Tips For Booking Your Wedding Vendors

You’ve said yes to the proposal – now what? A large part of wedding planning involves booking vendors – everything from your venue and photographer down to who is going to do the bride’s hair and makeup. A lot of couples don’t know where to start and wonder if it’s too early or too late to book the vendor of their dreams. We have a few suggestions to demystify the process.

Before you start researching vendors it’s a good idea to establish your wedding budget. Talking about money can be awkward, but it’s important for both of you to have a clear understanding of how much you can spend before you start falling in love with vendors you may not be able to afford. If anyone else is contributing financially to the wedding such as parents or a friend or family member, now’s the time to find out how much and if there’s any stipulations attached. Be aware that anyone who’s helping pay might have input on how that money should be spent, and you should have that conversation before you start making decisions. While your wedding is your special day, you may need to make some concessions for their generosity or decide that you’d rather foot the whole bill and retain control. Now is also the time to come up with a rough guest list, because you’ll need a headcount to estimate your venue and catering costs.

Before you start researching vendors it’s a good idea to establish your wedding budget. Talking about money can be awkward, but it’s important for both of you to have a clear understanding of how much you can spend before you start falling in love with vendors you may not be able to afford. If anyone else is contributing financially to the wedding such as parents or a friend or family member, now’s the time to find out how much and if there’s any stipulations attached. Be aware that anyone who’s helping pay might have input on how that money should be spent, and you should have that conversation before you start making decisions. While your wedding is your special day, you may need to make some concessions for their generosity or decide that you’d rather foot the whole bill and retain control. Now is also the time to come up with a rough guest list, because you’ll need a headcount to estimate your venue and catering costs.

Once you have a general budget, you should consider which expenses are a priority and rank them accordingly. Maybe you already know your dream venue and are willing to pay whatever it costs. Perhaps you’re both foodies and catering is most important. We recommend you put wedding photography high on your list, because once the day is over, your wedding photos and album will provide you with those memories you can look back upon as the years go by. You want to be sure that you have a photographer you trust to beautifully capture each cherished moment.

Even if you don’t know yet how much each vendor will cost, try to assign a percentage of your budget to each key area. You should also decide what you’re willing to sacrifice if your priority areas are more expensive than anticipated.

Whether you need a wedding planner depends a lot on your personality, preferences, and situation. Some people are energized by all the little details that go into wedding planning, while others are overwhelmed. If you want to take on everything yourself, go ahead. There are so many resources right at your fingertips – everything from wedding planning websites like The Knot to social media like Pinterest and Instagram. Not hiring a wedding planner will leave more money in your budget to use elsewhere. Just remember that in addition to all the fun design stuff, you’ll also be handling a lot of phone calls, emails, and scheduling, which not everyone enjoys.

Otherwise, if the thought of taking care of all the details gives you the shakes, or if you want someone to do day-of coordination, we recommend considering a wedding planner. If you are currently swamped with school, work, or family, or just don’t want to do this all on your own, a wedding planner can be a worthwhile investment. Yes, it will cost you, but think about your priorities – the time saved and the added peace of mind over the course of your engagement may be worth more than however else you could spend that money. A wedding planner can guide you and keep you in check. They can also use their wealth of experience to bring up things that you most likely would not think of on your own. You may also want to consider a wedding planner if you’re getting married someplace far from where you live, so they can be your boots on the ground.

If you decide to use a wedding planner, then you should hire one first – and fast. That way they’ll be able to guide you through booking everything else you need.

You might be wondering how to settle on a wedding date. Once again, it all comes down to priorities. Are you willing to wait an extra sixteen months to get married in your dream venue, or would you rather get married somewhere else that can fit you in next summer? Does the availability of a particular venue matter more than the photographer you’ve followed on Instagram for years or the band you want to play during your reception? Is there a guest you need to be there, even though they have a tricky schedule?

Some people plan their weddings years before they actually get engaged because they have always dreamed of their special day, and already know what they want. If there’s anyone or anything that’s non-negotiable, reach out to them first to find out their availability. Since everything else depends on this, you should contact them right away.

In most cases, you should book your venue first, because so many other choices – particularly the date and time of your wedding – depend on the venue. This is a crucial decision that will likely consume a large portion of your budget. While you don’t want to rush this decision, you should try to make it as soon as possible.

The Knot used to recommend booking your major vendors 10-12 months before your wedding. Due to the wedding backlog from years of COVID delays and restrictions, they now recommend booking 12-15 months in advance whenever possible.

Once you have your date and venue, you should focus on other big vendors, such as the caterer, photographer, videographer, and reception entertainment. Some venues have their own catering service, which may simplify that choice. Remember that some vendors, like individual photographers or bands, can only do one wedding per day, so their availability may be limited, especially in peak wedding season. You should book these as early as you can, to give yourself more choices.

There are many vendors that can do several weddings in one day, such as florists, salons, and transportation companies. While you do need to book them all eventually, it is less of a rush – unless any of them are high on your priority list. Then there’s no need to wait.

If you aren’t willing to wait 12-15 months to get married, don’t despair. You can plan a wedding in less time, even though you may have fewer options. Consider off-peak months, such as January through March or November. You might even consider a weekday wedding, which has risen in popularity since the pandemic. It might take some creativity, but you can still have a beautiful, meaningful day.

If you have a shorter engagement, you might even be able to benefit from vendor cancellations. Some venues and vendors might even offer a discount on upcoming unfilled days, because they’d rather have some income than nothing. Even if you know a venue fills up in advance, it can’t hurt to call and ask about their cancellation policy and whether they have a waiting list.

Many vendors have their own websites, social media presence, and profiles on various wedding planning websites such as WeddingWire and The Knot, making it easier than ever to see examples of their work. Some venues have their own preferred vendors lists, which can be another great place to start. See Morby’s vendor list for a good place to begin your search.

Once you find a few vendors you like, reading reviews can give you peace of mind that a vendor you’re considering is really as perfect as they might seem. Although they may have testimonials on their own website, you should also check out a third party source, such as Google, WeddingWire, or The Knot. If you notice some less than flattering reviews, pay attention to how – or if – the vendor responses. Mistakes can happen to the best of us. The way a company responds to its mistakes speaks a lot about its professionalism and integrity.

Although sticking to your budget should be a serious consideration when choosing vendors, tread cautiously when someone offers the same service as others at a fraction of the cost. There may be a perfectly valid reason such as trying to make up for a cancellation. But a vendor that charges significantly below market pricing may be new and inexperienced. While it’s not necessarily wrong to give them a chance, you should remember the adage, “You get what you pay for.”

Every wedding is different, and so is every couple. If you need a place to start, The Knot created an amazing wedding checklist that breaks down more than just vendors. But don’t fret if your timing doesn’t match theirs exactly. What’s most important is to take care of the big ticket items, like location, food, and photography as soon as you can. If you like a vendor, don’t delay. In most cases it’s best to book someone you like instead of continuing to search for someone who might be a little more perfect, and risk missing out on that other vendor when someone else snatches them up.

Some couples are proactive and want to make all their vendor decisions a few weeks after getting engaged. Others would rather break them down into more manageable chunks and spread their decisions out over time. And others prefer to have a wedding planner take charge of the process to keep the planning on track. There’s no right or wrong answer! Just keep your priorities and budget in mind and remember that your life together will be about so much more than just the wedding.