Wedding Talks: Wedding Vendors

When you are planning for your wedding, you will probably hire a number of different wedding vendors. You will need to hire wedding photographer, baker for your cakes, caterer, wedding invitation designer and so on. Since couples tend to spend money more generously in their weddings, some less honest vendors will take advantages of the couples (if not cheat). As a result, you have to ask for every detail when you approach a wedding vendor. You also need to bear the following points in mind.

Signing a contract

First of all, you should insist on signing a contract with the vendor even if the amount of money involved is not that large (unless it is an item which will only cost you one to two dollars). You have to read all the terms and conditions thoroughly and ask for clarification if you find any part of the contract unclear. On the contract, all the obligations and services to be provided should be written down clearly to avoid any misunderstanding. The company you are dealing with should be more than happy to sign a contract with you if they are doing real business. The contract is in fact protecting both of you and the vendor at the same time.

Overtime charges

Besides, you should also ask if there will be any surcharge if your wedding runs overtime. This is mainly for your photographer, caterer and reception venue. Your photographer may not charge you any extra if your wedding is overrun for 15 minutes only. However, your reception venue may charge a high overtime fee. It will be always a good idea to ask for all these charges clearly beforehand so that there will not be any misunderstanding. By doing this you can avoid unnecessary arguments between you and the wedding vendors. You can also have a better control over your budget if you ask for all these beforehand since you will try your best to have everything finished on time if you find the overtime charge is too high.

Planning for the worst situation

As a famous Chinese saying “we will never know when the storm will come”, you have to prepare for the worst case. If you have to cancel your wedding for some reason, cancellation charge may be applied. Of course you will need to get your insurance done so that you can have a better control when such circumstance happens. You still have to ask the wedding vendors the charges may be involved if you cancel the order. It will always be the wisest decision if you can plan for the worst situations.

Be careful of cheap wedding blah blah blah

One last point is that you should try to compare the prices of different wedding vendors. Of course the charges for services of different qualities can vary a lot. You should be able to get an average of the charges. If you find an offer is too good to be true, you should really think before you leap. One of my friend found a wedding invitation vendor gave her an offer which was too good to be true. And eventually what my friend got was a bad experience. You have to bear in mind that there is no extremely cheap lunch (it will not be free anyway) in the world.

About the Author: Jerry Leung is a wedding invitation designer with great interest in Chinese Style Wedding cards. He designs unique Personalized Wedding Invitations. Besides, he runs a blog on weddings to share his ideas on items such as Vintage Wedding Gown. You can also find Indian Wedding Vendors from his website.

by: Jo Anna Zaffree

Choosing the right vendor is second to choosing the right spouse. Vendors are the reason events come off properly or not.

In America, the average wedding costs $27,852. For most couples, this is the largest event you will ever host. It is the most money you will ever spend, for ONE day, on products and services you have never used, with people you have never met.

Your wedding vendors. The people you choose to handle the finest of details for the largest, most meaningful event of your lives. Your wedding day.

The first thing to remember is that the vendor is not your adversary. Wedding vendors are professionals in their fields. The vendor is a businessperson, in business to make a profit. Hire vendors who have experience in the field. New vendors may be more affordable but they will offer less value.

When interviewing vendors, you must be very clear about your vision for your wedding. Offer pictures, fabric swatches, etc. to communicate your vision.

Look at photos of past events. Are they tasteful, original, with various themes? You want to choose a vendor who can create your vision, not a cookie cutter version of their past events.

You must be very up front about your budget. How much can you, are you, willing to spend on his or her service? Most vendors have handled events of varying budgets.

Hiring on price alone can be a disaster. Dare your vendor to be creative in ways to create your vision on your budget. Ask what else they can offer to add value to their service. For example, a florist may add free greenery, fruit or ribbon, to enhance your simple bouquet.

Do not hire the first vendor you talk to. Interview at least three in a given category. Do not be afraid to walk away if a vendor cannot, or, is unwilling to work within your budget. Let your vendor work to get your business by offering more value to their service.

Get referrals. Get referrals from recently married couples. When attending other weddings, take mental notes of what you like and do not like. Ask for and call at least three references. Choose vendors that you can work without throughout the planning process. With some vendors, such as photographers, you will spend the majority of your wedding day together. Choose someone you like personally, and who you feel has your best interests in mind.

Make your vendor a partner in your big day. A happy vendor = a happy couple.

Cheers!