Hire professionals - Choose the right people to work with that fit your style and budget
Obviously, it's important to hire the right professionals for your wedding for several reasons. First, to help you turn your ideas into realities; second, to work within your
deadlines and your budget; third, to bring their
expertiseand talent to the table; and last but
not least to provide friendly, trustworthy
customer service so you and your fiancée
can have fun working with them. Luckily, the
world is full of outstanding wedding
professionals that are ready to fit the bill.
Without a doubt, you want people who are experienced at exceeding expectations, and the only
fool-proof way to find them is through recommendation. You can choose to work with a seasoned
wedding planner and take recommendations from him or her, or you can seek out recommendations
you can trust from other wedding vendors, friends, family members, co-workers, and resources that
vet professionals for you, like Junebug Weddings. In fact, if you’re planning on having a wedding in or around Seattle, you can simply go to our Plan Your Wedding hot-list, we’ve done the work for you.
To ensure you’re happy with your decisions:
Start looking on-line and in local magazines and resource guides for articles and information on wedding vendors in your area and see what jumps out at you. Tear out or print out relevant information.
Make two lists, one that includes the people you know who have planned a wedding or been part of one in the last two years, and one that includes five of the most highly recommended hotels in your area. Then call them and ask for recommendations, you’ll probably hear the names of businesses you’re already interested in.
Contact the recommended professionals. Ask how long the businesses have been operating and how many weddings they’ve participated in. We think professionals need at least two full years in business and at least 40 weddings under their belt to be experienced enough to save you costly mistakes.
Pay attention to how long it takes them to return any messages and how enthusiastic they seem about working with you.
Ask for at least six recent client references and at least three professional references from companies they’ve worked with over the years, then check them.
Meet with potential vendors in person when at all possible. See their photos, taste their cakes, and get an up-close idea of how you’ll work together. If you’re having a destination wedding you’ll need to trust your planner’s expertise or take extra care when checking references.
Get everything in writing up front. Be sure the company has a plan to provide services in case of an emergency and to compensate you if the products or services are not delivered for any reason.
Look for ways to split up some of the scouting responsibilities with your fiancée and turn the potentially fun meetings into dates. Attend food and wine tastings together, go out on the town to find DJs and live bands, or make a trial run of the restaurant where you’re having your rehearsal dinner. The more fun you have, the more both of you will enjoy the process of planning your wedding.
