What to ask your wedding vendors

A breakdown of what questions to ask before walking down the aisle.

Your wedding day is one of the best days of your life, and you want everything to go off without a hitch. With so many details, big and small, to consider, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the different components. To prevent details from slipping through the cracks, we’ve compiled lists of questions to have on hand when discussing preparations with all of your wedding vendors.

What to ask your florist

Flowers add the perfect touch of beauty to your wedding day. Get all the details from your florist to ensure you’re getting the best quality arrangements.

• What style do you specialize in (romantic, classic, modern, natural, etcetera)?
• Do you have a portfolio of previous work we can take a look at?
• What flowers will be in season at the time of my wedding?
• What is the price of each item (bouquet, centerpieces, boutonnieres, etcetera) and how do they charge (flat fee, per item, delivery charges)?
• Will you be able to provide samples of your pieces, and are you willing to work with us to make adjustments, if needed?
• Who will be directly handling our arrangements?
• How many weddings do you typically do in one day/weekend?
• If our flowers aren’t available or don’t fit the budget, what substitutions would you recommend?
• Can you preserve my bouquet?
• What is the best timeline for making the floral arrangements?

What to ask your caterer

One of the things people remember most from receptions is how good the food was. Make sure your caterer is providing all the dishes you love.

• Do you specialize in certain dishes or food types?
• What food recommendations do you have, given my wedding budget, size and style?
• Will you plan a tasting of the foods we’re interested in, prior to being hired?
• Will your catering company provide the wait staff, or must we go through a different company? If you provide your own, what will they be wearing and how many staffers are needed for our wedding?
• What were your last couple of health department scores?
• Do you have a list of previous clients we can contact?
• Can you also provide alcohol, or will we have to handle the bar separately?
• If the reception runs past the contracted time, will you be able to stay and what are your overtime fees?
• How close to the day of the wedding can we make changes to the menu?
• Do you provide any extras (glasses, dinnerware, linens, etcetera)?

What to ask your planner

Your wedding planner is your right hand during the planning process. He or she needs to have an understanding of what you want your wedding to be and a desire to make your bridal dreams come true.

• What services do you offer?
• How many weddings have you planned, and how did they go?
• Can you work with our budget?
• How do you communicate with your clients? How often will we be in contact?
• Who are you favorite florists, photographers, caterers, etcetera? What vendors do you usually work with?
• What role do you think I should play in the planning process?
• What are your fees/packages, and what will they include? Are there additional fees?
• Can you create a timeline of the wedding process for us?
• How do you handle tough situations? What would you do in case of an emergency?
• Do you understand the vision I have for my wedding? What ideas can you offer?

What to ask your photographer

Pictures preserve memories for years to come. Your wedding photos will be sent out to friends and family, posted on Facebook and placed all around your newlywed home, so make sure you’re choosing a photographer with a clear vision for your special day.

• How long have you been a wedding photographer?
• How would you describe your photographic style?
• Do you have a portfolio of entire wedding shoots for us to look through?
• What do you think distinguishes you from other photographers?
• Is there a reference list available for us to contact?
• Will you post proofs online, and when would we receive our photos?
• Will you be the primary photographer shooting the wedding, and will you bring an assistant with you?
• What price ranges, packages and other products do you offer?
• Are you familiar with the wedding/reception location? If not, are you planning to scope it out before the wedding?
• What are your back-up plans if your equipment breaks, you are running late or if you, for any reason, cannot make it to the wedding?

What to ask your stationer

The save-the-dates and invitations are your guests’ first impressions of what your wedding will be like. Your stationer should be there to help you match the theme of your day to all the products going out beforehand.

• What is your design background, and how long have you been in business?
• Can we see some examples of your work?
• Can we custom design our invitations?
• How many brides have used this font/color scheme before?
• Can we see full-sized mockups before we decide?
• What is the turnaround time on the products?
• Can we review the proofs before they go to press?
• How much will it cost to mail the products to our guests?
• What packages do you offer for different products (save-the-dates, invitations, etcetera)?
• Is your printing done in house, or do you collaborate with other companies?

What to ask your officiate

It’s important to have a trust and understanding with your wedding officiate. Whether you are planning a religious or secular ceremony, your officiate will be there to make the day even more memorable.

• What is your experience, and what are your credentials?
• Have you ever married people at our chosen venue/location? If so, how did it go?
• Are you willing to marry people of different faiths or who have been divorced?
• How often will we meet prior to the wedding?
• Would you allow us to personalize our ceremony (writing our own vows, selecting the music, selecting specific readings)?
• What is your cancellation policy?
• Do you have any pre-wedding class requirements? If so, what are they?
• What will you wear when performing the ceremony?
• What is your service fee, and what does that include?
• Will you attend our reception?

More on weddings

Wedding photos 101
The wedding day beauty timeline
6 wedding checklists and other printables to help you plan