Choosing your wedding vendors

You are going to be hiring a good number of professionals over the next few months - a photographer, a florist, a baker, a stationer, musicians, caterers, a decorator and more.  Simply coordinating them will be a task in itself and there are ways of making your life easier.  

• Always do your homework.  Look through magazines, browse the internet, ask friends and family for recommendations.  Before even picking up the phone, have a very clear idea of the look, sound, flavour of whatever it is you are asking for. 
• Ask to see samples of previous work, certificates or proof of qualifications, commendations from happy customers, magazine articles - anything that confirms you are getting the level of expertise you want. 
• Meet with a wedding planner who's had plenty of experience with several professional vendors. They may also know vendors who are newly graduated who've recently learned the up-to-date technologies and design, but cost less 
• When you are looking for suppliers first time-round, keep the contact details of all your second choices, and put them somewhere that's easy to find.  
• Do not underestimate advice you might get from a pro.  These are the people with experience and it would be a bad thing if they had nothing to contribute to your ideas.  
• Rest assured that you'll know at an early stage whether one supplier or another is going to be reliable or not.  Trust your instinct on this and be firm in your instruction.  You cannot afford to give anyone the benefit of the doubt.  
• Keep a close eye on your budget and stick to it.  Be upfront with all professionals from the very beginning.  Do not be persuaded to increase your budget unless it is for something simply amazing.  
• Agree to a realistic timeframe.  Check other commitments your suppliers may have and make sure they are not going to interfere with yours.  
• Get everything in writing, confirming who is to do what, by when, and include a payment schedule.  
• Remember your priorities: at any given stage of the pla nning process, you'll feel there are a hundred and one details to take care of.  Keep current lists of the tasks at hand and tackle the most important things first, one at a time to keep from becoming flustered. 

MCB xo