If you’ve followed our blog for any time, you’ve probably heard me say this before. The vendors you choose can make or break your wedding day. That’s why it’s so important to truly know who you’re hiring before you sign a contract with them. I’ve compiled 17 questions (I may have gotten a little inspired on this topic – oops!) for you to ask your Wedding Vendors before you hire them. These are the perfect list of questions to take to your consult and will ensure you can make an informed decision on who to hire for your Wedding Day.

The first half are venue specific questions — after all, I’m in the venue world. The second half are questions that can apply to any Wedding Vendor. Let’s get started

1. Catering · Do you allow outside catering? Do you have a list of people I can work with, or can I choose anyone?

2. Alcohol · Do I need specific insurance, licensing, or bartenders to have alcohol here?

3. Capacity · What’s your maximum capacity, and is that different than your suggested capacity?

4. Parking · Where will parking be? What if the ceremony overlooks the parking area — is there another option? Do you have any options for handicap parking?

5. Decoration Restrictions · Are there any decorations I can’t use here?

6. Send-off Restrictions · Can we use sparklers? Are there any send-off’s that we can’t do here? What do most couples do for their send-off?

7. Rain Plan · What happens if it rains? Does your capacity change for rain if I don’t rent a tent?

8. Day-of Contact · Is there someone on-site during my wedding day to help me?

9. Set up and Clean up · What do you take care of and what am I responsible for in regards to set up and clean up? What happens with trash? If we can’t get everything out that night, can we come back the next day?

1. Payment Deadlines · When is money due? At what point can money down be refunded, and when does it become non-refundable?

2. Date Changes · If I had to change my date, how flexible are you in handling that?

3. In Case of Emergency · What if you got sick, or couldn’t be there because of a family emergency? Who would cover for you, and are they capable?

4. Licensing and Insurance · Are you fully licensed and insured?

5. Favorite Wedding · What is the best wedding you have been a part of? What was it like, and why did you love it?

6. Favorite Advice · What is something you have seen go poorly at weddings that you like to warn couples against?

7. Typical Budget · What is your average client’s overall wedding budget?

8. Involvement · How involved are you in the process? Is there anyone on your team that I should expect to work with or hear from? What does your role look like on my Wedding Day?

Asking the right questions will help you make the most informed decision. You’re hiring your vendors to perform a job for you on your wedding day. It’s okay to ask lots of questions up front. Don’t feel weird for doing your homework — it’s actually really wise!