How Do We Know We’re Picking A Good Wedding Vendor?

There are a lot of wedding vendors out there. And I mean A LOT! Over the course of planning your wedding, if you’re lucky, you’ll get great referrals for everything you need. You’ll speak with ultimate professionals, they’ll guide you through the whole process, and you won’t experience the stress of wedding planning that everyone talks about. But it’s more likely that you will find yourself confused and agonizing over who to work with for at least a few services. There is good news, though! There are several signs that you can look for which will help you determine whether the vendors you’re speaking with are good ones.

Look for the following qualities in every part of your wedding planning journey. With this info, you’ll be armed to build your own wedding dream team.

They Exhibit Professionalism

A good vendor will be professional in their conduct, communication, and work. They will be responsive, punctual, and respectful. This requires, of course, that your personalities mesh. Be sure that you speak with each vendor in person or over video chat. Don’t just talk about the details of your wedding. Have a good conversation, ask lots of questions, and assess how they respond.

• Are they patient, or do they seem to want to end the conversation?
• Do they seem flexible, or do they not budge from the structure of their packages?
• Do they speak positively, or do you hear them putting down other vendors?
• Do they seem organized, or do they seem frazzled, confused, and stressed?

They Have Experience

A vendor who has been in the business for a while will have the experience and expertise to handle any situation that may arise. You can assess this a few ways.

• Ask how long they’ve been working in the wedding industry.
• Ask for some common problems they see couples struggle with, and how they help address them.
• Ask them about wedding horror stories and how those situations turned out.
• Read reviews and pay close attention to mentions of how they handled problems as they arose. (More on this later.)

Don’t be afraid to choose a new wedding vendor. Experience doesn’t just mean decades of working in the industry. Vendors learn from lived experience, working for other wedding vendors, and asking other wedding vendors a lot of questions. If you find yourself leaning towards a new wedding vendor, ask them questions about how they handle stressful situations in life and work.

Their Quality of Work is Impeccable

Look at their portfolio or examples of their previous work. A good vendor will have a consistent level of quality in their work. Their portfolio will include professional images. They’ll be happy to share examples of their work as well as testimonials from their happy customers outlining how everything turned out.

You should also look for reviews and ratings from previous clients. A good vendor will not only have a high rating but great reviews with details about what the experience was like from planning to the day-of, to after the wedding.

They Pay Attention to the Details

A good vendor will pay attention to the details and ensure that everything is done to perfection. If you’ve never worked with this person before, though, it might be difficult to determine whether they pay attention to the details. Here are a couple of ways that you can determine their attention to detail:

• They update their social media on a regular basis.
• They respond to comments on their social media.
• They answer or at least address all questions you’ve asked in your emails.
• They follow up with you when they don’t hear back from you.
• Their website is easy to navigate and functions properly.
• Their website has been updated regularly.
• Their social media and website include photos of and details about who they are.

They are Flexibile

A good vendor will be willing to work with you to accommodate your needs and preferences. They will not try to make your wedding fit their packages, but instead will adjust their services to suit your wedding plans. This is important when it comes time to negotiate your package, but becomes especially important when things go wrong on your wedding day. An experienced and flexible vendor can go-with-the-flow and pivot to solve a problem.

You can assess whether a vendor is flexible simply by having a conversation with them. If they express that they want to ensure that their services fit your needs, they are showing great signs of flexibility.

They Communicate Clearly

A good vendor will communicate clearly and will keep you updated while working with you. The best way that you can determine this is to watch closely in your initial interactions with a vendor.

• They respond to your emails in a reasonable period of time.
• They want to meet you in person or over Zoom to discuss your plans.
• They follow up with you if they don’t hear back from you.

They Have A Contract

A good wedding vendor will have a contract. This is important! Do not book any wedding vendor who does not sign a contract with you. Your contract will outline the following:

• The cost of your package.
• When and how payments are due.
• Any additional fees that you may incur, as well as why, and how you may incur them.
• Why your contract might be terminated and what happens with your deposit if and when that happens.
• What will happen if your vendor is unable to provide the service promised.
• Deadlines for the delivery of the products and services you are purchasing.
• And much more…

Contracts can sometimes be difficult to read. If you have questions about your contract, ask. Your wedding vendor should be able to clarify each clause and put your concerns at ease or adjust their contract to suit your plans. Tap here to learn more about what should be in your wedding photography contract.

They Take a Deposit or Retainer

A good wedding vendor will collect a deposit from you prior to officially reserving your wedding date. This is another important element! Without a contract and deposit, you cannot be sure that your wedding vendor is committed to your wedding date. A great wedding vendor will keep track of everyone who contacts them and their wedding dates. As you are communicating with them, they will let you know if someone else is inquiring about the same wedding date. When you are ready to book a vendor, be sure that you sign a contract and pay your deposit.

They are Transparent About Their Services

A good vendor will be transparent about their pricing, services, and policies. They will not hide any information or surprise you with hidden fees. So ask a lot of questions. Each wedding vendor should be able to answer all of your questions clearly and directly. If they can’t, they should be able to get back to you with the information that you are requesting.

They Are Passionate About What They Do

A good vendor will be passionate about their work and will go above and beyond to ensure that you are happy with their services. You’ll see this passion in the work they put into their business.

• Ask them why they do what they do.
• Look for effort put into social media, blogs, and email communications.
• Read their website and look for the care that they put into it.

Look for the signs above as you are searching for wedding vendors. These qualities will help you indicate if the vendor you’re speaking with will follow through on the work they’re promising to do and help you make your wedding day a positive and memorable experience.

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