Too Good to be True?

Red Flags to Watch Out For When Hiring Wedding Vendors

(Image by Cameron C Photography)

You can find the articles all over the internet these days…

“Photographer a No-Show on Couple’s Big Day”

“Cake-tastrophy on Wedding Day!”

… and on and on.

Hiring your vendors for the big day can be a daunting task on its own, without the worry of whether the vendor will perform the task you hire them to do. There are some key red flags that pop up in almost all of these articles, thought, that you should watch out for to protect yourself and be confident in your vendor choices!

No online presence. If the vendor you’re considering has no website or online presence, this is a huge red flag. In this day and age if you’re a serious professional, you should have a website, social media, Google listing, or some sort of online presence! Research your vendor choices to ensure they are legitimate.

Cash only. Vendors who refuse checks and cards might be perfectly legitimate, upstanding businesses… but oftentimes not. It’s certainly sketchy to accept only cash as a business! Oftentimes these are hobbyists working “under the table” and skirting their taxes. Not only is this illegal, it’s the sign of a part-time or hobby vendor who are less than trustworthy. If the vendor you’re considering is operating illegally, you’re in more danger of being left high and dry on the big day.

Cheap… too cheap. Vendors whose pricing seems too good to be true often are! While we all start somewhere, and beginners will often charge less for their experience level, the bigger red flag is vendors whose work looks amazing but whose prices seem super low for the quality. This can be a red flag for someone who is looking to make a quick buck and then take off without fulfilling the job. Make sure you meet with your vendors in person and ask detailed questions to ensure you feel covered!

No contract. In cases like the last one, the best way to protect yourself is to work with a professional who has a contract. Contracts may seem intimidating, but they’re ultimately there to protect both parties! A good contract will spell out exactly what you can expect the vendor to provide, and how issues will be resolved should anything go awry.

FAQs. When you meet with your potential vendors it’s important to ask lots of questions. It’s a big red flag if they cannot answer basic industry questions or are confused about run of the mill inquiries. You can find lots of questions to ask your vendors online, so don’t hesitate to really make sure they know their stuff!

Experience. If you’re hiring a seasoned professional, they should be able to prove their experience. From photographs of their past work to reviews from past clients, you should feel you know their history in the industry. Along these lines, photographers should be able to show you at least one or more full weddings they’ve captured in the past. Be sure you know the background of the vendor before you hire them!

These red flags may seem like common sense, or they may seem totally overwhelming and scary. It can be really stressful to hire the professionals you’ll rely on to create your dream day. Just remember that the right vendors for you will feel right! You’ll know you click and if you do your research you’ll know you can trust them completely. Cover your bases and go with your gut and you’ll create the best team of vendors to make your wedding dreams come true!