How Wedding Vendors Can Keep You Out of Trouble

Hiring a Wedding Vendor is a HUGE Responsibility!

Are you having wedding vendors, brain fog? It’s ok! I got you. Planning a wedding is really a big deal, especially if it will be a grand wedding. Understanding the value wedding vendors bring to your wedding and hiring the right ones is a big responsibility for any couple planning their wedding.

Hello, I’m Antonio, an award-winning wedding photographer in Miami, South Florida. I have been capturing couples’ love stories for over eight years. Throughout those years, I have met and work with some outstanding wedding vendors.

In this post, I hope to help you understand the values these talented professionals can bring to your wedding. So that you can plan the wedding of your dreams without getting overwhelmed in the process. Are you ready? Let’s do this!

Wedding Vendors: Who Are They And What Do They Do?

First, let us take a quick look at who these geniuses are. Of course, there is no reason to be embarrassed because you don’t know anything about wedding vendors. After all, you only get one chance at planning your wedding.

Wedding vendors are people like me and you that offer wedding services and products to couples planning their wedding. They may operate as an individual or a company. For example, Antonio’s Photography could be an individual vendor providing wedding photography services and products. At the same time, White House Wedding Photography is a company providing the same services.

Both categories of vendors have their pros and cons that should be explored carefully before committing to hiring.

Most Common Wedding Vendors And What They Do

According to WeddingWire, the average couple hires 14 vendors to help them plan the wedding of their dreams. With that said, the list of wedding vendors can be endless. Therefore, you will need to decide which vendors you will need on your wedding planning team. So without further ado, let’s look at some of the most common vendors for your planning team.

Jeweler – yes, the jeweler is without a doubt one of the most critical vendors on your team. Generally, the road to forever will begin with that sparkle bling that leaves you gasping for air in excitement.

Wedding Planner – not to be confused with a wedding coordinator. As a matter of fact, let’s clear that up right now! A wedding planner is someone who will take on every little detail of planning your wedding, from creating a budget to grand exit and send-off. They are the key to you keeping your sanity. A good wedding planner will help you stay organized, keep things on schedule, help hire other vendors, mine your budget, and handles all the snafus.

On the other hand, a wedding coordinator generally steps in after most of the planning is already done. Their primary responsibility is to coordinate the events of your wedding day, ensuring that your day goes according to your wish and plans. Thus, wedding coordinators are sometimes referred to as the day of coordinator.

The critical thing to consider whether you hire a planner or a coordinator is budget. If your budget allows for a planner by all means, then you should go for it. On the other hand, when the budget is tight, you definitely should hire a coordinator.

The last thing you want on the day of your wedding is running around doing all the coordination. Your wedding will be over before you know it and you will not enjoy it. So choose wisely.

Venue Manager/Sales – the venue by itself is not a vendor. But the venue manager or the sales rep for the venue is for sure a vendor that should be on your wedding planning team. The venue you select for your nuptials and celebration is vital to the overall success of your dream wedding. Choose a crappy venue, and all your hard work and money spent won’t matter.

Photographer – this is an easy one! What is not so easy is making sure you hire a photographer who will deliver stunning photos. Equally important is hiring someone with who you can trust and have fun with.

In today’s world of access to cameras and the ability for everyone to share their latest pic globally, it can seem like every second person is a photographer. And I can imagine finding your dream wedding photographer may have you feeling overwhelmed. But no worries! I’ve written a post, “How To Find The Best Wedding Photographer,” check it out!

Videographer – according to my good friends at Modern Love Productions, a videographer captures the audio, emotions, and movement that will bring your wedding day to life on film. Videographers will capture your entire day in film and create a video reflecting your wedding day and personality.

There are different styles of video you can choose for your wedding. For example, some videographers focus on cinematic films (lots of directing). In contrast, others can have a more candid documentary style (minimal direction) or even a fly on the wall style (no direction at all).

We recommend watching a lot of wedding films to get a feel for your preferred style and make sure whoever you pick can match the vibe of your wedding.

Wardrobe Vendor – everything from jimmy choo to custom-tailored suits. Oh, yea, it’s on up in here :)! Seriously though, planning a once-in-a-lifetime magical event will require you to look your best. Fortunately for you, there are tons of vendors available to you in this category. So whether you are looking for a Vera Wang dress to impress or a custom-tailored suit for the boys, wardrobe vendors are your go-to resource.

Officiant – this is one of the most important vendors you will want on your wedding team regardless of the size of your wedding. The officiant is the person responsible for organizing and planning your wedding ceremony. But more importantly, the officiant is responsible for witnessing the couple consent to marriage, signing and filing the marriage license according to the State requirements. For religious wedding ceremonies, the officiant is generally an ordained minister.

Entertainment – so after you say your I ‘do’s (declaration of consent) and pledge your life in eternal bliss to each other, it’s time to party, right? This is where you will want to hire a DJ or a band or both to entertain your guests. Again the choices here are endless. Everything from a saxophonist to a Brazilian Hora Loca is on the table.

Makeup & Hair Stylist – are the talents that will make you look like a million bucks, put your face on, get prettied up, so to speak. Makeup and hairstylist typically work exclusively with the bride and bridesmaids on the day of the wedding.

Your wedding day will be a long day with many events, and your hair and makeup have to look good throughout the day. Therefore, make sure you are hiring talents who are wedding experts.

Caterers – yes, these vendors are essential! After all the crying and laughing and hugging and kissing, people get hungry. Caterers are the people who bring the food to the wedding. But they are more than just the suppliers of good food. Many caterers will provide additional services such as tableware, bar services, and even the cake.

 

Cake Baker/Pastry Chef – is the vendor responsible for ensuring that the first sweet bite you have as a newlywed is everything you imagine. Good cake bakers are creative at what they do.

Transportation – is not just for the bride and groom. Some weddings will require transport for their guests too. For example, if your wedding is being held in a rural location, you may need transportation to get all your guests to your wedding on time.

When it comes to wedding transportation, you will have many choices – from big old party busses to vintage Rolls Royce. This makes it essential that you start your research early. Figure out precisely what you will need. You may only need transportation for photography or for traveling from your wedding to your hotel.

Florist – I am trying very hard to remember if I ever photographed a wedding without any flowers. Nope! I can’t recall such a wedding. Here is the thing. Regardless of how small your wedding will be, you will most likely require a florist. A florist is a vendor that supplies fresh flowers to your wedding. They are very creative and will create floral arrangements to compliment your wedding theme.

Stationer – from save the date cards to escort cards, a stationer is a vendor that specializes in designing these paper pieces according to your wedding theme and wishes. They are experts in paper types, fonts, calligraphy, and printing, etc.

Rental Company – generally provides the tables, chairs, heaters, tents, dinnerware, and anything else you could ever need for your wedding. Some rental companies will specialize in a particular look such as vintage, luxury, beach, etc.

Your venue and your caterer may have already provided some of these things. Just remember, if something you need for the wedding isn’t already provided by a vendor on your team, a rental company may be a solution for you.

Lighting Designer – unless you are having a day wedding – you know a wedding that ends before sunset? You will need lighting. A lighting designer is skilled in taking your vision and bringing it to life with lights.

An experienced lighting designer will make your wedding reception magical. Think of lighting as another part of your wedding decor. Yes, the proper floral arrangements add to a magical decor too. But it doesn’t matter how beautiful the floral decor is if the lighting is poorly done or nonexistent.

It’s A Wedding Vendor Wrap

Planning a wedding, especially a big one, is a vast undertaking for even the experienced couple. However, you don’t have to go crazy trying to figure it out all on your own. Wedding vendors are here to help you. This is what most of us do all day, and we love helping couples plan their magical wedding. Hopefully, you learned a thing or two from my post.

I built White House Wedding Photography to help couples like you who are planning an amazing wedding capture the sweetest moments on their wedding day. So please don’t hesitate to get in touch or to just say hi!

Have questions? Let’s connect here.

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