Wedding Vendors & How to Choose Them
My perspective on weddings completely changed after I was in the role as "bride."
When planning a wedding, the the list of things to do and people to hire seems to be endless. Venues need to be booked. A dress needs to be selected. A photographer chosen. Wedding party members decided upon. Then there’s all the little details that spring up in the last month: what is the song list going to be for the reception? How much do I tip the officiant? Who will be bringing the getaway car to our grand exit? Do I really have to wear a garter during the ceremony?
During the three months that I had to plan (yes, three), I met with various vendors that (a.) had awesome recommendations and immense talent but (b). genuinely cared about the people they would be serving.
The one question often forgotten when hiring wedding vendors is this:
Does this person truly care about us?
We trust our wedding vendors with a lot. But we’re quick to forget that we will spend a very important day with them. The worst thing you could do is hire someone who only cares about the dollar amount they’ll be receiving at the end of the night—rather than the vow you’ll be making with the one whom your soul loves.
Find the people that care. They’re out there!
Other than your spouse-to-be, your photographer will be the one other person that you are surrounded by most on your wedding day. Don’t take that lightly! Find someone that genuinely cares about you and your lovey—someone that makes you feel confident and comfortable but also pushes you to take those dynamic photos you’ll be forever grateful for. Find someone who is trustworthy, has the ability to stay calm during formal family photos, and who has a genius creative eye. Erin with Erin McCall Photography was just that person for us on our wedding day. She laughed with us, cried with us, and made us feel like we ruled the world, to be honest.
Because intentional details and spatial design matter to me, I knew I needed someone who was organized, flexible, and had a creative eye to take care of all the details I wouldn’t be able to setup on my wedding day. I was so comforted, excited, and confident with my Day of Coordinator, Cindy. While I was busy getting into my dress and seeing my groom for the first time, she was busy adding detailed moments to our venue. Whether it be placing small, cluster bouquets to the bar or creating an interactive station for guests to sign various photos, I knew it would be done with excellence and with a creative eye. She cared about both my creative vision and the logistics of the day from start to finish.
The other person who made us feel confident and cared for came out of right field—our DJ. Wow, find someone who loves music and loves people, and your reception will be heading in the right direction. Jim with Ogle Entertainment was a godsend from the beginning. When I first met him, he assured me that he would be there for every moment of my wedding day. (Honestly, I had tears in my eyes as he was telling me how he cared about making that day effortless and meaningful—that he would do whatever he needed to do to keep me and my groom happy). True to his word, Jim was effortless in his ability to control a space with music. Not only that, but he made sure to keep us hydrated—with both water and by personally keeping our champagne flutes full. His servant-heart showed.
Hiring vendors that I trusted—vendors that cared about Jacob and myself—changed our day for the better. We are forever thankful. We felt so cared for and tended to.
This is the type of vendor I aspire to be—the type that I vow to be. My clients are people that I truly want the best for, whose love I want to succeed and whose joy I want to see shine. My goal is to live their wedding day with them—making it as stress-free as possible, filled with laughter, confidence, and (hopefully) lots of carefree dancing. I want my clients to feel loved not only by their friends and family, but also by myself—knowing that they can lean on me for anything.
All Photos: Erin McCall Photography