A Guide To Choosing The Best Wedding Suppliers

Selecting your wedding vendor is one of the most exciting parts of planning. But, it can also be a time-consuming process or overwhelming. You might be a bit off course if you’re not careful with your planning and consideration!

In this light I’m providing a step-by step guide to selecting your wedding suppliers.

Do we want to begin?

Take your time

While it’s crucial to reserve your suppliers as early as you can, it’s just as important not to rush the process.

If you are rushing to book the first supplier you come across, you’ll be tempted to rethink your choices in the future – especially as there are so many amazing and talented suppliers there.

Do your research

What should you do? Where should you begin with your research?

The majority of couples in the UK choose their wedding vendors via; Internet searches, recommendations from relatives and friends wedding directories, article, real weddings or inspiration shoots, wedding fairs, advertisements via blogs, or even in publications.

With so many options , it’s important to know that this can and will take time, but the time you put into research now will be worth it over the long term.

So do your research and ensure you take into consideration these things:

The design of your wedding day: Are you planning a casual or formal affair, an intimate affair or lavish celebration? City Chic wedding or a Classic and Elegant wedding? What about the suppliers you’re considering match your taste and style?
Your budget: it’s easy to get carried away and spend more than you’re able to afford However, remember that If you go overboard, you’ll need to cut costs elsewhere.
Location: While some suppliers will travel, some may not. Therefore, you should consider the location where your suppliers are located.

Send an inquiry

If you’re in the process of submitting an inquiry, be sure you include these details:

The name you use (and the name of your partner).
Contact details (if you are sending an inquiry via their website).
Your wedding date.
It is the wedding venue(s)/location.
The service and/or product you require i.e. If you’re looking for a Wedding Planner are you looking for them to organize your whole wedding, a part of your wedding or assist with the coordination on the day?
A brief summary of your big day!

Regarding the question itself you will need to answer the following questions:

Availability.
Packages and price, as well as additional options.
The terms of deposit and payment.
Terms and conditions.
Booking procedure.

Make a shortlist

Based on the answers you receive from Step 3, make a shortlist of no more than two or three companies in each category that you like.

If required, arrange a consultation

With certain suppliers, a telephone consultation or email correspondence could be enough to get an idea of whether or not you’d be interested in working with them. However, if you’re working with other suppliers (a Wedding Planner, Stylist or Photographer for instance) it’s crucial to check out your relationships as well.

If you can, make contact in person, or make the possibility of a Skype call depending on locations and availability.

Do even more research!

Make sure you check out your shortlisted suppliers in greater detail:

Have a good read of their websites, brochures as well as their blogs (if they’ve got one).
Check out their social media profiles i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Are they active on these accounts? If so and who do they communicate with and which followers they are?
See the work they’ve done that has been featured on wedding blogs or wedding magazines.
Review any testimonials or reviews from past couples.

Through doing all or even just some of these, you’ll eventually have a better understanding about what kind of person / company they are.

Make your decision

Take your time and once you’ve decided, let the other suppliers you’ve talked to or had a meeting with let them know that you’ve selected your preferred supplier. They’ll appreciate your honesty and politeness.

Then break the good news to your chosen suppliers and start to work out the details.

If terms and conditions for contracts are available , be sure to take the time to read them and make sure you’re satisfied with everything in the contract… When there’s doubt marks, then don’t be reluctant to ask questions about something if you’re unsure. Now is the time to get in touch, as you do not want to come out with any regrets.

Once you’ve made everything official It’s time to be excited – you’re only one step away from your big day!

I hope the guidelines above help you get on the right path, but in the event that you’re struggling to find the ideal supplieror need assistance in any other way, you should take a look at our website!