You’re engaged! Congrats!

It’s time to start planning for your special celebration– and you may be feeling a tad overwhelmed. Engagement season often comes with so many emotions: from excitement to confusion and everything in between. But don’t worry, I’m here to help!

One of the things a lot of clients tell me they are initially confused about is who to hire for their wedding day. From Google searches to social media overload and recommendations from recently married friends– figuring out who to hire to pull off your dream wedding can be overwhelming and exhausting.

I know. There are SO many options for wedding vendors. One thing is for sure though, from luxury to laid-back, there is definitely a perfect team out there waiting for you.

without further adieu

Let’s dive into my ten tips for finding- and booking- your perfect wedding vendors.

1. Know your budget

One of the first things you should do once you’re engaged is talk money. It can be uncomfortable, but it's a necessary step to take before you dive into your plans. You’re either footing the bill yourself or, if you’re lucky, you’ve got help from loved ones. Before you start reaching out to potential wedding vendors, you’ll need to have some concrete numbers to work off of.

Once you have a total budget amount in mind, do some research to see how much vendors cost in your area– most have their starting prices on their websites. This will help you divvy up the budget into each category so you know what you’re comfortable with. If you have a planner, they’ll help you get started!

2. Get your priorities straight

Grab a bevvy and sit down with your partner. Each of you should write down 3 priorities or non-negotiables for your wedding day. Perhaps you’d love great photography, live music, an abundance of florals, or a late-night food truck. These become the areas you prioritize when dividing your budget, and the rest move down the list.

3. Evaluate your aesthetic:

You’ve likely been dreaming of your wedding for a while now; if you haven’t, it’s time to start! If you have a Pinterest board, I would suggest fine-tuning it. If you don’t have one, it’s time to create one.

Perhaps you’re feeling modern, moody and minimalist, or the opposite, elegant, bright, and cheery.

Either way, your aesthetic can help determine which vendors you should reach out to. Some vendors, such as myself, ask for a link to your Pinterest board during the inquiry process so that we can get a feel for the direction of your day. This allows us to start thinking about which vendors would be a good fit for you right off the bat.

4. Create a wedding planning email address

Let’s face it, you’re going to send a LOT of emails during your time planning (my full planning projects typically include upwards of 1000 emails!!). A good way to stay organized is to have an email address strictly for planning purposes. This also helps your vendors stay organized because they’ll know exactly who they’re talking to when you email them. If you go this route, you also need to make sure you’re checking this dedicated inbox consistently, so you don’t miss important communication.

5. do your research

So you’ve got a handle on your budget, priorities, and aesthetic. Let’s find the vendors that fit those criteria. Search on social media and Google vendors in your area or the area in which you’re celebrating. Type in key phrases that pertain to your location, venue, or vendor category ie. “Cambridge Wedding Planner”.

Find vendors who suit your budget and style and make a list. Is there anyone who sticks out to you immediately? Be sure to do a thorough investigation of their websites- do you love their portfolio? Vibe? Personality? Does their starting pricing match what you’ve set aside for that category or do you need to reevaluate the budget?

6. it’s time to inquire, yay!

Once you’ve got a list of some great contenders, it’s time to start reaching out. I highly recommend only reaching out to your top contenders to start. 1-2 businesses in each category. This way you don’t overwhelm or confuse yourself.

Inquire through website contact forms- Direct emails sometimes go to spam, DMs get lost and most vendors won’t consider inquiries through social media. Contact forms help to keep things organized when an influx of inquiries is coming in and help vendors stick to their process, which will benefit you in the long run.

7. Make a genuine connection

I don’t suggest basing your vendor selection on style and price alone. A genuine connection is key to creating your dream vendor team. Some of these people– like your photographer, videographer, and planner- are people who you will be spending a lot of time with both before and on your wedding day. You want to like each other. Don’t assume you’re just another client to them either, most wedding vendors are small business owners who genuinely care about their clients.

8. Do not ask for discounts

This is a biggy. If after you’ve done your initial research, and you have some idea of pricing, your dream vendor doesn’t fall into that range– it’s time to move on or adjust your budget. Inquiring and then asking for a price adjustment is often offensive to vendors who have spent years perfecting their process and pricing their services based on experience, inclusions, overhead costs, and the list goes on. There truly is someone perfect for each couple, so keep searching!

9. Avoid ghosting

One of the reasons I suggest not reaching out to multiple vendors at once, is so you don't lose track of who you’ve talked to. As I’ve mentioned, most of us are small business owners who do a happy dance when an inquiry comes in. We spend time crafting responses and putting together proposals in hopes of being hired to be a part of your celebration. If you inquire with someone and they end up not being a good fit, a quick “thank you- but we’ve gone another direction” email goes a LONG way! This also helps us to stay organized when we have multiple inquiries at once.

10. Try not to overthink it

Finally, If you find a wedding vendor who matches your style and budget, go with your gut and book them. Base your decision on your initial communication and then secure them. If they happen to be slightly out of budget, but you’ve fallen in love, see if there is room to pull those additional funds from another category, because the team you choose to pull off the perfect wedding day really is important.

And there you have it, my ten tips for finding and booking your dream wedding vendors.

I am so excited for you and hope this helps you to kick off wedding planning confidently.

Still overwhelmed? I can help! See if one of my wedding planning services would be your perfect fit.

10 Tips For Finding And Booking Your Dream Wedding Vendors