When our clients approach us to plan their wedding day, they expect elite vendors who will deliver the best possible service. Whether it’s floral displays, photography, fine dining or decor, we ensure every supplier is the very best in their field.
But when it comes to planning your own wedding, it means you’re tasked with the job of choosing the best vendors on your own which can be a challenging task.
Choosing elite wedding vendors is vital for a luxury experience which impresses your guests because they offer exceptional quality and craftsmanship and they are usually creative visionaries. They bring innovative and unique ideas to the table, ensuring your wedding stands out from the rest, which in a world where everything has been done before is incredibly important.
Their ability to think outside the box and design personalised, one-of-a-kind elements adds a touch of exclusivity to your celebration. So investing in top-tier vendors isn’t really optional, it’s the key to creating an extraordinary and unforgettable wedding celebration.
So the question remains, how do you choose the right vendors for your wedding?
Before You Choose Your Wedding Vendors You Need to Define Your Vision
When it comes to elite wedding vendors, most of them have reached the top due to a specific style or service which they have honed. People choose them for their unique flair which is why it’s so important you have a vision for your wedding. If not, you can end up with a mismatch of elite vendors who are individually great, but when working together, their unique styles clash.
A clear vision helps you narrow down your vendor choices. When you know what you want, you can select vendors whose work aligns with your style and preferences. This focused approach saves time and effort during the vendor selection process.
Do Your Research
Delve into the world of luxury wedding vendors by heading over to Instagram or Pinterest and type in search terms which will show you some of the most luxurious weddings in the world. The more you look, the more you’ll get an idea of the kind of styles you like and the ones you don’t.
High-end bridal shows in major cities and luxury wedding venues are also great places to discover elite vendors, alongside wedding magazines.
When you find the vendors who align with your style and vision, carefully review their portfolios, past work and blog articles. Look for a consistent style, attention to detail, and innovative creativity. Photographers, videographers, florists, caterers and designers should showcase a portfolio that aligns with your vision of luxury and that should be consistent in all of their work.
Pay Close Attention to Their Experience and Reviews
Relevant experience in the wedding industry matters, look at where your preferred vendors have worked previously and who they have served. What types of venues have they been hired to style or shoot and who have they worked with.
Experienced professionals are also more likely to handle unexpected situations and challenges effectively because it’s likely they have come up against them many times before.
Read Genuine Reviews
Look for reviews or testimonials from past clients. This can give you insights into their professionalism, reliability, and the quality of their work.
The ones on their website will be a good starting point but the most genuine ones will be on Google Reviews. If you can’t find any, ask them if you can speak with a previous bride, there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing this so don’t feel silly or afraid of doing so. If they are as good as they say they are, this won’t be an issue.
Now You’ve Got Your Preferred List Start Scheduling In-Person Meetings
Now comes the exciting part. It’s time to arrange face-to-face meetings with your prospective wedding vendors.
We do love this part because it really allows you to feel that genuine human connection and decide if you want this person to be part of your very special day.
It helps you gauge their professionalism, communication skills, and enthusiasm for your wedding. You should be excited and inspired when you meet them and trust us, you will know when you’ve met the perfect person for the job and don’t settle for anyone who doesn’t meet your criteria.
Discuss your vision in detail
One of the most important things you need to do when you meet them is assess their ability to truly understand and appreciate your vision. Here are a few questions to can ask to help you assess correctly:
- Can you repeat back to me your understanding of our wedding vision/theme?
- What specific elements of our vision stood out to you?
- Can you describe in detail how you plan to incorporate [specific theme/colour/style] into your work?
- How do you plan to personalise the decorations/food/services to align with our unique story and preferences?
- Based on our discussions, can you share some creative ideas you have that align with our vision?
- Have you worked on similar weddings? What unique elements did you incorporate that we might find inspiring?
- How will you handle unexpected changes or challenges on the wedding day while still maintaining our vision?
- How do you plan to collaborate with other vendors to ensure a cohesive overall look/experience?
- How often will we communicate before the wedding day to ensure everything is on track with the vision?
- What is the best way to reach you if we have additional ideas or concerns after this meeting?
- Can you provide visual examples, mood boards, or sketches of how you interpret our vision?
- How flexible are you in accommodating last-minute changes if we decide to tweak some elements of the vision?
- How do you prefer to receive feedback? Are there specific times when we can discuss any revisions or changes to the initial plan?
- Can you walk us through the timeline of how you plan to set up and execute our vision on the wedding day?
- What backup plans do you have in place if any elements of the vision are impacted by weather or other unforeseen circumstances?
- Have you visited our wedding venue? How do you plan to work with the existing space to enhance our vision?
- How will we give final approval for the setup before the wedding day? Can we do a final walkthrough together?
Of course, you don’t have to ask all of these questions, just choose the ones which you feel the most comfortable asking to help you assess if the luxury wedding vendor is the perfect person for the job.
Do You Enjoy Their Company?
This is the part that many couples either choose to ignore or simply overlook but it is incredibly important.
Remember, this person is going to be a big part of your wedding day especially if they are the wedding planner, photographer or makeup artist. So it’s absolutely crucial that you actually enjoy their company.
Don’t just look at their portfolio of work, pay attention to how they make you feel. Do they make you feel comfortable and at ease or uptight and embarrassed to ask questions? Do they make you feel happy and excited or nervous and awkward? These things are so important because they can impact how you show up on your big day.
If you hire a wedding planner, they will take all of this into account when choosing your luxury wedding vendors so you won’t have to worry.
Evaluate Their Communication Skills
Many couples don’t realise how important effective communication is. You need a vendor who is responsive, prompt, and attentive to your queries and concerns.
A vendor who listens to your ideas and offers valuable suggestions is invaluable in bringing your dream wedding to life.
Ask how they communicate with their clients. Is it email or phone and how often do they communicate with them?
Everyone is different and some couples don’t want to be communicated with very often whereas others need regular communication to help them feel calm and in control.
Ask them questions to assess if their communication style aligns with yours. Questions you can ask include;
- How do you prefer to communicate with clients? (Email, phone calls, in-person meetings)
- What is your typical response time for emails and phone calls?
- Do you provide regular updates on the progress of the services we’ve hired you for? If so, how often?
- What are your office hours? Are you available for consultations or questions outside of these hours?
- In case of emergencies or last-minute changes, how can we reach you outside of office hours?
- Is there a backup contact person we can reach out to if we can’t reach you?
- How often do you recommend meeting in person to discuss details before the wedding day?
- Do you schedule regular check-in meetings during the planning process, or is it primarily initiated by the client?
- How do you typically coordinate with other vendors to ensure everything runs smoothly on the wedding day?
- Will you be the primary point of contact for other vendors, or do you prefer to work through a designated wedding planner or coordinator?
- Do you prefer clients to make decisions quickly, or do you offer guidance and wait for our input?
- How do you handle disagreements or differences in opinion between you and the client regarding the event details?
- How detailed are your contracts regarding services, timelines, and responsibilities?
- Do you go over the contract thoroughly with the client to ensure mutual understanding before signing?
- What is your follow-up process after the event? Do you gather feedback to improve your services?
- How soon can we expect to receive any final documents, photos, or videos after the event?
- Can you provide references from past clients regarding your communication style and responsiveness?
- Are there any client testimonials that highlight your excellent communication and coordination skills?
- Can you share an example of a challenging situation you encountered with a client and how you resolved it?
- How do you handle misunderstandings or miscommunications to ensure they are resolved quickly and effectively?
Trust Your Instincts
Ultimately, trust your instincts and intuition. If a vendor feels right and aligns with your vision, it’s likely a good match. Your gut feeling often guides you towards the vendors who genuinely understand your aspirations for a luxury wedding.
Feeling Overwhelmed?
Planning a wedding and choosing vendors can be an immensely daunting task due to the overwhelming choices, budget constraints, time constraints, and the need for intricate coordination and creative vision.
A luxury wedding planner serves as a crucial ally in this process, alleviating these challenges and making the entire experience more manageable and enjoyable for the couple.
As wedding planners we possess extensive networks of trusted vendors, enabling you to curate options aligned with the couple’s preferences and budget.
We excel in budget management, ensuring that financial resources are optimised without compromising quality. Moreover, as luxury wedding planners we offer invaluable time and stress management by handling intricate logistics, vendor communications, and problem-solving, allowing couples to focus on the joy of their impending marriage rather than the complexities of event planning.
With a keen eye for design and meticulous attention to detail, we translate couples’ visions into stunning, cohesive events and our familiarity with various venues and their regulations ensures seamless execution.
Ultimately, as luxury wedding planners our expertise, creativity, and organisational skills transform your wedding day into a stress-free, exquisite, and memorable celebration.
Work With The Uk’s Leading Luxury Wedding And Event Planner
Have you just got engaged or are you in the midst of planning your wedding and are finding it all a little overwhelming?
Şenel Besim is the UK’s leading luxury wedding planner with over 20 years of experience planning weddings at some of the most esteemed luxury wedding venues in the UK.
Şenel and her team specialise in thoughtfully planned weddings where the vision you hold close to your heart guides every last intricate detail to ensure your special day is everything you imagined it to be, and more.
Get in touch for a consultation where Şenel can guide you on the steps you need to take to plan a wedding that your guests will talk about for years to come.
