Wedding vendors, here are some questions you can ask
(more than who, what, when, where, and why)
Interviewing your wedding vendors can take a lot of time. There are so many choices for each type of vendor. You have videographers, photographers, wedding planners, DJs, florists, cake bakers, venues…..whew. That can get tiring.
Over the years we’ve been asked plenty of questions so we’re listing some to help you in your journey. And while it can feel weird to interview folks, it’s important to know some things about the people who will take care of your wedding. Most of these wedding vendor questions can be used for most wedding vendor types.
Questions for vendors:
1) How long have you been in business? There’s nothing wrong with hiring someone new to weddings if they bring experience in a similar field. So someone who DJ’s other types of dances and events may do just fine for a wedding. It’s similar experience.
2) What happens if the vendor gets sick? You want to hear a back up plan, maybe they have other employees that can fill in. Keep in mind, life happens, and people do get sick, but you want to hear that they’ll take care of you either way.
3) Have you ever cancelled, failed to deliver, or been late? Again life happens, but the circumstances surrounding this question is important to understand. There’s a difference in being late because of a flat tire vs. going golfing. :}
4) What is the most important thing to a vendor about weddings? You want to hear an answer similar to ‘taking care of the bride and groom’s wedding.’ You hire a professional because they know what they are doing. A note about friends; Sometimes it can work to hire friends, however the challenge is the friend may have a different focus than a professional who’s bottom line depends on fulfilling a contract.
5) Do you have insurance? It’s very important to hire someone who has insurance.The last thing you want is something to happen and you’re caught in the middle. Having a license and insurance also tells you this vendor is a professional.
6) Do you have an agreement? Agreements are important between wedding couples and vendors because it spells out what is expected. The agreement you sign should assure that you and your vendor know the payment schedule, and what your read gives you comfort in hiring them.
7) Can I hire my choice of other vendor(s)? When speaking with a venue, some venues only let you hire their ‘preferred’ vendors. If their preferred vendors fit your needs, that’s great. But given the hundreds of vendors in your area, it’s likely that the best vendor is someone you find on your own because your wedding is as unique as you are.
8) Why do you do what you do? Vendors do weddings for a variety of reasons. Some of us love what we do and that’s our passion. Sometimes folks do weddings to get extra money. Some vendors are ‘all in’ and some aren’t. While there’s nothing wrong with hiring a part-time vendor, you should ask the big question, “Why do you do what you do?” After all, they will be a large part of your story. Why they do weddings is a big part of the reason you hire or don’t hire them.
These are just some of the questions that are worth asking. Over the years our priority has become our client relationships. And while relationships do take time, a good place to start is finding a vendor who is passionate and has you as you are about your wedding. You and your wedding are so worth it.
Have you ever been overwhelmed by reading vendor reviews? We have a post about vendor reviews and how to understand them. You can’t always take them at face value.
(Updated Jan. 9.17)