Your wedding day is one that you will look back on for the rest of your life, and you want to make it perfect! Achieving this means hiring experts with the skill and experience to make it memorable. In Toronto, there are a ton of wedding vendors. This is both a curse and a blessing as finding the right ones can be a challenging and stressful experience! Here are a few tips to find your wedding vendors and some insider information, too.
1. Research Wedding Vendors
The key to picking out your perfect team of wedding vendors can be summed up in one word, research. The best place to start is Google or Facebook. Punch in whatever you’re looking for, like “Toronto wedding DJ” and dig through the results. Also, Facebook and Google reviews tend to be from real clients!
Referrals from family, friends, and co-workers are also great resources. This is very helpful from those who have experience planning their own wedding or hiring vendors for other events. Find out whom they used and what they liked and also didn’t like about their experience. Smart couples trust the advice of people with similar tastes to themselves.
Insider tip #1
Wedding expos and open houses can also be a good way to meet potential suppliers firsthand. Just remember, it’s always a good idea to research them online as well, to see real customer feedback and reviews.
2. Visit Websites and Directories
Visit official websites and also wedding directories like WeddingWire.ca, EventSource.ca, and local blog sites like BlogTO.com and take note of those that appeal to you. Pay attention to sites that have unfiltered feedback from real clients, and not just what the vendors post about themselves on their website.
Insider tip #2
When looking at wedding directories, it’s also important to keep in mind that listings labeled as “Top”, “Featured” or “Premium” simply mean these vendors are just paying extra to be listed at the top. Looking at numbers of reviews as well as average star ratings are a much better way of looking at these types of websites. Keep in mind, you also want your vendors to be real so not all reviews are going to be 5/5. Look at honesty and how they respond to constructive criticism as well.
3. Make a Shortlist
After some research and referrals, you’ll probably notice the same names pop up again and again in each category. Make a shortlist of roughly 3 wedding vendors from each service you plan on using, and collaborate with your partner to make sure you are also both on the same page. Talk about what appeals to you, or doesn’t as you narrow down this list. It can be a great date night for the two of you.
4. Contact the Wedding Vendors on Your Short List
Now that we have a list of potential wedding vendors to work with, it’s time to start getting info from them! These days, most wedding vendors will have a contact form on their website, an email address and phone number, and also a social media page! Contact the vendors on your shortlist via whatever method works best for you.
5. Interview Those Who Reply Promptly
A professional vendor should contact you back within 24 hours. They will provide you with all the information you need to get started and answer any questions you may have. Set up a phone or video meeting with the vendors you feel best about and have a conversation about your plans, vision, and expectations for the day. Right away you should be able to get a good gauge on the company’s customer service, professionalism, and also what it will be like to work together!
Insider tip #3
If it takes more than a few days to get a reply, or you get poor information back, this may be a bad sign. Trust your gut feelings!
6. Hire Your Wedding Vendors!
A good wedding vendor is one who knows what to do but is also flexible and willing to work with you to make your vision come together. So, with you and your partner pick wedding vendors who understand you both, your vision, and who share your excitement for your big day.
Insider tip #4
Price is not the only measure of a good product or service. It is easy to spend too little or too much. Feel good about your choice, and make a decision that you feel gives value and quality.
It’s been said that knowing the right vendor is like picking out a soulmate. Trust your gut, and stick with someone you can count on, communicate well with, and who will help you reach your dreams! If any of these tips for finding wedding vendors helped you, let us know!
