Day 7: Hiring Your Wedding Vendors

Hiring your wedding vendors is the most time consuming part of the wedding planning process yet the most important part of all. Begin by inquiring with your family and friends for any recommendations or referrals. Then, start searching your area for wedding professionals that fit your budget and your style. Take a look at their reviews to see what others are saying about them.

Steps to Getting Started

Research vendors on-line.
Take notes on each vendor in each category. What about them stands out to you.
Inquire about their availability online.
Interview them. See my attached guide of key interview questions to ask.
Hire them with a signed contract and retainer.

“It is important to get a signed contract and paid a retainer. Do not assume that will hold your wedding date.”

Marsha VanArk, Lead Planner @ Distinctly Yours Wedding & Events, llc

Working with Wedding Vendors

GO TO YOUR MEETINGS PREPARED.

Bring photos, swatches, contracts-whatever you desire really. Have a couple of questions. If you don’t have any clue about what to expect for the meeting, it doesn’t hurt to ask beforehand. If you’re going to an initial consultation, have an idea in your head of what you want your wedding to be like.

TALK TO YOUR VENDORS.

As much as wedding vendors wish they could, they unfortunately can’t read your mind and know what you want. If you don’t have anything specific that you want, tell them so they can give you ideas and suggestions. And if you do have something in particular in mind, by all means, please share!

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK YOUR VENDORS FOR OTHER REFERRALS.

If you’re in search of more vendors, ask the ones you’ve already hired for recommendations. Chances are good that they’ll be able to recommend awesome vendors that they like working with. Good vendors working with each other results in a good experience for ALL!

HAVE PATIENCE.

Your wedding vendors work weekends, of course, as most weddings are on weekends. However, just because they are “working” does not mean that they are sitting at their desks all weekend. They’re out, on location, at weddings, working. Please don’t be worried or mad if an email you send on the weekend or at the end of the week isn’t returned immediately.

YOUR WEDDING VENDORS’ RESPECTIVE PROFESSION IS THEIR CAREER AND JOB.

Chances are good that they don’t do it “on the side” or as a “hobby”. Meaning that what they do is their livelihood and how they put food in their family’s mouth, just like your job. Yes, they love what they do and it’s a fun, rewarding job, but they also have to make money. Their prices are what they are because it’s what they live off of.

Day 7: Conclusion

A big part of my passion with weddings is to help educate couples throughout the wedding planning process. Working in weddings for the past 10 years has opened my eyes to lots of things, many of which would have resulted in some un-do stress. Since many of you are just beginning to plan your wedding, these tips about hiring your wedding vendors will be helpful in saving you time.

Here I am sharing the very questionnaires that I use in each of my vendor categories when I am researching for couples I am with planning with . Just add your email address below and it will be delivered right to your inbox.

If you have any questions or need some guidance with your wedding planning. Please contact us.

Happy Planning,

Marsha