Tips on curating your vendor dream-team.
Wedding vendors turn your wedding dreams into reality. It’s important to get the right fit and match yourself to the best suppliers specific to your vibe.
Once you’ve found a venue and set a date then you can start searching for your ideal supplier tribe. First up, set yourselves a reasonable budget.
Here’s a hot little tip; You can be fluid within your total budget, meaning if you have your heart set on a photographer but they’re more expensive than you’d hoped then perhaps you can ease off on another supplier cost. The Best Wedding App helps you stay on track and lets you play around with different supplier scenarios to build your best day without compromising on quality or cost.
Who should I book first?
The venue is your big-ticket item. So, once you have a date and a location you should then look for a photographer, a celebrant and entertainment. Many suppliers have ‘lead-times’ meaning they can’t accept bookings within a small-time frame so, the earlier you reach out the better chance you have of booking them.
Next on the list: stylists, planners, hair and make-up artists, MCs and cake makers. The list goes on. If you want to matched to genuine leads then use The Best Wedding App filters to be matched to suppliers who meet your criteria.
Skip or Save a supplier?
Short-list your favourite suppliers. Start with a quick message or call to check availability and get a quote.
If you get a good vibe then then set up a face-to-face meeting. Do this with different suppliers in the same category and be armed with questions for them about what is provided in their service Eg:) For celebrants, venues or bands, enquire with them about their PA system and if that something that they offer as the last thing you want to do is to have to hire an AV system for the day of your wedding.
Don’t be afraid to let suppliers know your expectations and give them as much information as possible (time, date, location, hours required, travel required etc.) so there is complete transparency and they can quote you accordingly.
At the conclusion of your meeting, trust your gut. If you walk away from the meeting and you’re a bit unsure, then keep looking.
How do I really know if a supplier is any good?
1: Check their reviews:
Trusted and experienced suppliers will have a plethora of testimonials. More experienced suppliers will know how to navigate their way through any problems on the day of your wedding and make things run as smoothly as possible. Check the Best Wedding App to see verified vendor reviews on your Saved Suppliers.
2: Do your homework:
Follow them on social media, notice how often they post, the caliber of their content and their community engagement. Look up videos of the venue, videographer and the celebrant. Ask brides and grooms from different Facebook groups if they have had their wedding at the venue you are thinking about booking or if they have used the suppliers that you are looking at.
3: See them in action:
For wedding bands, make sure that you go and see them play. Many bands will have an open mic night specifically for people like you. If you can afford it, get a few make ups trials.
Booking a supplier:
If you’ve done your homework and you have a good vibe then go for it. It’s a good idea to formalise your booking with a contract in writing. Double check all the fees are included and ask if there will be any hidden costs.
Trust your suppliers and have faith in the people that you have booked. Once the booking process is done, you really shouldn’t need to stress about any other elements.
Don't forget to touch base with them every few months, to make sure you are on track.
Closer to the day you’ll need to clarify timelines and contact information. You will also need to provide them with a running-sheet for the day. That’s about it.
More hot tips:
Travel? Got your heart set on a supplier but they’re not in your area? Many suppliers will be happy to travel to other parts of Australia or New Zealand. Just because they’re based in Melbourne doesn’t mean that they won’t go to Byron Bay to do your wedding. Just ask them.
Using your mates:
Please, please, please do not cut costs on suppliers by getting friends to fill their place. (Unless of course they are already total pros). Leave things like photography and videography to the big-guns as these will be the memories that will last you a lifetime.
Negotiating a fee:
Please remember that most vendors are small businesses and that they have set out their costs as per their business requirements. Unless you are getting married on a weekday or off-peak then their fee is generally non-negotiable. Be sure to ask if there are additional costs for travel, extra time or reduced costs if they are required for less time than normal.
Feed them and thank them:
On the day of the wedding, don’t forget to thank the people who made it all come together. If your vendors are required to be at the reception then please order them a meal. They are with you for the whole day, so they will definitely need a supplier meal.
If you follow these simple tips, we are sure you will have a cracker of a day!
