5 Top Tips for Choosing Wedding Suppliers

"As a wedding hair and makeup specialist, I have first-hand experience of meeting and getting to know some of the most talented wedding suppliers across the North East who all come together for one special day – your wedding! From visiting gorgeous venues to admiring amazing cakes and fantastic floral creations, choosing the right combination of suppliers is so important to ensure everything comes together for your wedding day and each supplier you choose whether they are with you for part or the whole day will ultimately have an impact on the outcome of your special day memories from which you will treasure for the rest of your life!"

5 TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING SUPPLIERS

TIP 1: VISION

How do you want your wedding day to work from start to finish? One of the first things couples tend to research is the venue which sets the scene and initial feel for the day. Consider the style and feel of your venue as well as any ideas you have for your theme then use this as a base from which to start researching suppliers you think will compliment and work well with this.

TIP 2: REVIEWS & VENUES RECOMMENDED SUPPLIERS LISTS

Have you thoroughly looked at each supplier’s social media pages as well as their reviews? Just because a supplier has a few fancy images from Pinterest, 10,000 Instagram Followers or 5000 likes on Facebook may not be a true reflection of the work they can produce in real-time. Reviews from real customers with images to match is always a good sign as well as direct recommendations from customers of those suppliers. Venues often have a list of suppliers that they recommend, but please do not let this restrict your research into those outside of that list. In other words, it’s never a case of one shoe fits all!

TIP 3: COMMUNICATION IS KEY

Following your enquiry with a supplier, consider the time they take to respond to you as well as how they have communicated. Emails, texts, and messages on social media are initially ok but often there is so much more both you and the supplier want to know beyond checking availability. Ideally, after making an initial enquiry, you should arrange to speak to suppliers over the phone as you will get a better feel for that supplier and will often find it is far less time consuming to just have an initial 10 minute conversation. As well as this, you can ask so many more questions over the phone and get much more information to help you decide if that supplier is right for you.

TIP 4: COST

When it comes to weddings, whilst it is important to budget, I would recommend you write a list that prioritises which suppliers you consider are most and least important so that you can set aside the right budget to get what you want and have the money set aside to be able to afford this. Try not to let your decision about the supplier you really want who is say £100 more put you off. Like all things in life, experience has taught me that if you opt for a supplier because they are slightly cheaper than the one you actually want, this could be a decision you will live to regret and could end up costing you more in the end not just monetarily but emotionally. Cost is often a reflection of the level of experience and quality of work a supplier can provide and you don’t want to end up with hair that has fallen out before your first dance, an album full of poor-quality photos or a cake that didn’t taste great! At the end of the day, not only are you are investing in one of the best days of your life, you are making memories.

TIP 5: DURATION & EVENTS

What time is your ceremony? What time are guests expected to arrive and leave? How long will the whole day last and what is happening when and where? The more you are sure about the day’s activities, the more you can relax and know how things will work with each supplier and who will ensure they are in hand.

To download a PDF copy of my recommended suppliers list, please click the document link below.