The team of vendors that you choose to create your dream wedding is the most important factor in determining
how smoothly or stressful your day will go. In order to ensure your day is gold medal worthy, there are some key questions that you should ask every vendor before choosing your dream team.
Asking how long a vendor has been in business is not going to tell you enough about the longevity of the vendor. Some vendors may consider themselves “in business” when they were actually a hobbyist. The proper question is how long have they been licensed and paid for their work in this business.
It’s also important to know how and when they started the business. Many “recession businesses” have emerged in the wedding industry. Being the family photographer or party planner doesn’t give them the experience or knowledge to be a professional. It’s great to seize opportunities to become an entrepreneur but you need to know if the vendor has the background to back it up.
What educational study does the vendor have related to their business – degrees, courses, seminars, conferences? Even naturally gifted people need instruction to cultivate and expand their knowledge. Professionals are constantly striving to gain knowledge in their field. And, do not accept at face value the fact that someone is a “certified” professional. Anyone can go online spend a few hours, receive a certificate and call themselves certified. That doesn’t make them a professional. Professionalism comes from experience,
education, quality & respect among peers and former clients.
In addition to asking for client references, ask what vendors they work with regularly and call them as well. Reputation among peers is important.
Ask each vendor if they are a member of any professional organizations? If so, find out which ones and then research the organization later to see for yourself if it appears to be a professional organization or just a group of people in the same profession.
Is this their full-time job? If not, a red flag should go up warning that this may be a hobbyist.
How many events do they book per day, weekend and month is another great question. Do you want a vendor whose attention may be divided among many other events on your wedding day. Quantity is not an indication
of a great vendor. Quality is found in those who don’t spread themselves too thin. If you contact a vendor and they do not respond promptly. Make them off of your list. If they are too busy for you, you don’t want them.
Beware of vendors who try to be everything to everyone. Being a jack of all trades and a master of nothing is not a benefit to you. Choose vendors who focus on being and providing the best not the most.
Ask for a copy of the vendor’s contract. They should detail in print their pricing and the details of their services & products that will be provided to you. Review the contract and ask about anything that you aren’t sure about. Verify the date & time for your event on the contract. It’s easy to overlook important details. If there were an error on the contract and you signed it. You have no recourse on your wedding day if they are a no-show.
Listen to your gut, if someone seems perfect on paper but you just don’t feel comfortable with them, keep looking. Humans are the only mammals who ignore their instincts. No matter how silly it may seem, the choice is yours. There are plenty of quality vendors to choose from, there will be one that is a good fit for you.
Researching, qualifying, interviewing and choosing vendors is time-intensive and can be overwhelming. But if you don’t put in the time & effort, your dream team can become a nightmare.
how smoothly or stressful your day will go. In order to ensure your day is gold medal worthy, there are some key questions that you should ask every vendor before choosing your dream team.
Asking how long a vendor has been in business is not going to tell you enough about the longevity of the vendor. Some vendors may consider themselves “in business” when they were actually a hobbyist. The proper question is how long have they been licensed and paid for their work in this business.
It’s also important to know how and when they started the business. Many “recession businesses” have emerged in the wedding industry. Being the family photographer or party planner doesn’t give them the experience or knowledge to be a professional. It’s great to seize opportunities to become an entrepreneur but you need to know if the vendor has the background to back it up.
What educational study does the vendor have related to their business – degrees, courses, seminars, conferences? Even naturally gifted people need instruction to cultivate and expand their knowledge. Professionals are constantly striving to gain knowledge in their field. And, do not accept at face value the fact that someone is a “certified” professional. Anyone can go online spend a few hours, receive a certificate and call themselves certified. That doesn’t make them a professional. Professionalism comes from experience,
education, quality & respect among peers and former clients.
In addition to asking for client references, ask what vendors they work with regularly and call them as well. Reputation among peers is important.
Ask each vendor if they are a member of any professional organizations? If so, find out which ones and then research the organization later to see for yourself if it appears to be a professional organization or just a group of people in the same profession.
Is this their full-time job? If not, a red flag should go up warning that this may be a hobbyist.
How many events do they book per day, weekend and month is another great question. Do you want a vendor whose attention may be divided among many other events on your wedding day. Quantity is not an indication
of a great vendor. Quality is found in those who don’t spread themselves too thin. If you contact a vendor and they do not respond promptly. Make them off of your list. If they are too busy for you, you don’t want them.
Beware of vendors who try to be everything to everyone. Being a jack of all trades and a master of nothing is not a benefit to you. Choose vendors who focus on being and providing the best not the most.
Ask for a copy of the vendor’s contract. They should detail in print their pricing and the details of their services & products that will be provided to you. Review the contract and ask about anything that you aren’t sure about. Verify the date & time for your event on the contract. It’s easy to overlook important details. If there were an error on the contract and you signed it. You have no recourse on your wedding day if they are a no-show.
Listen to your gut, if someone seems perfect on paper but you just don’t feel comfortable with them, keep looking. Humans are the only mammals who ignore their instincts. No matter how silly it may seem, the choice is yours. There are plenty of quality vendors to choose from, there will be one that is a good fit for you.
Researching, qualifying, interviewing and choosing vendors is time-intensive and can be overwhelming. But if you don’t put in the time & effort, your dream team can become a nightmare.
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