How to Hire Wedding Vendors for Value not for Price
Picking the right vendors for your wedding can be hard. You want to pick vendors that are skilled, professional, and that you get along with. You also need to think about your budget and how it will all fit together.
It’s not all about the dollar bills.
One of the biggest mistakes a couple can make while planning their wedding is hiring vendors based solely on price. What is most often forgotten when a couple “price shops” is what value the vendor will bring to the wedding day itself. There are vendors that charge more for a reason. They might have more experience, their service package is in fact larger than what you’re comparing to, they are more skilled, etc. There’s a lot to think about when looking at the price. It’s not just a number.
Staying on budget is of course important, however, choosing the vendor for their value does not mean that your budget has to be thrown out the window.
You’ll want to of course start with a realistic budget and work from there. You can’t expected a catered plated meal for 150 people, steak and lobster for $50 a person. You need to start with real numbers to make any sort of budget or comparison.
We put together a really great Manitoba budget blog that is a great place to start.
In this post we want to talk about how to hire your wedding vendors for value not price. There are a few key things to consider
What is the vendor’s style & aesthetic?
This might be something you don’t totally understand or could pick out right away. And that’s ok.
Each vendor has their own brand and style. An example is photography. Some shoot with the focus on natural like, softness, and heavy on the details. Some love deep saturated colour, playing with angles and flash. This would be a big part of their style (and art).
You want to make sure you pick vendors that will go with your personal style and your wedding design. If your wedding is white, green, pink, airy, in a tent, you’re likely going to go for the first style of photographer mentioned.
Pay attention to styles and branding of vendors.
When it comes to rental companies this point doesn’t really apply. You’re going for quality and service there – but make sure you pay attention to this with your florist, dessert designer, Wedding Planner, and other aesthetic related vendors (hair, makeup, etc)
They’re great at what they do.
So you’ve found vendors that fit your style; your next question should be are they GREAT at what they do? You might find someone with the best prices ever but it’s true “You get what you pay for”.
You might be one of those couples that lucked out and found a new vendors and they’re great but still getting established and have lower prices. But that’s a rate state.
Take a look at their google reviews. Talk to other couples that have worked with them. Consider all the packages they offer and what might be a good fit for you.
For example; it might be better to go with the talented and skilled Planner that you want and pick a smaller service package then go with someone that’s just starting out. Of all areas this is where you want to hire well. This is the team that will lead you through your planning, your timing, your choices, your budget, and your wedding day. These should be the most skilled people you hire (seconded by your photographer, caterer and florist)
They have the experience needed.
What goes hand in hand with great quality? Industry experience. This is not to say that you cannot have an amazing experience with a newer vendor. Every vendor was once new to the industry.
However, the value in experience is that that vendor has probably dealt with every single which way something could go wrong and knows the ways in which to fix it before it affects (or ruins) your big day.
You want to hire vendors that have been at it awhile, know what to do, when to do it, and how to get it done well.
For most of the areas of the industry it takes years to develop the skills and knowhow to be the best for clients. It takes times to get good, and it takes time to learn and grow as a vendor. You want vendors that are always trying and working to get better (and it shows in their work and reviews as well).
They have a wonderful personality
Another value which is often overlooked when looking solely at prices, is the vendor’s personality. On the wedding day, you could be spending 8+ hours with that person – you want to like them!
Are you hiring someone who is easy to get along with and keeps the mood light and fun or someone who is serious and closed off? Make it a priority to meet with every vendor in person before you book them to ensure your personalities mesh. If you can’t meet in person Skype will do but give yourself the time to take in the personalities of the vendors you’re going to spend time with on your wedding day (photographer, videographer, Planner, etc)
Being Event Planners we know how important this one is. We have lost count of the times when guests, Mcs or parents have said to us “Wow, are you always this calm?” or “You just keep smiling – no stress hey?”or “How are you not stressed right now – I’m stressed just watching you”. And they know (most of the time) that we’re taking care of business, that we’re working hard. The thing is is that we’re doing our job the way it should be done – with a smile, grace, and with precision. Walking around with a scowl or stress is the very last thing we should be doing. One of our many jobs is to keep the calm, make it fun, and keep things flowing.
Good Communication Skills
That first consult, your emails back and forth between a vendor, their website; are all way to judge their communication skills. If you value quick replies to your questions, don’t hire someone who takes weeks to get back to you just because they are more affordable. Your stress should have a price tag too. Yes, some vendors might be slower because the nature of what they do (tent companies, linen providers, lighting companies) but no vendor should take a week to get back to you.
You want to hire vendors that are professional, have office hours, and respect your time.
Put professionalism high on your list of values because you want vendors who will keep their cool and be polite all while looking the part on the day. Don’t be afraid to ask your vendors how they would handle a sticky situation (Mom taking over the rehearsal or what they would do if they accidentally ran out of dessert). Ask away on any scenario – your consult with them is the perfect time to get to know them and interview them to ensure you’re hiring the right person for the job!
No budget is too big or too small to put an emphasis on hiring for value over just price alone. Sit down as a couple and ask yourselves what YOU value in a wedding vendor and go into your meetings looking for those qualities. You will thank yourselves on your wedding day that you surrounded yourselves with valuable people instead of ones based on the bottom line.
