I’m engaged! Which vendors do I hire first?
Just engaged, and wondering where to start planning?
First order of business, congratulations on your engagement! It is a wonderful time to celebrate the love you and your fiance share.
I am sure you already have a vision in mind on how you would like your wedding to go and look. To help you execute your vision you are going to need a dream team of vendors. You may be wondering - what vendors do I need to book first? Below is a list of the vendors to book in order.
Venue - before you can book any additional vendors you need to secure your venue. That way you have a date and location to inform your vendors, so they can confirm their availability and account for any travel fees, if necessary.
Wedding Planner - depending on how much assistances you would like planning your wedding you can hire your wedding planner before booking a venue (if you need help finding your dream venue), or after. It is important to hire your wedding planner early on, even if you are booking them for month of coordination, because they can recommend vendors to you that they have worked with and know they are good. It will help reduce the stress of finding the perfect vendors. In most cases, planners will only take one wedding a day, so when you find the planner you would like to work with, go ahead and book them.
Caterer - food is a big one! Sometimes venues require you to use a certain caterer, so you would be covered. Others will allow you to select a caterer of your choice. It is important to start looking for the catering company soon, so you have time for a food tasting, and know how much it will cost. The venue and food will be your biggest expenses, so it will be good to get the 2 big ticket items booked, so you know what your remaining budget for other vendors will look like.
Photographer - there are so many great photographers to choose from! Photographers can range in price, style, and turn around time for when you get your pictures back. There is a lot of factors that play into what photographer is right for you, but just remember the pictures from your wedding hold all the sweet memories you created with your spouse and family, so you want them to be high quality. Photographers normally only take one wedding a day as well, so if you find your dream photographer go ahead and book them.
Videographer - I know some people will wait to book their videographer until all their other vendors are booked to make sure they have the budget for it, and that is totally fine. If you know you want a videographer, I would recommend booking them right after the photographer, because sometimes the photographer has a videographer on their team you could hire, or they can recommend videographers they have worked with in the past. Photographers and videographers work side by side day of, so it is important they work well together. If you are going back and forth wondering if you want a videographer, my recommendation is to book one - you won’t regret it. When I was getting married, I didn’t know if I had the budget for one, but I was able to find an amazing videographer that my photographer recommended within my budget, and she did the BEST job. I cried happy tears when I watched it the first time. She captured moments I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. It is a beautiful keepsake that I have watched so many times since my wedding.
DJ or Band- finding a good DJ or band for your wedding is so important. They get the party going and help with the flow of your ceremony and reception. As a wedding planner, I work alongside the DJ or band day of. I communicate to them when things need to happen, and let them know if we are ahead of schedule, right on time, or need a little more time for something. I also cue them when a song needs to change during the ceremony and when the bridal party is ready to be announced in to the reception. The DJ can really make a difference in how your wedding flows, so it is important to book your favorite DJ early.
Florist - there are many different options you can go with for florals for your wedding. If you are wanting to go with fresh flowers my recommendation is to book your florist next. You can talk with your florist to see what arrangements would be within your budget and fit your vision. This will also give you an idea on how many other decorations you will want/need besides flowers for your special day.
Hair & Makeup - you want to look and feel your best on your wedding day, and the right hair and makeup artist will make that happen. Some vendors offer both hair and makeup, others will offer one or the other. If your wedding is on a Saturday, hair and makeup artists normally book up pretty quickly, so my recommendation is to book at least 6 months out.
Rentals - depending on the venue you may not have to have any rentals at all. If you are not getting married at a venue, you are more than likely going to need to rent quite a bit. Depending on where you are getting married, will depend on when you need to book rentals. If you are getting married at a family residence, I would recommend you book your rentals after your wedding planner. Your wedding planner will help you decide on what rentals you will need.
Transportation - it will also depend on where you are getting married. If you are at a venue with plenty of parking near the guest’s hotels, you probably don’t need transportation. If you are getting married at a location that has limited parking, you will need to offer transportation for your guests. Depending on the time of year, you can book your transportation 3 - 6 months in advance. If it is during busy season (spring and fall), I would recommend you book sooner.
Cake - there are many different options you can do for your wedding cake and/or dessert bar. Normally cake bakers, book more than one wedding cake a day, so as long as you put in your order in advance they should be able to accommodate your request. Busy season (spring and fall) they can fill up fast, so if you are getting married during the busy wedding season, I recommend booking as soon as your know what baker you would like to use. Even if you don’t know the exact flavor cake you want - you can go ahead and book.
There are a lot more details that go into selecting the right vendor for you, but I will give you some helpful tips to keep in mind.
Tips:
Prioritize your “must have vendors”. For example - you know you want a photographer, but not sure you will have the budget for videographer. book your photographer first.
Ask your venue if you have to use their recommended vendors or if you can select your own.
Ask your planner for help and guidance when selecting your vendors.
Book as much as you can early, so you can relax leading up to your wedding.
It is totally fine booking vendors in a different order. The order above is just a recommendation.
Have fun with the process.
If you currently booking vendors for your wedding and need help or guidance. Fill out our contact form or send us a email at atruelovestoryweddingandevents@gmail.com and we will be glad to help plan your wedding, and find the wedding planning package that would best fit your needs.