Choosing wedding suppliers who really understand your Vision is key.
You want to work with people who will be excited by your ideas and help you build on them. Not those who’ll run steamrollers over your dreams and tell you what ‘their norm’ is.
How far have you got to date with choosing and hiring your suppliers?
Research & Recommendations
Luckily there are lots of different wedding suppliers to choose from. Not so luckily it can seem a bit overwhelming trawling through and trying to compare like with like.
Keeping in mind your overall Vision check out websites, magazines, professional blogs, wedding directories.
Visit wedding fayres and venue open days. Ask for recommendations.
If you have booked your Venue and they hold a wedding fayre this is a good opportunity to meet Suppliers who already work there or who want to.
Are you very keen on someone’s work but don’t know of anyone who’s used them? Don’t hesitate to ask for a couple of their recent wedding clients whom you can call or email for a reference.
If you’re struggling to find a Supplier, speak with your Venue or other Suppliers about who they like working with and why.
Really hitting it off with your photographer
It is clearly important that you not only fall in love with the work of the Suppliers you hire, but also that you get on with them as people.
You will likely have lots of questions and discussions, especially with some of them. You want to feel comfortable that they understand you and your wedding ideas.
That said, there are some Suppliers I believe it’s really essential you truly ‘click’ with. None more so than your photographer.
Your wedding photographer will be with you for many hours on your special day.
In many cases brides choose to have their photographer come to wherever they are getting ready which can be pretty intimate, and may involve lots of emotional moments.
You will probably spend a lot of time with this person asking you to walk or stand in a certain way, plus speaking with your closest friends and family.
You can see how key it is that you feel comfortable with your photographer and able to open up about any worries you may have. One of you may be camera shy or some of your family members not wanting to have their photo taken together.
Supplier Consultations
Once you’ve decided which Suppliers you wish to meet with, I suggest you make some specific notes in advance of what you want to ask them.
- How long have they been in the wedding business?
- Examples of work
- Terms & Conditions
- Communication & Meetings going forward
- Pricing
- References
Do make notes during your consultations, or, if the Supplier is happy, record them.
If you are seeing lots of Suppliers in one session, or over one weekend, it can become difficult to remember which said what without notes.
Discover lots more wedding planning advice and strategies by joining my Free Bridal Bootcamp on Tuesday 14th May – Register Here.
Image credits: Dasa Wharton, Max Burnett.