Booking Vendors – What Questions To Ask
After all of the planning, stress and sleepless nights, it is guaranteed your wedding day will be magical. However it does take a small army to bring your fantasy day to life.
Although finding the perfect florist, photographer, venue and caterer may seem like the first logical step to get the ball rolling, don’t rush these important decisions. This handful of people will be fundamental in making your wedding dream a reality, so asking them them the right questions will allow you to gauge which vendor is right of you and your budget!
Yes, we know this is all a little overwhelming, so to make it a little easier, here are a list of questions you should always ask your vendors before booking them .
Are you available on my wedding date?
If you already have a specific date in mind then obviously this should be your first question. You wouldn’t want to fall in love with a venue or florist before realising they were already booked up!
How long have you been in business & how many weddings do you do in a year?
Although longevity doesn’t necessarily lead to consistency or professionalism, it is important to ask these questions. You might want to gauge how popular the vendor is or how familiar they are with events like yours. Regardless, new or old vendors should provide a professional answer, ideally with some examples of their work and testimonials from their clients.
Esther + Joel’s wedding – see more here
Do you have a portfolio, testimonials or examples of your work?
All vendors should see this question coming, so if they are not prepared or can’t provide you with anything then be wary. For a venue, request pictures of previous weddings styled in the same space and even try to speak with other brides to get their opinion on how things went.
Will you being doing any other events on my wedding day?
It is your day and you deserve to have the focused attention of all your vendors. If there is another event on the same day, be sure you are happy with how they plan to handle both events. Ask this question well ahead of time to make sure things are done with care.
Do you have liability insurance?
In most cases, your venue will require vendors to have their own insurance coverage. To ensure there are not issues later on, be aware of your venue’s policy and always ask this question. If insurance isn’t required we recommend taking out your own policy in cause of any small, unexpected mishaps. Just to be on the safe side!
Jennifer + Peter’s wedding – see more here
What are your payment requirements?
Make sure you stay on top of all deposits and payment deadlines in order to secure the service of your vendors. Ask for a clear layout of what is required and when, so you are both on the same page and there are no misunderstandings. If you have one a wedding planner, make sure to share these details with them so they can keep track of deadlines for you.
What Is Your Cancelation Policy?
In a worst-case scenario you may have to cancel your vendor’s services. No matter what, always ask this question so you are aware of their policy and what it will cost you.
What Is Your Backup Plan?
What happens if the weather is less than ideal at your outdoor venue or if your hairstylist is sick on the day?! With so many things going on, it is good to be aware of fallback options in case of an unforeseeable change in plans.
Claire + Beau’s wedding – see more here
What Exactly is Included in Your Fees?
In order to fully understand what services each of your vendors will provide, request a detailed list to ensure there are no double ups and you get the most out of your services. Additionally make sure you ask about extra expenses such as whether they expect a meal, or overtime, parking or travel fees that may or may not be included in the overall quote. This will ensure you are able to stick to budget without any unknown added frees popping up last minuet.
How Can I Contact You?
It is important that you are able to reach your vendors without much hassle. Take note of their responsiveness whilst setting up the interview and how organised they come across as. You already have enough to do; you don’t want to have to spend hours tracking down this person in order to ask them a question.
How Much Time Do You Need to Set Up and Pack Down?
Make sure you know exactly how long their services will take and when they plan on arriving and leaving, ensure there is a 30-minuet buffer to accommodate any lateness. Also be aware of your venue’s policy so you don’t get changed with extra fees if a vendor is setting up/packing down after the hours that you have booked for.
Amy + Stephen’s wedding – see more here
Are You Flexible with Your Contract?
Feel free to mark down comments and ask to make changes to your contract. It is good to see if your vendor is open to changes or compromises that would work better for you.
You Do Have Any Ideas?
After giving the vendor a general idea of what you envision for the day ask if they have anything to contribute. Seeing what each vendor has in mind for your event will help you hire people that will bring to life your fantasy wedding with as little compromises as possible.
Thinking about hiring a wedding planner? Here are a few reasons why we think it is a good idea!
