Make sure your wedding suppliers are the right ones for you with these key questions
Your wedding venue
- Is it available on your chosen date? if not what is the nearest available date?
- What is the capacity for a seated or standing reception?
- Is it close to your ceremony venue?
- Is the price within your budget?
- Does it have in-house caterers with menus you like the look of?
- Will there be other weddings taking place on the same day?
- Can you move furniture or pictures?
- Is there accommodation for guests, and will they be offered a discount?
- Are you able to have a marquee/ band/candles/fireworks?
- If you want, can you have a late bar?
- Does the quoted price include VAT and service charge?
- When is payment due?
Your wedding dress designer/shop
- Is there a fee to try on dresses?
- Will other girls be trying on dresses at the same time as you?
- How long is your appointment?
- Is there a maximum number of dresses you can try on?
- Is there a limit to how many people you can bring with you?
- How long should you allow to have your dress made?
- How much do alterations cost?
- How many fittings will you have?
- What do you need to bring with you, eg, shoes, lingerie etc?
- Are co-coordinating accessories available?
- Will you be required to pay a deposit, and when should you pay the balance?
- Will you need to collect your dress when it’s ready, or can it be delivered? Is there a cost to deliver the dress?
Your wedding photographer
- Can you view their previous work?
- Do they use film or a digital camera?
- Is their style of photography informal reportage or traditional and posed?
- How many pictures will they take?
- Who will own the copyright of the pictures once they have been taken?
- How long will the photographer stay?
- Have they experience of taking pictures at the venue you have chosen or will they visit the venue beforehand?
- When will you receive your pictures?
- How do their fees work?
- Will they set up an online gallery?
Your wedding caterers
- Can menus be mixed and matched? Do they cater for specific diets, ie Vegetarian, Gluten Free?
- Can they alter menus to fit your budget?
- Do they offer a menu tasting service?
- Do you have to pay for a tasting?
- What does their service include?
- Do they provide waiting staff?
- Do they provide alcohol, or could you get it cheaper elsewhere?
- If you do provide your own wine, will the corkage costs offset your savings?
Your wedding cake maker
- Can you see examples of their work?
- Can you choose from a selection of different cake fillings?
- Is it possible to sample their cakes?
- Can you have mixed-flavor layers?
- When will you pay, and how?
- Will they come to your venue to assemble the cake on the day?
- Do they provide a Cake Knife?
Your wedding florist
- Can you see examples of their work?
- How many other weddings is the florist doing on the same day as yours?
- Will the florist you’ve consulted be the actual person doing your flowers?
- Can they suggest ways to help you keep within budget?
- Is there a maximum distance they will travel to dress your venue?
- When will you pay them, and how?
- Do they charge for breakages?
- How long do they need to set up?
Your wedding entertainment
- Does your DJ have a versatile play list. Can they work from a play list you provide?
- Does your band play recorded music between sets?
- Can your band provide a demo CD?
- Do they need a meal on the day?
- Do they need a room to get changed before they perform?
- How long do they need to set up?
- How do you pay?