Tips on Finding great vendors for your wedding.

Behind every amazing wedding is a team of top notch wedding vendors. But, how do you go about finding your team of vendors? When it comes to choosing vendors for your wedding, the process might seem overwhelming. With a market full of wonderful and talented vendors in your area, choosing the right one for your big day can be challenging. Here are some helpful tips to help you narrow down the search!

Beautiful blonde haired bride, in white robe, holding a crystal champagne glass, gracefully looking down at the glass in her hand, showing off her beautiful hair and makeup. — Jenifer Santo Photography

Style

According to the Newlywed Report, couples often look at photos of a wedding vendor’s work to help them make a decision. This is particularly important for vendors who are providing a tangible product, like photographers, cake bakers, florists, stationery designers, and more. You’ll want to take the time to look at photos of a vendor’s work to ensure that their style lines up with yours. Another tip I love to give to couples looking for any vendor is to ask to see as many examples of their work as you can possible see. In the photography world, ask potential photographers to send SEVERAL full wedding albums. Anyone can get lucky and capture a few decent photographs and post them to their website, However, consistency is key. Especially with indoor reception areas. Flash photography is very difficult, A photographer might have the most magical outdoor photographs, but add some rain on your day and their ability to capture indoor photographs is sub par..... now your photos from your wedding day are sub par too. Make sure you have seasoned vendors and can handle anything that comes their way.

Do your research.

Wedding Photographer and Videographer in action taking photos of a bride and groom with their wedding party surrounding them as they walk through the group of wedding party. — Jenifer Santo Photography

Finding the perfect vendor for your wedding day is like trying on shoes. You just know when one fits perfect. Not only does it look and fit, but it just feels right. Start your search by asking around. Get recommendations first hand from friends, family and heck even other vendors. Personal references I find are always the best.

Get to know them.

Next, make sure you meet in person or chat over the phone before booking any vendor. Just because one vendor worked for your best friend's wedding, does not mean that vendor will fit your day or your style. I always tell brides inquiring with us that we are going to be together all day, up close and personal. So you want to make sure you hit it off with your vendors. Make sure that your personalities match, you feel comfortable with them and your confident they will help bring your vision and day to life in the way you wanted it. Having a great vendor that fits you and your personality can make all the difference in the world. However, finding out that you booked just any random person and wedding day arrives and your just not meshing can make your day pretty miserable and stressful :(

Responsiveness

As it gets closer to your wedding day, you’ll likely be communicating with your vendors a lot. You’ll want to make sure that any wedding pro you choose will get back to you in a timely fashion. While you can’t necessarily find out about a vendor’s responsiveness by looking at their website, you can learn a lot from a vendor’s reply to your first outreach. Do they get back to you in a timely fashion? Does their email or voicemail have an auto-reply letting you know when you can expect to hear back? Remember, if you contact a vendor over the weekend they’re likely working at an event, so you shouldn’t expect a response until the next business day. Also, pay attention to how a vendor responds—are they friendly and personable? Do they answer your questions fully and completely? You’ll be spending a lot of time with many of your vendors, so it’s essential that you actually like them!

Browse local print wedding magazines.

Print magazines—say what? Yes! When it comes to wedding vendor listings, don’t overlook local print wedding publications. While you’re probably not going to find your team of wedding pros in a national wedding magazine, you will in a local one—as it’s focused specifically on your area.

Overall, when it comes to the best place to find wedding vendors, there’s no one right answer. It takes a combination of consulting your pro planner, married friends, wedding publications...and social media feeds (of course) to assemble your wedding-day dream team.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and Happy Planning.

Photo Credits: Jenifer Santo Photography