When you’re planning a wedding, you will come across many tips. Perhaps one of the best wedding planning tips is how to hire the right wedding professionals. One of the most challenging aspects about getting married is finding and hiring the right wedding vendors. However large or small their roles may be, they will each have a significant impact on the overall outcome of your wedding day. Because of this, it is imperative to take your time and do the correct research. We’re sharing some simple steps to ensure you are hiring trustworthy, experienced, and reputable wedding professionals.
As you will soon discover, there is really no shortage of wedding vendors. In any given category, there are plenty to choose from. Your goal is finding the professional that is right for you. You want to hire a wedding planner, caterer, photographer, entertainment service, or other wedding professional that has the right product and price for your wedding, as well as a compatible personality.
The search for wedding day vendors can begin in a number of places. Knowing where to look and what to look for will get your search started on the right foot. The following suggestions will help you get started as you begin to plan your dream wedding.
Wedding Planning Tips: Where to Find the Best Wedding Vendors
Bridal Shows
The greatest value in bridal shows is the opportunity to meet with a large number of wedding vendors. Being able to view many products at one time is exciting and can be overwhelming. Invite your maid-of-honor or bridesmaids to join you. Their instincts and opinions can put you at ease as you take everything in.
There are many categories of vendors represented at bridal shows, making it an efficient tool for doing research and for gathering wedding-related information. When you find vendors you are particularly interested in, make a note of it. Contact them soon after the show to book a personal one-on-one appointment.
Ceremony and Reception Venue
The venues you select for your wedding day have developed relationships with particular vendors, and they usually have a preferred vendors list. The vendors on this list have worked at that site many times before and are familiar with the logistics and rules of the location. Once you have narrowed down your list of venues, ask for their preferred vendors list. That list will be a fountain of knowledge as you seek to hire other wedding professionals.
Friends and Family
When you ask married friends, family members, and co-workers about their own weddings, you will usually get honest, no-nonsense answers regarding the wedding vendors they hired. Ask them about their vendors, the services they used, and what they liked – and didn’t like. It will be helpful to ask if they would hire them again. Post questions for your friends on social media too! Your loved ones will be excited to share their wedding experiences with you. Some of your best wedding planning tips will probably come from your loved ones.
The Internet
The internet is an easy and convenient resource. You can find a wealth of wedding professionals on the internet. Viewing a vendor’s website can give you a good idea of pricing, packages, and the type of work they do. Getting a feel for them before making a personal appointment can save time and frustration.
As convenient as the internet is, don’t believe everything you read on a vendor’s website. That’s one of the greatest wedding planning tips! Visit their social media accounts and look for comments and reviews from other brides. Generations ago, brides completed a lot of groundwork to plan their weddings. Today, we have the best resource at the tip of our fingers! Using it wisely can make planning your wedding much easier and more enjoyable.
Local Bridal Magazines
Looking through local wedding magazines and directories can seem overwhelming at first. There are a large number of advertisements in these publications, and there is a lot of information too. Flipping through the pages can pique your interest and you may unexpectedly discover an excellent wedding vendor.
The professionals in these publications can afford advertising, which may indicate that they are a successful and busy business. If you see an advertisement or read an article about a vendor you are interested in, always do follow-up research on the internet before contacting them.
Wedding Planners/Consultants
Wedding consultants have several pre-established relationships with local vendors. If you are working with a wedding coordinator or consultant, they should be able to provide you with a preferred vendor list. Furthermore, they should be able to explain why they work with a particular vendor.
If you are not working with a consultant, you can still benefit from this knowledge as most consultants will share their preferred vendor list with you for a fee. Contact a reputable wedding consultant and ask about their list. It never hurts to ask and it may lead you to the right wedding professional. Again, research these vendors’ websites and social media accounts.
The Most Important Wedding Planning Tip…
Once you have made your final decisions, you must get a written contract from each vendor. This is the most important wedding planning tip of all: obtain a written contract from each vendor. Call the vendor to confirm the details and ask for a contract to be sent to you. A contract is the best way of ensuring you and the vendor understand what is expected, and it should outline specifics such as dates, times, names, and types of services/products provided.
It should also spell out payment plans as well as refund and cancellation policies. It behooves you to read and understand the contract. Do not assume you have secured a vendor for your wedding day until you have a contract that is signed by you and the vendor. Contracts are an industry standard. If a vendor is hesitant to provide a contract, you should rethink hiring them.
Finally, remember that part of getting the most from a vendor’s service is also being a good client and providing the vendors with payments and other requested information in a timely manner. After your wedding, be forthcoming with posting reviews. A positive review is a great way to thank your wedding vendor. Moreover, other brides are depending on feedback to plan their dream weddings too!
A Wedding Planning Tip from Smokey Mountain Sounds
Smokey Mountain Sounds is the premiere wedding DJ in the Smoky Mountains. We would be honored to provide entertainment services for your Smoky Mountain wedding reception. Please contact us to discuss your wedding and how we can help. View our wedding packages here. We are proud members of the Smoky Mountain Wedding Association, and our services go far beyond traditional DJ services. Learn more about our company here.
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