Why price should not be your first question for wedding vendors

For most brides, the first thing they ask vendors is the price. How much is this going to cost me? What they don't realize is there are other questions more important to ask before you consider price. Most brides aren't truly looking for bargain basement deals, but they are trying to get the most bang for their buck. Here are some suggestions to get you started with wedding vendors you're considering.

The 2 most important questions you should be asking ANY vendor...
- Are you available on our chosen date?
- Will you travel to our chosen location?
If they're not available or won't go there, it won't matter what their prices are!

The 3rd question to ask any vendor is: How much wedding/event experience do you have?
If they've only done a handful (or none), are you ok with their inexperience to save a few dollars? Or would you prefer someone with more experience? Another way to gauge their experience and professionalism is to check if they have reviews from past clients. Several happy reviews are better than no review or, worse, negative ones.

DJ/Live Band: What type of sound system do you use? Are lights included? Are you willing to let folks use your microphone? Can we supply our own music? Do you bring a request list to choose from or take guest requests?

Officiant/Church: Can we meet with you in person? What type of ceremonies do you offer? Are there any rules we must follow to hire you? Do you write the ceremony with us? Can we customize our ceremony or write our own vows?

Photographer: Can we meet with you in person? Do you have samples of your work? What type of equipment do you use? Is a photo CD/DVD included in any of your packages? Do I have to order/purchase my prints separately?  Many now do that so their prices are lower upfront but you actually pay more when you include all the prints you need. Be careful!

Videographer: Can we meet with you in person? Do you have samples of your work? What type of equipment do you use? Can we include music? How do you deliver the video, on DVD, flash drive, a website or download? Do you edit the video or can we edit it? Some will allow you to take all the video & edit it yourself.

Ceremony location: Is there anything NOT allowed here? Can we bring wine/food in as part of our ceremony? Can we decorate as we'd like? Is there a built-in sound system we can use? What type of lighting is there? Can we use candles?

Reception locations: Do we have to use a in-house caterer or can we hire an outside one? Can we bring our own food/liquor? Is a bartender included? Are waitstaff included? Do we need to clean up by ourselves? Can we decorate as we'd like?

Ceremony musician/singer: Are you comfortable performing in front of crowds? What type of music can you perform? How much time you do need to practice before our date? Will you get the written music or recorded accompaniment yourself or should we supply it?

Transportation (Limo, etc): How much time do we get the vehicle/driver? Can we supply drinks/snacks or do you fill the bar? Can we decorate the vehicle? What areas do you travel to?

Florist: What flowers would be in season for my chosen date? Are you able to get out of season flowers? Is there a delivery fee or can we pick up the order ourselves? Do we need to return any of the vases? Some will give you a discount if you do!

Seamstress: Would you be able to alter our specific dresses? How much time will you need for fittings & alterations before my chosen date?

Menswear Rental: When do the men need to pick up their attire? When does it need to be returned? Can we order specialty items like top hats, gloves, etc.?

Rental Goods (chairs, tables, decor, candleholders, etc.): Do you deliver? When can we pick it up? When does it need to be returned? Can we order special items through you?

Wedding Coordinator/Planner: How many weddings have you worked at? What types of things do you coordinate? Will you work with my Master/Matron of Ceremonies?

Caterer: What types of menus do you offer? Do you allow substitutions? Can we taste some samples?  Do you include kitchen staff (to refill buffet dishes) or servers?

Wedding Cake Baker: What styles do you offer? Can we taste some samples? Do you deliver the cake or can we pick it up? Is there a delivery fee? What range do you deliver in?

Finally, the question that can make your vendor search easier... Do you recommend any other vendors?
Many vendors have worked together in the past. They remember the good and the bad. You can tell them who you're interested in and see if they can give their professional opinion on that vendor's service. If you're thinking of hiring a photographer with a low price, wouldn't you want to know if they were rude or performed poorly? Some brides won't give a bad review online, but vendors often take notice of poor skills or low professionalism from others.

Wedding Trends

Many wedding pros have noted brides are seeking out "low cost" choices instead of trying to make their "dream" wedding this year. It's not about finding that perfect dress at any cost anymore. Brides are finding the discount racks, coupon deals and choosing items that are on sale.

What does this mean for wedding vendors and brides? It means lower prices are now the status quo. If your wedding vendor isn't trying to be competitive with their neighbors, brides may ask "What's really so special about XYZ company that I need to pay so much more for it?" That question often turns a bride away from high priced vendors and turns them on to the discount dudes. Not only does the bride save money, but often the small vendor will try harder to please you and be more willing to work with your personal wishes. The small vendor wants and needs to have happy customers to keep going. Small vendors are often locally owned and operated, giving you a totally different experience than an over-priced chain or franchise with cookie-cutter values.

• Local bakers will be glad to make your cake into an artistic masterpiece. While a grocery store bakery will have limited choices on what you can do.
• Small alteration shops will be sure to make your dresses look great for each girl AND have them finished on time. Major dress shops may not even offer alteration services, or the seamstress may be offsite which could delay getting the dress back to you if you're working on a limited time-frame.
• Photographers have the widest range of services provided when compared with competitors. Many do not include things like a photo DVD, access to print your own photos later (copyrights), online photo album (gallery), or an easy way to order more print products (pre-framed items, statuettes, keychains, etc.). Look for one that can offer items you want that are built-in to the price already and can offer extra items later in case you want those too.

So, don't overlook a small vendor because they have coupons, discounts, sales or are just lower priced in general. You could actually get more for your dollar by choosing them!

Vendors love a good network

Wedding vendors (those good folks who provide great services) love to network. They pass along contacts they liked working with before & also those they didn't like. This is an easy way to find folks within your budget for other things you'll need. Check the vendor's website for endorsements or just ask! Often you can find good local vendors through gateway sites like Ehitched.com, onewed.com, and theknot.com where users leave reviews. Don't forget the ever popular Bridal Shows in your area!