5 quick ways that you can protect yourself when hiring wedding vendors:
1) Ask for references FOR BRIDES AND GROOMS, and see how quickly they respond. A busy wedding vendor will have plenty of brides and grooms to share! We’ve found that many so-called busy wedding DJs that applied for a job…just plain ole’ dropped off the face of the earth when asked for references. Thank God we asked!
2) Call the references! I know it’s uncomfortable…but it’s necessary. This is a great way to find out if the vendor you’re about to hire meets YOUR CRITERIA.
3) NEVER pay your vendors off super early, unless you’re absolutely positive you’ve found a good one. We get SEVERAL phone calls from brides searching for a DJ last minute because their DJ cancelled. Not only are they trying to find a new DJ, but they are also stuck with the bill. Of course, one can only hope that the DJ is going to give you your money back, but who wants to run that risk unnecessarily? (Standard procedure is to pay off vendors 1 – 2 weeks early).
4) It’s logical to have a decent web presence, a contract and some sort of planning tools. If the vendor you’re thinking of using doesn’t seem to have any of these handy, or it takes awhile to receive it…consider jumping ship! It’s a sure sign that they aren’t busy doing what you’re asking them to do… serving weddings!
5) Make sure the deposit is ‘a fraction’ of the total price. Quality vendors will ALWAYS ask for a deposit to secure the date, however, asking for a $500 deposit for a $700 service is totally off kilter.
I should specify that this should be the standard for services such as DJs, photographers and videographers. There are so many types of services that you might hire, and I can’t possibly think of each one when writing this post.
Great post, thanks!