What Decisions to Make Before Booking Your Wedding Vendors

There's a few questions you should answer before the planning begins.

These are our suggestions on what you should know before you begin interviewing and booking your vendors.

By Emily Lasnier

round table mirror top silver gold decor details candle votives gold flatware wedding
Photo: Samuel Lippke Studios

With the excitement of getting engaged and knowing you have a wedding to plan, it can be easy to jump the gun and start booking vendors whose Instagram accounts you have been following for months. It’s similarly easy to get overwhelmed to the point of extreme procrastination until you’re almost out of time and have to book whoever is available. Both of these scenarios can and should be avoided by having collaborative discussions with your partner about the type of wedding you want to have. Not every decision needs to be made right away, but there are some basics you should agree upon before diving headfirst into planning.

what you and your groom should discuss before you start wedding planning

Photo by Kat Braman Photography; Consulting by Posh Parties

These are our suggestions on what you should know before you begin interviewing and booking your vendors:

- Figure out a spending limit you are both comfortable with, as well as discuss where that money will be coming from. Are one or both of your families chipping in? Will you host the wedding yourselves?

- While you don’t need to know your exact guest list, you should have an idea of the maximum amount of attendees and draw up a rough list to see if that’s a realistic goal. This decision will affect your venue options.

- Similarly, you don’t have to pick out a date before finding a venue, but it’s beneficial to select a month or season in which to get married.

- Is there family drama on either side that you should take into consideration?

- What is each of your visions for the big day? You may have to compromise if one of you wants something simple and rustic while the other wants an opulent ballroom celebration.

- Do you want to do a “first look” or would you rather wait to see each other until you walk down the aisle? It’s okay if you change your mind later, but this could influence your choice in photographer. 

- Decide how many people you want in your wedding party. Is it important to either of you that both sides are equal? 

- What are your priorities for the wedding? What are three things you each care about the most?

- Which traditions do you want to follow? Is there anything in either of your cultures to consider?

See 15 things to buy once you get engaged, discover eight strategic wedding upgrades that make a big impact and five tasks that aren't the responsibility of your wedding planner.

Wedding news