check references. And, ask for proof of business insurance. – Kawania Wooten of Howerton + Wooten Events
3. Go to industry events: The tickets may cost some money but you’ll not only get a large range of vendors at once but you’ll be able to experience at least a part of each vendor’s services/products. – Matthew Antoun of Modern Art Catering
4. Pick a venue with open space and flexibility in moving preexisting smaller/light furniture items that don’t fit your event aesthetic. – Krista and Regina of Archive Rentals
6. Take every element into consideration: When selecting your wedding vendors I always encourage my couples to keep the 4 P’s in mind – passion, product, personality and price! – Jove Meyer of Jove Meyer Events
Photo by Love Me Do Photography
7. Hire the best vendor in each category in the price point you can afford. Don’t spend so much on one vendor that it takes away from the rest though! – Virginia Edelson of Bluebird Productions
8. You get what you pay for. The key to choosing your vendors is keeping this in mind. In the event world, there are vendors that are just starting out, and those that are seasoned. You are going to pay more for the seasoned, and less for those who are just growing their business. Be careful about the “deals” you are getting. Take into account how many hours, what type of service, quantity, and logistics. Make sure as you are shopping prices, you weigh all the variables. – Kristen Jensen of Sugar Rush Events
9. How attentive are they? During the sales and vetting process, see how quickly a prospective vendor responds to you. 24-72 hours is a reasonable turnaround time; a whole week is not. This is an indication of how easy they will be to work with. One of the top complaints I receive from clients is that a vendor is not responsive or attentive to their needs, and that their response time is exceedingly long. – Dee Gaubert of No Worries Event Planning
10. If you’re planning a destination wedding, hire a local planner. They will help you with the lay of the land and be able to help navigate your guest travel, accommodations and just getting around your destination location. – Dee Gaubert of No Worries Event Planning
Photo by Megan Clouse Photography
11. For budget, be honest. If you inquired with enthusiasm and the reply proposal is out of your budget and you’re feeling discouraged, don’t stop there. I greatly appreciate a couple that lets me know and tries to find a solution that works for everyone. Ask your vendor, “I really love your work/ food/florals/etc, is there anyway we can get the budget closer to $xxxx? Can you think of any creative ways or little corners to cut?” In many cases, for photography, we can shave off some time. – Megan Clouse of Megan Clouse Photography
cover, truly take the time to research the story. – Katrina Centeno of Calligraphy Katrina
Wedding by Feathered Arrow Events, Photo by Giny Ann Photography
13. Don’t ask your vendors for discounts on the spot. Respect their work + their time and see if there is something they offer within your budget, if not, you may need to find someone else with your style and that offers packages within your budget! – Kari Dirksen of Feathered Arrow Events
Browse our planning category for more advice and inspiration!
Such helpful tips! My wedding is coming up and these are great to keep in mind when planning.
Love these helpful tips!
These are so on point!
Great tips!
I wish I would’ve done #2.. would’ve saved me a lot of trouble when planning my wedding 🙁
Yay! So glad they are helpful! Let us know how your wedding goes.
Thanks so much! We are glad you liked them.
Thanks! We hope they can make the planning process a little bit easier.
Thank you! We hope they can help!
The background check is definitely important! Research is one of the most important steps.