I often work with brides and bridal parties and I know how stressful wedding planning can be. I wanted to put together a list of things to help ease the stress of searching for & booking wedding vendors. Wedding season runs from March-November and peaks May-October. This means, May-October are the busiest months and the first to book. The majority of couples become engaged during December to February. Thus, brides-to-be will begin planning their dream wedding. Below is a list of tips with helpful information for brides-to-be, when it comes to sending a bridal inquiry to potential vendors.
- Begin the planning and booking process as soon as you set a wedding date to avoid the rushed feeling of running out of time. Ask friends/family for referrals to vendors they've had an actual experience with...avoid hearsay or input involving he-said, she-said.
- Make a list of all other vendors you'll need to book and include multiple vendors for each category. Most of them begin booking dates well over a year in advance, especially Saturdays.
- Do your research on potential vendors. Check their credentials, look at their experience/knowledge, range of work and/or style. View their portfolio, read the reviews from past clients, and narrow your potential list down to a few names. Vendors such as a makeup artist, hair stylist, photographer, D.J. etc begin booking future dates 12-18 months ahead. The longer you wait to book, the less your chances are of finding an available vendor of your choice.
- Once you've narrowed down your list of potential vendors, send an inquiry. Vendors will appreciate the following:
Please Don't: Head straight to their contact page without viewing their site or doing research, and send a one-sentence email similar to: "I'm getting married on (date) what are your rates?" Or "I love your work but my budget is..." Read more about budgets in my post titled "Brides & Budgets"
Please Do: Take a few minutes to look through their website. Chances are you'll find the answers to many common questions, including rates. When sending an inquiry ask if they're available for your event date because on location artists tend to book quite in advance.
Your inquiry should include important details to beauty service vendors such as: the number of services needed, the timeline for all services to be completed, the location where the prepping will take place. All of this is key* information and the vendors will appreciate it.
xoxo
Your inquiry should include important details to beauty service vendors such as: the number of services needed, the timeline for all services to be completed, the location where the prepping will take place. All of this is key* information and the vendors will appreciate it.
xoxo
Anjelica
