Just today I was heard from several venues and wedding planners about how a local one-stop shop wedding vendor closed its doors and left its brides in a lurch with no services and no refunds. Sadly this is happening more and more the past year. Newer vendors are trying to bring in new business by charging ridiculously low prices and then wind up closing their doors when they realize that they didn’t bring in enough money to cover their expenses.
I always encourage my brides to thoroughly research their vendors before booking anyone. Price shouldn’t be your only factor when selecting vendors. In fact, when I was growing up, my parents always said that if something looked too good to be true then it probably was. If a vendor is charging way lower than most vendors there is probably a reason – find out why.
See if they have an up-to-date business license. Make sure they are legally operating in your area. If they’re not, then they are more likely to just close the business when their business is not profitable. They cut and run. Make sure you have a signed contract with them and read it before signing. If you have questions – ASK!! I never mind answering questions for my brides and grooms. I want them to know what they are signing, then there are no questions down the line.
Weddings are VERY different than any other event. There is so much more that goes into weddings. Things are much quicker paced and they have to be done right. You don’t want to be the guinea pig. Ask your vendor how much WEDDING experience do they have. Not just the company, but who you will be working with. If you vendor is operating by themself, ask how many weddings have they done by themself. Working as a team versus as an individual is very different. You have to be more efficient and better organized with your time and talent.
Established wedding professionals know when things are not running smoothly and also know from experience how to fix them before little problems become big problems. For instance, I had a bride who wanted a sunset wedding. She miscalculated the time and the sun set before she even walked down the aisle. I realized this and had already adjusted for the darkness of the ceremony so the pictures came out perfectly. A newer photographer may not have noticed quickly enough and adjusted resulting in a lower quality and darker image due to the low light.
I could tell you horror story after horror story about brides and grooms using inexperienced wedding vendors (cakes falling without anyone touching them, bouquets falling apart/wilting before the ceremony, not charging batteries before the wedding and having them die, etc.). A person wanting to get into the wedding business should first work with someone else who has experience until they are ready to go out on their own. I recommend at least 20 weddings before going solo.
Vendors get better with each wedding they work. I have seen this over and over throughout the years. With photographers they know how to light areas better, deal with low light better and pose better. People always say the camera puts on 5 pounds. It’s not the camera, it’s the photographer. The right angle can actually make you look slimmer and who doesn’t want that, right?
Experience can make or break your wedding. Brides and grooms spend thousands of dollars on their wedding. Choose vendors that are worth what you are spending and get the most out of your money and relax knowing they’ve got your back.
