When planning your wedding, selecting the right wedding vendors are crucial. You are building a team of people to entrust the entire vision of the day you and your partner have dreamt about, and that is no small thing! Building your vendor team can seem like a huge overwhelming task … and it kinda is, especially with so many options out there these days. So here are 10 questions to ask wedding vendors before you hire them! These questions will help you simplify the process so you can build a team of vendors you love and trust to help you make all your wedding day dreams come true! 

1. Can You Share Recent Examples of Your Work?

Your photographer will capture the essence of your special day, preserving those moments forever. Don’t just go off their Instagram grid (and follower count …)! You want to see a full gallery from a recent (key word: recent) wedding, not just the highlights found on social media. This will show how the photographer handles different lighting situations, what their style looks like across the board and how they capture a complete wedding story.

2. Do You Have Liability Insurance?

Many venues require vendors to have liability insurance. It’s good to confirm this upfront to avoid any last-minute surprises!

3. What’s Your Payment Structure?

Understanding the payment structure from the start helps you plan your budget effectively. Ask about deposit requirements, payment timelines and accepted payment methods. If you find a vendor with a bigger package price who has a payment plan that feels manageable over the course of your engagement (or who has flexible payment options), you may be able to stretch your budget farther than someone who requires large chunks of money. 

4. What’s Your Backup Plan?

While it’s not a fun topic, it’s essential to know what the vendor’s backup plan is in case of emergencies. This includes backup equipment and contingency plans if the vendor is unable to attend, or even how they handle bad weather or other unexpected delays and changes. If your florist is a solo team and gets sick the day before your wedding, who shows up to create the giant floral arbor you’ve been dreaming of?! It’s good to be prepared.

5. What Are Your Travel Fees Like?

Travel fees can vary significantly between vendors. Some vendors charge travel fees, some don’t. Some of them charge a flat rate, some charge by mileage. Discuss this early to understand how travel expenses will impact your budget. Again, it’s all about getting all the unexpected and unknown things flushed out so you can make the best decision for your big day! 

6. What Are Your Overtime Fees and Policy?

Wedding schedules sometimes run later than expected. It’s important to ask your vendors about any overtime fees, especially if you are booking a package with set hours (ie. a 10 hour wedding photography package.) You may also have a chance to add on hours with some vendors, so it’s a good idea to ask about when and how you can do that, and what the cost of the extra hours might be! Knowing this will also help you optimize the wedding timeline, too. 

7. What’s Your Favorite Part About Your Job?

This question is rarely asked but gives you such great insight into who the vendor is and why they love what they do! A vendor who is passionate about their job will show genuine enthusiasm for their work when they answer and give you a peek into who they are as a person, not just a vendor and we love that! Bonus points if their favorite part of a wedding day might resonate with yours, that’s always such a great thing! 

8. Which Package Do You Recommend for Our Day?

Your vendors are experts in their field and have seen countless weddings. When you talk to them about how you want your wedding day to look and feel, they will be able to tell you what package of theirs can make that happen. If their recommendation is out of your budget, you can always work backwards to see how they can make your vision come alive with the budget you do have. 

9. Is There Tax?

This is a not-so-fun question, but can really help you hone in on what you are spending and get rid of any surprise costs. For example, as a wedding photographer in Pennsylvania, I have to add state sales tax to my Pennsylvania wedding packages. It stinks, but is part of life, and it’s important to know about that ahead of time. 

10. What do the wedding planning process and wedding day look like, from your point of view?

Ask for a detailed rundown of what the planning phase entails for the vendor and what the wedding day will look like from their perspective. This helps clarify expectations on both sides, and ensures a smooth process! Some photographers are really involved in the planning process, talking to you regularly, connecting with your other vendors. Others may be less so! Some vendors may only touch base with you a few times or exclusively communicate with your wedding planner or coordinator. In addition, if you show up on your wedding day expecting your florist to be accessible and able to make on-the-fly changes but they typically run around behind the scenes and keep to themselves, you’ll want to know that! No matter what the circumstances, you don’t want any surprises on your big day. And every vendor in every facet of the wedding industry works differently. 

I hope these 10 questions to ask your wedding vendor help you feel more confident in your wedding vendor search. (And if you’re looking specifically for a photographer, check out this blog about how to find the perfect photog!) Though it may seem daunting now, it can be such a fun process and these should help you feel extra prepared going into the conversations. There are wedding vendors out there who are just perfect for you and the vision you have for your wedding, and you deserve to find them!