Important Tips for Successful Communication with your Wedding Vendors

The big day is here. You've picked a beautiful cake, this resort's ceremony garden has a stunning view of lush, green vineyards, and the caterers from Marseilles are cooking up the most amazing meals your guests will ever eat. The DJ is setting up in the reception room, the photographer and videographer have all called to report they're on their way, and florist is arranging flowers at the entrance. Everything is perfect. But have you forgotten anything?

Now the question you must ask yourself is: how closely have I communicated with my vendors? It seems an odd question, but how in-depth you've communicated with your vendors can have a tremendous impact on the smoothness and success of your wedding.

For example: did you ask your photographer and videographer if they are bringing assistants? And if yes, did you allocate meals for them and their assistants, so they are fed? Your vendors will be running around taking every piece of footage and imagery possible to ensure that they've captured your wedding's every nuance. All that legwork is exhausting. During the mealtime in the middle of the reception, it would be a very kind gesture to make sure that your staff are fed. It not only fosters goodwill, but also guarantees that your vendors will have the energy they need to keep running around and capture every aspect of your wedding with the highest attention to detail possible.

On the subject of wedding videographers, have you coordinated with them (and their assistants) about important moments such as the entryway you will use for Grand Entrance, and the Parent-Child dances? The Grand Entrance is a crucial event, and often, the videographer works alone, and in a large space with multiple entrances. They will supplement their equipment with a tripod to capture much of the Grand Entrance while getting in close with a handheld camera. It is essential that they know where to plant their tripod, so they can capture as much footage of the event as possible, from every angle. Deciding on the entrance well in advance, and communicating which entrance point you will come through helps your videographer establish the best shots, and not risk panicked moments where they chose the wrong door to set up their cameras, and be forced to bolt across the room at the last second (thereby missing some of the first groomsmen and bridesmaids that enter).

And when your parent-child dances come up, have you clearly established the order in which dances will occur? Is each dance separate, or will it be a group dance? Knowing these key elements of the event will also help you videographer set up their equipment properly, and know who to follow (and when) during the dances, so they capture the best footage possible of all parties.

And last but not least, when all is said and done, and the DJ has packed up and gone, and the venue staff are pulling away, did you make a note to leave an online review for your vendors? The caterers, the DJ, the MC, the photographer, the videographer, the venue itself, all of them depend on positive press to stay in business, and attract customers (or, if they didn't do so well, an appropriate review reflecting that can help them improve their service). Something as simple as a "Fantastic  job! Our photographer took the most amazing shots we ever could have wanted!" and a four or five star rating on Yelp! can make all the difference in helping your vendors continue to stay in business, and provide happiness for brides and grooms for many years to come. 

Written by Dave Andersson