Northern Virginia Wedding Vendors
It may seem like you would just choose a vendor based on the quality of their product. While that is also something that should be a big priority in choosing your vendors, knowing their personality and if they would be a good fit for you may be more important. Think about it. You have to spend hours around many of your vendors on your actual wedding day. If you don't like them then that could be a problem. It's worth taking some extra time on the front end before hiring them to make sure you actually enjoy their presence.
Aside from spending any real quality time with them how can you possibly get to know who they are and their personality? I have done many weddings in my 7 year career and have done plenty with couples I didn't really like. I know that sounds terrible but early on in my career I took whatever I could get! It didn't matter to me if I didn't like their personalities because I just wanted the experience. It was honestly very selfish of me because I may not have been the best photographer for them. Of course, I was professional and treated all of my couples with love and respect but we probably weren't the best fit.
So, how do you ask the questions? What questions do you even ask? Here are a few questions to help you get started...
Describe yourself and your style
Hopefully, you are able to get a lot of this answered via their website and/or social media. But not all vendors are tech savvy or they may just be starting out. So make sure that their style goes with what you want for your wedding day. If it's a photographer are they light and airy or dark and moody? Do they take more candid style photos or more posed portraits? If it's a hair and makeup artist take a look through photos on their website and social media and make sure you like the style of makeup and hair they do on a regular basis. Do you prefer a more natural look or do you want something dramatic? Maybe you're looking for a classier look and the makeup artist tends to go too bold and wild for you. Make sure you know their style!
And if you want to know more about who they are as a person then ask about their family, favorite shows, favorite music, etc. They may not have the same answers as you but you should be able to gauge if they are someone you would even be friends with! And that's what's really important.
Find out what they are like on a wedding day
Are they assertive and take charge? Are they laid back and relaxed? Are they warm and fun? Only you know what you need from those vendors on your wedding day. So ask them how they usually interact with couples on a wedding day.
Another great way to find out what they are like is by reading reviews and testimonials. Places like Facebook and Google are great for checking out reviews. The vendor's website will likely have testimonials as well that will give you a good idea of what their work style is like.
Hop on a Zoom or Facetime Call
Body language can tell you a lot about a person. You can look at my page and see that I am a Northern Virginia Wedding Photographer but that's very basic. I may have some sort of weird thing about me that drives you absolutely crazy. Imagine having to deal with that on your wedding day. Or you may find that you really like the vendor and you feel so confident in hiring them. Once again, it's worth taking the time to make sure that you like them. Take the 20 minutes to ensure you are confident in their ability and the way they will make you feel on your wedding day.
Not all vendors need a phone call
You should definitely do research on each vendor you choose but you don't need to have a zoom call with every single one. That's a bit daunting and unnecessary for vendors that just drop something off the day of your wedding. Here's a list of vendors I recommend taking the time to chat with:
Photographer
Videographer
Officiant / JP
Wedding planner / coordinator
DJ / Band
Enjoy your vendor hunting and find the best vendors for what YOU WANT and need!
