When it comes to wedding planning shortlisting, choosing and hiring suppliers can be a tough task and a minefield too. There are some key considerations when choosing your wedding suppliers, things to ask, think about and decide before booking them for your day.

Top Tips For Choosing Your Wedding Suppliers

Once you have your wedding venue booked, it is then time to consider other aspects of the wedding and suppliers you will hire, book and use. Our guide below will help you consider and think about different things when it comes to choosing and hiring suppliers.

Where to begin

First off decide what you need and what you want, most couples will hire a wedding photographer nut may not have the budget for a videographer, some couples may grow their own flowers, many will use a florist. Decide which suppliers you will want to use and then consider your budget for these.

Wedding suppliers you may need book and use include:

  • Wedding Photographer
  • Videographer
  • Florist
  • Caterers
  • Make up artist
  • Hair dressers
  • Cake maker
  • DJ or Band
  • Entertainment

Which suppliers should I start booking first? If you already have someone in mind or have already decided then it is better to get them booked sooner rather than later just incase your date becomes unavailable.

Your first choice is whether you wish to use a wedding planner, if so then this is where you begin. Next we would advise to check out wedding photographers nd videography. Many of the best can be booked up to two years in advance! After that is is more down to your list of importance.

Shortlisting Suppliers

Once you know what you want it is then time to find those amazing suppliers. How you search depends on the supplier and there are different things to consider for each. If you are getting married in the Cotswolds for example then you would want to find a florist, make up artist and hair dresser that are within a reasonable distance to that location. Wedding photographers and videographers will travel all over the UK and abroad, so you have a huge choice to choose from, which maybe a good thing or a bad thing!

A great way to start your shortlist is by recommendations. Friends and family maybe able to recommend some great suppliers they used, if you trust their judgement then this is a great place to begin.

Google is your friend when finding suppliers, searching ‘Cotswold wedding flowers’ will bring up lots of results for local florists that are perfect for weddings.

There are a wide range of sites and wedding directories that can help you find and browse suppliers, as well as other sites that are specifically just for wedding photographers or videographers.

Don’t forget your wedding venue and their open days or wedding fairs, these are a great way to meet and see suppliers that are not only local but familiar with your venue. They will have more than likely worked there and been used for other weddings, will know how to set up and position flowers, table decor, where to deliver the cake etc. Make sure you find out when the next wedding fair is at your venue as this is a great starting point for hiring your suppliers.

Choosing your Suppliers

Once you have a shortlist you then need to choose which to book. Get in touch with them to make sure they are available for your date, as much as you love them, if they are already booked you may have to rule them out. Getting a quote will help you compare against your budget which you may wish to tweak for different suppliers.

Don’t make your choice purely on price, it is about ensuring you get quality and value, sometimes paying more and increasing your budget is worth it if you get that wedding cake you always dreamed of, or that epic videographer you wanted.

For many suppliers you can view their social media pages for their latest work, read recent reviews on their website and Facebook page, any check out any of their recent blog posts or articles. Depending on the supplier you wish to ensure they match your style and quality before booking.

With wedding planners, stylists and photographers you not only want to ensure you love their style and quality of work, but you also get on and feel comfortable with them.

A wedding photographer is a perfect example, we would advise meeting them before hiring to ensure you get on with them. If you feel relaxed and comfortable around them it will make for better photos as you can just be yourself, otherwise you may feel awkward and this could show in your photos, and also not make it very enjoyable either.

When talking to different suppliers make sure you get on with them, they feel and share your excitement for your wedding day. Make sure they get back to your about any questions you may have in a timely fashion.

Our Top 5 Tips

When it comes to finding your perfect wedding suppliers these are our quick tips:

  1. Take your time and do your research
  2. Read reviews and check out their social media
  3. Make sure you meet them if local
  4. Read the contract / terms and conditions
  5. Keep in touch with them

Finally, and probably most importantly, go with your gut. If something doesn’t feel right then keep looking, if all feels good then get them booked.

Booking your Suppliers

Once you have decided it is time to get them booked! Ensure you review any contract and their terms and conditions. Make sure you understand the terms of payment and the deposit required to book them.

It is also important to consider the terms and conditions if you had to cancel them, or if for whatever reason they had to cancel or could not make your date.

Things to consider when and before booking your suppliers:

  • Availability
  • Total price and the optional extras
  • Deposit and payment terms
  • Contract terms and conditions

Once all booked it is another thing you can tick off your to-do list! Make sure you note down how much you have paid so far and when your next payments are due. Update that wedding budget spreadsheet and think you are another step closer to having everything ready for your big day.