3 Tips For Finding the Perfect Wedding Vendors

One of the biggest wedding planning stressors if finding the perfect wedding vendors for your day.  Today I am sharing 3 key tips to make sure you find the best vendors for your big day!

UNDERSTAND VALUE

Before deciding anything about vendors, you need to understand your budget and how much are you willing to spend on certain vendors. Once you have an idea of your budget then you can start to gage the value of each vendor’s services.

There is a reason vendors price their products and services differently than each other. It could be number of hours, tangible products, rights, service quality, labor, experience and more.

So when looking for the perfect photographer you can’t expect a $2,000 wedding photography package to offer the same value and expertise that at $4,000 package does.

Once you do decide your budget for each vendor start interviewing vendors in that price range and compare their services. Photographer A – may offer unlimited hours but won’t grant you a print release, while Photographer B – may limit your hours but gives you full printing rights. Once you see what each vendor has to offer at your price range it will become clear which vendor will give you the most bang for your buck.

READ REVIEWS

Some vendors may be wonderful to talk to on the phone and are very prompt to answer your questions but can become a nightmare to work with. Maybe they send you your images 2 months late without any explanation, or play the wrong first dance song because they didn’t look at the little sheet you spent an hour filling out, or maybe they take it upon themselves to select hot pink peonies instead of blush ones that you requested. The list goes on and on and everyone has heard a wedding day horror story. So try to avoid it by checking reviews!

You can do this by looking at Wedding Wire, The Knot, Google, Facebook, testimonials on their website or even by asking your other trusted wedding vendors if they have worked with them. If they don’t have any reviews listed, then ask them if they have any they could provide you with some. If you do find a vendor you really like and they happen to have a not so great review, then ask them about it and give them the opportunity to explain the situation but make sure you take everything they say with a grain of salt.

MAKE SURE THEY ARE A ‘FIT’

It is really important that you feel a connection and understanding with your vendors and feel comfortable with them handling your wedding day. Ask your potential vendors things about them and their services: what do you like to do in your free time? How would you describe your style? What’s your favorite part about weddings? And ask yourself these questions: Is this someone I could see myself hanging out with? Do I feel comfortable letting this person represent me? Will this person mesh well with my guests?

Here’s an example – I personally love light and airy film photography and outdoor weddings on the water, so for my wedding it probably wouldn’t make sense for me to hire a dark and moody photographer that loves industrial settings. You want to find that vendor that gets you and your vision for your day.

Word of caution: be careful you are not asking a vendor that isn’t a ‘fit’ to become a ‘fit’. Like asking a casual, small town catering company that is used to buffet style to do an elegant platter meal. Though they may be able to make it happen chances are it is not to the standard you were hoping. So make sure they are a true ‘fit’ instead of asking them to be one.

I know it’s stressful, especially in a world of thousands of wedding vendors but simply understand the value, read reviews and make sure they are a true ‘fit’!

Comment below with your tips for finding vendors or questions you have!

Photo by Cory & Jackie Photography