There are many, many bridal show, expos, showcases, online posting sites, swap and trade and blogs that will point you in the direction of service providers and what they offer.
What is missing, is a crash course in planning.
There are always Wedding planners that will do most of the work for you, if contracted........ but what about all those brides that wish to plan the event on their own?
When we walk thru all these expos and shows, we are bombarded with offers, business cards, flyers and hand shakes..... sometimes a free product sample of food or mints.
But what are the most important questions a bride should be asking as they are introduced to all these service providers?
Let us give you a hint......
Keep in mind...... this is the most important day of your life.
NUMBER ONE QUESTION SHOULD NOT BE " how much? or what is the price?"
Show the service providers that you are interested in their product, talent, workmanship and quality. Most service providers will curve numbers a bit to be a part of your event, as long as they feel they are a good match for your event.
Once you have shown interest and made a solid introduction, take a few moments to ask that provider What, Where, When and How.
What can you provide to my event?
Where do you mainly do business? Where have you done business before?
When are deposits and balances required? When do we meet to sign contracts? When can your services start and end on my event date?
How can your service make my event unique or extra special?
These questions can be worded as you wish, but are a good start to creating a serious line of communication between you and the service provider.
Keep in mind...... this is the most important day of your life.
When you do ask the question...."what would the average price range of your services be?"
Just don't let this be the first or second question. If the service provider feels as if that is all that matters, he or she may shy away from showing the best of what they can offer.
Often, wedding service providers feel as if they are at a flea market or auction sale....... everyone looking for the cheapest price, sign and done. (some may work that way, but usually as a rule, you won't be getting great quality. You will end up with something that is "just another gig" for that particular wedding service provider).
Keep in mind...... this is the most important day of your life.
Stay away from ANY PROVIDER that can not produce or does not use a contract.
This is a huge warning sign.
A contract is a promise agreement between you and your service provider that should state all details for your event date.
Keep in mind...... this is the most important day of your life.
In the many years we have been in this industry, there has been several times that we here the same story over again " oh my relative has promised to be our photographer or dj"...... or " my husband to be has a good friend that is doing that for us ".
People don not always show up. They don't show up ready. They sometimes have no clue how to conduct themselves at a wedding event. They often have ZERO back up equipment if something where to go wrong.
( we are not saying that this has never worked out for some, but it is very common to have these people that are to play important roles, not show or scare away from the responsibility )
This Wedding Planning can be a fun experience.... if you take a few moments to think about what is important to your event, write it down and even make a
% pie chart of what you would dedicate to each service on your special day.
You will probably find it interesting, that most couples would RE- DRAW that chart after the event was over.
Most couples willing to shift a larger portion of finances to entertainment than originally spent.
- this is the longest duration of all events that take place with your entire guest list.
- this is also the moment where they feel most relaxed and have a chance to meet new people.
- this is the ONLY moment they are truly not restricted to a seat or quietness.
- this is also the LAST part of the day that will remain in their head over almost any other moment of the day.
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Every detail is considered important on your Wedding day, just make sure spending a little extra on a certain table cloth because of a design doesn't stop you from acquiring a much better lasting impression or experience for your guests.
Keep in mind...... this is the most important day of your life.
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US... as we offer more tips to brides on how to contract your next service provider.