For those of you who are in the beginning stages of planning your wedding, I’m writing this post especially for you! I’m sure that you would love to save yourself stress wherever possible as you prepare for marriage and I have some key tips to achieve that goal.

A major point of stress that I see pop up for many couples is centered around their wedding vendors. There are fears of vendors not coming through for them, lack of communication coming from vendors, and miscommunications. Much of this can be saved early on in the process of planning by ensuring that you truly feel comfortable with your potential vendors before you sign a contract and pay a deposit.

How to hire a vendor that you can trust:

• Schedule a phone call or in person meeting before hiring - ask questions about how they work, what they value or dislike about weddings, vendors that they like to work with etc. This will give you a good feel for personality/your comfort level with them as well as alert you to whether they tend to gossip or complain about their work.

• Only hire vendors who will put the agreement in writing. Either the contract or the invoice should detail the scope of services (hours of service and/or products included). It is also best to have cancellation and rescheduling terms detailed as well.

• Don’t hire vendors based on price! Too many couples hire vendors who are lowest cost despite reservations about how they feel about the vendor’s work or personality. It’s also a mistake to hire a vendor who is pricier based on the assumption that you are receiving the best service. Your best gauge is your gut feeling about the vendor.

• Communicate your desires and vision as thoroughly as possible with your potential vendors before hiring them to give them a chance to redirect you to a vendor who would better be able to serve you.

• Check out reviews for your potential vendors and pay attention to what is noted specifically in those reviews for points that align with your values.

Once you’ve hired your vendors, remember to trust the professionals. As a bride/groom planning your wedding, it can be very easy to get in your own head about the details. When you’ve done the research before hiring, you’ve set yourself up with professionals who can be your most helpful asset in developing your vision and bringing it to reality. Since vendors work many weddings every season, they will be able to give you valuable input that will make your planning much easier. Giving them space to truly serve you will allow them to fulfill their job and will provide you with the value that you paid for!

In our “Plan Like a Pro” wedding planning course, we’ve included a guide and templates for hiring vendors. It starts with thorough communication and knowing the right questions to ask. Find our course here!