Wedding vendors- you got to have them for your special day. They can end up being your allies, provided you choose the right ones, or, could end up being your enemies, if you choose the wrong ones. Naturally, it is important to select the best wedding vendors with whom you can strike an instant rapport, at the very start of the relationship.
There are many places to find reliable wedding vendors. To start with, you can browse through our portal for suppliers and vendors in your city. Alternatively, you could get word-of-mouth referrals. Thirdly, you can visit bridal exhibits or shows to find popular wedding vendors in your city.
Let us consider some tips which you can use while you talk money with your chosen wedding vendors. This way, you can get the most out of them….
1. Shortlist and get reviews of various vendors
Once you shortlist a few vendors, go online to get honest reviews regarding them. Chances are that brides or their families have expressed their satisfaction or dissatisfaction about them. Make sure to rely on websites other than those of the vendors themselves, since the latter would only carry positive endorsements and testimonials about the vendor in question.
2. Interview them before singing on the dotted line
Next, you must set up an in-person interview with each vendor. You would need photographers, videographers, caterers, dress makers, decorators, wedding venue in-charge and/or hotels where you’d be housing the guests. Brides might also need cake specialists, makeup and hairstylists. Once you have selected and shortlisted these; call each one up to set up an in-person interview. This can give you many insights into the kind of people they are as well as their experience.
3. Questions, questions and more questions
The interview is the time to ask many questions. Go prepared for this: carry a small notebook where you can list these questions and also jot down ideas that might strike during the course of the interview. Ask each vendor to describe similar weddings they have covered. This can help you assess if they are adept in covering weddings that are similar in style and size to yours. Importantly, ask them if they are free on the date of your wedding and if they’d be attending to your tasks themselves or assigning someone else to do it.
4.What do the costs include?
What do their total costs include? Do these also include the taxes and tips? When should you notify them of the final guest count? Can they work around your budget or offer discounts or deals if any? If you are, for example, housing the guests in the same hotel as that of the reception ceremony, then ask them for a bundle discount. Likewise, work with their vendors to get special offers. Many times, wedding photographers are linked to certain hotels and wedding mandaps. So if you choose these vendors, you’d get a discount straight off, provided you ask.
Some vendors charge on the basis of number of guests, still others charge a fixed fee or a percentage fee. Do find out how these calculations are made. In case of costs based per plate, the more the number of guests you invite, the lower the costs. What this means is that the cost per plate for 90 guests would be more than the per plate charges for more than 100 guests. So it actually makes sense to invite more people if the caterer has such a rule. Do find out these clauses in advance to avoid surprises later.
5. Don’t let them blindside you
If you approach big brand names in wedding vendors, chances are that they’d have clever salespeople who can blind side you. Make sure that you research a couple of places where you might get better or comparable quality and service without the associated high costs. The glitz and glamour of big names could also work against you when you are trying to stick to a budget.
These are 5 important tips to help you get the most out of your wedding vendors. Know of others? Then share them with us in comments below!
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