Things to Investigate Before Hiring a Wedding Vendor.

It is unfortunate to read stories of brides hiring a service or buying a product for their special day, only to find out that it wasn't what they expected. Your wedding is the biggest day of your life. Don't leave parts of it up chance. Here are some simple things to investigate before hiring a wedding vendor.


Read all the reviews
Does the vendor your are thinking of hiring have any reviews online? Read them all. There will hopefully be many good reviews to read. Look for trends in the reviews, and put more weight in the more recent reviews. You will likely find that the vendor that you are looking into isn't perfect. That is okay, wedding vendors are generally real people that occasionally make mistakes. You may want to look at how they handle problems and how they respond to less than stellar reviews. Are they on time and is the general trend of reviews positive? Chances are you, you have found a good vendor.


Is the vendor licensed and registered?
One easy way to check is to see if the vendor is charging you sales or use tax. In Utah, nearly all wedding related products/services are required to pay sales or use tax. This even applies to digital photos. The wedding vendor may be building the tax into the price, but it doesn't hurt to ask.


Meet the vendor
Bridal shows are a great way to meet vendors face to face. You will get to know them and you can determine if they will be the right fit for your wedding. Share with them your vision of your special day and see if they can enhance that vision. If you are looking for a wedding photographer, look at their previous work and determine if it matches your vision and style. When choosing a photo booth rental, it is always best to look at the booth and see it in action. Photo booths can come in a variety of shapes, sizes and forms. We love it when engaged couples make an appointment to meet with us face to face and to see our booths.


Does the vendor have liability insurance?
Not only does liability insurance protect the vendor, it protects everyone involved with the wedding. Some venues require all outside vendors to carry liability insurance. The certificate of insurance is another indication that the potential vendor is a legitimate wedding professional.


Is the vendor on referral lists?
You may have to be careful with this tip because some places charge vendors to be on their referral lists. If you have a trusted venue or planner you will want to look into the vendors on their referral lists. They are likely vendors they have worked with in the past and are trusted. Ask questions about the vendors on the referral list. Find out why they may be a good fit for your wedding.


Is it too good to be true?
If the price sounds to good to be true it generally is. Finding a good deal is important, but when a price is significantly priced below the competition, be skeptical. I had potential client tell me that she had found a photo booth rental service for half of what we charge, but she was a little concerned that they didn't have a website or online reviews. She informed me after the event that the vendor never showed up to the event.


What does their online presence look like?
Many of use the internet and social media to make business decisions. A business that has a strong social media presence and continually updates fans and customers likely cares about their reputation. A professional, clean website is another good indication that you are working with a wedding professional and not just a wedding vendor. Take a look at the vendors email address. Does their email address end in their business name or does it end in Gmail, Yahoo or heaven forbid Hotmail.


The biggest day in your life merits hiring a  real wedding professional. The decision of what vendors to hire will make a big impact on your wedding.