Hi Twirlies!!  When it comes to choosing the dream team for your wedding, few people know exactly who they want to use for what.  The options are endless!!  So many to choose from that a lot of the time brides and grooms get overwhelmed and they have no clue where to start!  I’m going to try and make things a little easier for you by helping you out with what you should consider before making a final decision on your wedding vendors.  You may need only one or a combination of multiple of these factors to help you finally decide on your event partner.

1. Recommendations

Do you know anyone who has used the vendors product or services?  You don’t have to know them personally, but more often than not, people are very willing to share their experience about a product or service with ANYONE!  There are several ways you can get this information from your prospects previous clients.  The easiest option is to ask friends and family.  Did you see cousin Akua at the Mensah wedding on Instagram? Ask her how was the cake? Was the DJ good?  How fab did the brides makeup look at the end of the day? She will be willing to indulge you.

Another way you can get recommendations is by reading comments, feedback and testimonials on your potential vendors websites and social media pages written by their previous clients.  Obviously you must trust that the person you’re getting your info from is legit, genuine and unbiased.  Finally, you can ask other vendors for recommendations, after all, they are in the industry and have worked with some and know a wide range of wedding vendors as well.

2. Budget

So I noticed this is one of the most difficult topics for couples to discuss here in Ghana, but it really shouldn’t be.  If I came to you that it’ll cost GHS4,000 for your wedding photography, you’re going to have one of two reactions; a) OMG!!! For just photography??!!  My uncle’s father’s wife’s grand auntie’s cousin’s nephew can take pics for way less!! OR b) Okay, that’s reasonable.  Is it negotiable?  With either reaction, you know how much you want (or don’t want) to spend on photography.  That is a budget.  So be realistic.  Go down your vendor list and be truthful to yourself what you can and cannot afford and know that if you’re determined, you will find a vendor that will fit your budget as long as your numbers are reasonable.  By reasonable, I mean DO NOT take a photograph of a very elaborate flower wall you saw on Bella Naija and expect your decorator to replicate that for GHS500, but rather, ask if you can get a flower wall for GHS500 inspired by that photograph.

3. Foresight

It’s a definite plus when your vendor has foresight.  Experience is definitely an added bonus but having a vendor who can anticipate your event needs can save you money and is an advantage to your dream team.  For example, a drinks vendor with this quality can decide to scout your venue way ahead to know that the venue provides a facility to chill your drinks or a freezer or chiller at no additional cost.  This way they won’t have to charge you extra for chillers and/or transportation.  You should be able to tell if your vendor has foresight during your initial chat with them, if you ask the right questions.

4. 4. Discounts

Music to every couples’ ears!  Who doesn’t love a good discount?!  It does not hurt to ask vendors for discounts!  This goes hand in hand with your budget.  You can’t budget 100 for an item and ask for a 50% discount on a 200 priced product or service. J  Again, being reasonable is key.  Many vendors are willing to give discounts.  See which event partner would give you the best discount or can negotiate a good deal for you and let that guide your decision to finalize!

5. Delivery times

Say you’re relocating outside the country a month after your wedding and you want your wedding pictures, prints and all, before you leave.  It’d be good to confirm with your photographer if the delivery timeline is realistic for them.  You may get your photographs earlier or later depending on the photography company and their practices.

Speaking to various vendors (I’d recommend 2-3 per vendor category) is a good step to helping you narrow down and finalize your event team.  It is very important that you have a good relationship with your vendors.  You don’t have to be best friends,  you just need to be able to communicate your wants and needs to your vendors in a respectful manner that’ll help them help you pull off your dream wedding.

Thank you for reading 🙂

xo

Abokuma

Photo credit: Cinnamon Wolfe Photography