Dealing With Vendors Tips and Advice [ Submit a Tip and/or Advice | Wedding Vendors Index | Tips & Advice Index ]

Feed the Vendors Submitted by: Sasha Souza of San Francisco, California One bit of advice I give to all brides is to feed your vendors a hot meal on the wedding day. I try to ask them if they would ever work all day without a break or hour lunch? If you take a minute to think about the number of hours that they are putting in for you on the day itself, it can sometimes be 8 to 10 or more. By feeding them, you are assuring that they are not thinking about how soon the event will be over so they can go to Jack in the Box for a hamburger. You really want to have your photographer, videographer and DJ close to the action to catch any spontaneous toasts or other fun moments during the wedding reception.

Wedding Consultants Submitted by: Kristen S. of Rochester, New York I have to disagree with the brides that say you HAVE to hire a wedding consultant. Before you start planning your wedding, think about the type of person you are. If you are like me and have to be in complete control over every little detail, a bridal consultant might not work for you. I have been planning my wedding for 10 months now and I have done it all and have LOVED every minute of it.

Choosing Vendors Submitted by: Erica of Denver If you are planning your own wedding, don't just pick your vendors by their prices. Make a list of all the possible vendors and then get an estimate for the same thing from each. Once you have a smaller list set up person-to-person interviews with the vendors. Don't be afraid to tell them that you have spoken to other vendors and ask them to make a better offer. We found that you can save a lot of money by doing your homework and spending some time. Make sure to get everything in writing in case a staff person leaves the company or they don't remember the deal. My soon to be husband helped me with all of these arrangements and it was a lot of fun to do it together. This way we are both happy with the results. Happy Planning!

Small Box of Love Submitted by: R. I. of Glendale Heights, Illinois Don't let price alone be your deciding factor when hiring photography or videography. These services are not created equal. You must see what they offer, the type of equipment they use, and how well will the studio stand behind its product!

Evaluate Videographer's Portfolio Submitted by: Jason of Franklin Be sure to look at video demos when searching for a wedding videographer!

View Demo Tapes Submitted by: Jason of Milwaukee, Illinois To find the best videographer ask to see their demo-tapes. This will ensure the best results your looking for!

Professional Videographer Submitted by: J. B. of New Castle, Delaware Get a competent wedding videographer to do a documentary of your wedding. You will be far to busy to see and hear much of what is going on during your wedding. You will not remember much of what you do see and hear. Be very clear in communicating to your videographer what you want and remember that price should not be much of a concern, as you will entrusting him/her to capture video of something that you will be looking at for the rest of your life. You will be seeing your loved ones over and over as they were on that day. Some of them will die, be injured, or move away, but you will still be able to see them as they were on that special day.

No Wedding Consultant Submitted by: S. H. of Boca Raton, Florida I keep reading advice that recommends hiring a wedding consultant, but I disagree. I am in the midst of planning my wedding in Houston, Texas from another state no less, but I am loving every minute of it. It is my second career, but not a full-time one and it is way more fun than my 9 to 5 job. The key is to delegate, delegate, and delegate. When you delegate, be clear about what you are looking for and then just go with the flow. Don't nitpick on the details or you'll drive away your helpers. Get younger siblings involved - my 17 year old sister has plenty of time to do the legwork and she loves to be a part of my excitement. God bless.

Photographer's Script Submitted by: G. B. of San Antonio, Texas Make out a script like a director following a movie. As a professional photographer, I've been at many weddings where the hosts, including the bride and groom, had no idea what was supposed to happen next. Set a start time, end time, length of ceremony time, etc. Give the script to all participants and vendors. In addition, hand out a "cleaned up" version of the script to guests. You may not follow it exactly but it gives everyone a good idea of what's going on.

Questions to Ask the Photographer Submitted by: B. R. of Chehalis, Washington This, your wedding day, is a once in a lifetime event! The bride has been thinking about this day since she was six years old. This day, like no other, will BE YOUR WALK in the SUNSHINE! Everyone who loves you and cares about you, will be with you on this day! After the flowers are gone, the candles burned away, the cake enjoyed by each guest...you will have your wedding portraits...for a lifetime. Your wedding portraits will bring back all of these special day memories for years and years to come. Your children will enjoy them, you will enjoy them, and every friend you now have will want to see the wedding album. After parents and grandparents have passed away...their memories will live on forever and one way it will be done is through your wedding album. So, why is the first question out of the mouth of the bride "How much do you charge?" Followed by how many pictures do I get to have? When the first question should be "When can I come and visit the photographer in his/her studio and talk with them about what I would like to have?" Not all wedding photographers are alike. In fact it will be hard to find two or three that do the same thing and charge the same amount. Anyone can call themselves a professional wedding photographer. None of the 50 states have "education " or training requirements to become a professional photographer. Other then buying a business license...you don't have to do anything to call yourself a professional. Many of the tips and guidelines in regards to wedding portraits you find today in the magazines and newspapers tell the brides how to find the "best deal" or cheapest wedding photographers. One recent article I read told the bride to hire the "pro" for only an hour at the service. Then buy these disposable cameras and give them to 10 or 15 of the guests and let them "Shoot" away. My God what a scary thought...to leave your lifelong memories of this once in a lifetime event to a bunch of friends who have disposable cameras. In addition, most of the other advice I read today is not much better. When it comes time to pick the right photographer for your wedding day, first decide how important is your wedding? How important are the portraits going to be? How much can you invest out of your wedding budget for the portraits (remember you get what you pay for)? Once you have made up your mind about what you want, then go and meet with the different photographers and talk with them about your wedding and what you are looking for. When you talk to the potential photographer decide if you like him/her. Would you want to spend a large chunk of time on your wedding day with him/her? Do they seem to have the people skills to get along with two sets of families and all the friends? Will they make this event an enjoyable one? Or will they be the "photographer from hell?" Ask around your circle of friends, the people you work with, and the other people involved in your wedding day. Ask them who they would recommend as a wedding photographer. If you know of someone who has been married in the past year ask them about their photographer. Would they use them again, or would they spend a little more money and get someone who would do it right? Like car commercials that show you this slick little car racing around the roadways and tell you that this hot little number is only $12,900.00, but in the fine print that flashes on the screen for 30 seconds you read the car shown is the $19,000 model...does not include the engine or wheels. This is the type of marketing most photographers use today. They want to get you into their studio with a low price. You think that means you will get what you want for that price and you will be happy with it.....That may not be so. Do your homework. Find out what it is that will get you what you want on your wedding day. In closing let me share this with you one last thought. There is a reason why some photographers are so cheap. It's not because they are good, it's not because they are nice and want to do you a good turn, it's not because they have found quality equipment at a reduced price so they pass it on to you, and it's not because they have a top quality printer they work with that will produce outstanding images at a reduced price. It's because they are cutting corners...most of the time and they are looking for the fast buck from the person who only wanted cheap.

Hire a Bridal Consultant Submitted by: B. W. of Atlanta, Georgia I have been married for seven years and I chose to plan my own wedding. It was one of the most stressful times in my life. If I had it to do all over again I would definitely hire a Bridal Consultant.

Saving Money and Consultants Submitted by: R. B. of Houston, Texas Try to save for your wedding at least 15 months in advance. This is the happiest day of your life so splurge on yourselves! You MUST have a Bridal Consultant. He/She is so important to have around. Bridal Consultants are prepared to handle EVERYTHING! I have several friends who chose to "plan" their own weddings and by the time the day arrived, they were still running all over town for "items forgotten". The Bride should be as relaxed as possible. Stress can make a Bride "not so attractive". Pamper yourself, you deserve it! God bless...

Treat Us Well Submitted by: Joe M. of London, Ontario As a wedding videographer, I really appreciate it when we are treated well. That means feeding us (we often work up to 17 hours in a row)! I know that when someone treats us well that we treat them well — in the editing room, going the extra mile and often throwing in things that would normally cost extra. A perfect working relationship for me is when we see each other as friends instead of client and customer. It always makes the couple feel more comfortable, too!

Consider Independent Musicians Submitted by: Kathie N. of Chicago, Illinois I am a full time pianist who has performed for hundreds of weddings since 1983. I would like to make one comment regarding the use of agencies in finding your entertainment... They will tack on a commission that you don't need to pay. They often provide a musician who will perform for very little money and are glad to get the job on the weekend. When planning for THE most important day of your life, don't discount those musicians who are independent contractors promoting themselves! The best way to find a musician? Ask your friends, relatives and business associates who THEY used. Or, ask the facility event coordinator who he/she uses. They will only work with the most reputable vendors who are exceptional people to do business with. If the facility looks good, the vendor looks good... YOU look good! Kathie Nicolet CHICAGO www.knicoletpiano.com 630-830-2345

Wedding Video Tips Submitted by: David Ross of StoryBook Wedding Videos Don't worry too much about a videographer's equipment and technical issues. That's his job. Watch one of their actual videos. Hire them only if you like the quality and style of their work. If a videographer shows you a demo video that you like, ask to have that particular person film your wedding. Be sure to get it in writing. Except during interviews, ignore the camera on your wedding day. Let it capture candid moments without "peanut gallery" comments. When having your make-up done professionally, use someone who has done make-up for film and video. It can really improve your "on screen" appearance.

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