Choosing your vendors can feel like a big task. These are going to be the people that support you and help create the vision you have for your big day! Of course you want to make sure that they are a good fit for you and your vision. We’re going to explore two areas I believe will help you determine if a vendor is a good fit: the job and the person. The job refers to the ability a vendor has to do the job you have entrusted them with. The person refers to how you feel in your interactions with the vendor and how well you connect. Both of these areas are equally dependent upon one another because vendors do their best work when there is a connection and trust between them and you, the wedding couple.
| The Job |
When you select a vendor, you definitely want to make sure they can do the job well. Usually, you’re paying them quite a bit to do just that!
Here’s what to look for:
Recommendations from other vendors
Most vendors have been around long enough to know what a good {insert vendor here} looks like. Getting recommendations from your venue or wedding planner is a great way to get connected with vendors who you know will execute their job well.
Reviews from couples
Don’t just look for a good review. Of course you want the reviews to be positive, but look a little deeper. Search for descriptors that match what you are looking for in this vendor. If it’s a photographer and you’re worried about posing, look for photographers with reviews like: “So and so did an amazing job helping us feel comfortable and natural when taking pictures. They even helped us with poses!” On top of that, look at the pictures a vendor has posted and examine what they created for other couples. Do you like what you see? Does it look like what you want your wedding to look like?
Communication
This encompasses a lot of different elements including turnaround time in responses as well as how clearly you feel like they communicate what they do and do not provide. You’re looking for someone you feel gives you all the information you need to make a well-formed decision or take your next steps.
| The Person |
You will spend quite a bit of time in communication with the vendors you choose, so you want to make sure that your personalities mesh well.
Here’s what to look for:
Do you feel comfortable talking to them?
You definitely don’t want to feel intimidated by a vendor. While they will be in charge of the work that they do, you should feel like the boss. You want to feel free to share your visions and your opinions with them and know that they will respect them!
Do they listen?
Aside from this just being a genuinely good quality for all people to have, this is especially important when collaborating with someone to bring a dream to life. Do they listen to what you’re looking for? Even more so than that, do they share how they can provide that for you?
Do you have confidence in them?
Putting your wedding in the hands of another person can be nerve wracking if you don’t trust the other person to care for it well. In the time you’ve spent with a vendor, assess how confident you feel in their ability to do their job. Do you feel like you can trust them with your wedding day and know they can handle it?
I hope these questions provide a helpful guide for you as you work on booking your vendors! The best weddings come from a shared vision and collaboration between the wedding couple and their amazing vendors. Teamwork makes the dream work!
warmly,
