Professional Vendors

Happy November! Just think, in three weeks we'll be having turkey and thinking about wrapping Christmas gifts!

Many couples will be getting engaged during these coming holidays. When you start looking for vendors, start with a reliable, trained and professional wedding coordinator. These are people who have put in the time to learn their trade. Yes, they will cost more, but it will be money well spent. Don't hesitate to ask for references of past brides, then call and talk to them.

Some questions to ask are, will this person listen to me and my dreams?
How available will they be to me during the planning process?
Do they work with reliable vendors?
Is this a person I feel comfortable with? This is important because you'll be entrusting them with one of the most important days of your life.
How long will this person be at the reception? You want to be sure that they won't leave during the reception as things may need to be handled and they won't be there to do so.
Are they willing to assist the groom if needed? (My feeling is that the groom is as much a part of the wedding as the bride! I'm there for both of you to assist in anyway possible.)
How do I feel about this person? Is this coordinator someone who I can trust and work with? After all, it's your wedding and you are in charge!

One of the main areas where a coordinator can save you a bunch of time (and time is money), is in recommending photographers/videographers. There's many people who fancy themselves wedding photographers, but do you want to entrust your once in a lifetime pictures to someone who has picked up a camera and fancies themselves to be a photographer?

This isn't saying that there aren't some good photographers out there who are switching over to weddings or starting up. What I'm saying is be cautious as this is one area where you really get what you pay for. Be careful.

Have an idea of what your budget is when visiting with any vendor. This way they can determine what will fit into it. Again, a coordinator can assist here as they will know, basically, what a photographer charges and will they fit your budget.

Some photographers will include a CD for you of all the pictures, and some won't, at least right away. The reason they don't is that it's the photographer's name and reputation that will be associated with any pictures printed. If they are printed just anywhere and don't come out, then the photographer will be blamed. If you are considering having your own pictures printed, ask the photographer to recommend a good lab so you'll get the quality you should have for these precious pictures.

In these tight economic times, you want to get the most for your money without compromising your dream. Let the professionals help. That's what we do best!