How to Compare Wedding Vendors When Choosing Who to Hire

24. Oct, 2011

Photo courtesy of~Envy Foto

Choosing a Vendor: Are You Comparing Apples to Apples or Fruit to Fruit?

Written by~Taylor Proctor with Taylor Made Weddings & Events

You’ve determined your priorities, you’ve met and considered investing with a few different vendors, now you are to the point of choosing who to work with to bring together your special day. Maybe you are deciding between two planners… you get along with both, both are similarly priced and both produce quality work. You may think you are comparing the two qualities, apples to apples so to speak, but are you really?

Fruit to Fruit means you are comparing one planner to another. You may feel they are similar, but unless they are the same person, no two planners are exactly the same. It’s up to you to investigate and compare apples to apples instead of fruit to fruit. This logic applies to every type of vendor, be it florists, cake designer, stationary designers, even limo drivers.

The first step to apple to apple shopping is to go through steps one and two of choosing a vendor again. This time set down your priorities per vendor. For example, your priority for a planner may be experience, creative ideas that fit your style, easy to talk to and one on one communication. Next step is to ask the questions of step two regarding this specific vendor and your priorities.

Do they fit your personal style? You’ve determined their style fits yours, but your priority includes creative ideas… really investigate their previous work, do they showcase things you’ve never seen before? What does their social media representation look like? Are they sharing fun and creative ideas on Facebook and Twitter? Are they consistently posting creative wedding trends and photos for other brides to be inspired by? Are you inspired by their ideas, in person and online? Do those ideas fit your personal style?

Do you get along with them? This is a comfortable, experience type of question, going along with your priority of the planner being easy to talk to. Do you feel comfortable telling them all about your wedding day dreams? Would you feel comfortable telling them if you don’t like an idea they have? You’ve picked your colors but next week you see the perfect color combination and want to change your colors… Would you feel comfortable telling this vendor that?

Can they provide testimonials- This falls into your experience priority. You want to be sure they’ve seen it all and come out on top with their brides. You may want to go a step further and ask around town, other vendors, Friends who may have used this person, etc… a good reputation is everything in business and if they have a good reputation and the experience, you’ll most likely be confident in your choice.

Can they give you quality?-This can refer to testimonials but quality is more than that,. Its about the experience you will have. Ask questions like will the planning process be one on one? If any communications are sent will they be taken by who I’m working with or will I speak to a different employee every time? Where do we meet? Is it the planner’s large building, (which can include high costs to run the business, resulting in higher costs to you on the back side) or somewhere convenient to me? Are there going to be any hidden fees tacked on the end?

On a side note, also ask what their business ethics are? What is the culture of them and their business? Can they provide you with a list of their goals in working with you as well as their goals in working in business?

Once you’ve reevaluated your vendors, and become further informed of their quality, always go with your gut Feeling. Ask yourself if they are the right person for your wedding. And hire the one who fits all your needs and priorities, and who you know in your heart is the right vendor for you.

When choosing your vendors, be sure to compare apples to apples and ask the right questions. And in the words of the Knight in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, “Choose wisely.”

We want to thank Taylor with Taylor Made Weddings & Events for sharing these great tips & ideas with us. To see her other articles from this 3 part blog go HERE for Wedding Priorities & How it Relates to Choosing a Vendor or HERE for Choosing a Wedding Vendor-The Investment.