When planning a celebration, vendors are necessary to provide various services, including a venue, rentals, photography, videography, decorations, planning services, food, dessert, beverages, flowers, hair, and makeup. Depending on the type of event, additional vendors may be required, or fewer vendors may be needed than those listed here.
What do vendors do?
Vendors provide services for the scheduled event. When planning a wedding, vendors will include the venue, the cake artist, the catering company, the florist, and a photographer at minimum. When planning a corporate event, vendors will include the venue, the catering company, the rental company, other decoration vendors, and possibly a photographer if one is needed. Vendors will vary based on the type of event.
When working with a venue, it is common for the venue to offer a preferred list of vendors that have been vetted and provide excellent customer service based on experience. When a client contacts a preferred vendor, it’s still important to ask questions that will help determine if the vendor is the right fit for the particular event. While the vendors have been vetted by the venue, it would be unwise to skip important questions as you plan your event or celebration.
Planning a special event can be overwhelming. It is easy to miss questions that need to be asked or be unaware that certain questions are necessary to consider. We have compiled a list of the most common questions that should be asked of the vendors that we see in our venue. We have even broken them into groups by vendor type. There are even questions that you should ask the venue! We have written about this before. Venue shopping is crucial to the success of any event. You can read our post on questions to ask vendors here.
Wedding Planner
Are you available for the preferred date?
What services do you offer? Full, partial, month of, day of coordination, etc.
What services are included in planning the wedding?
What is not covered in the services you provide?
Are you insured?
How many weddings or special events have you done?
Do you have photos or reviews of weddings you have done?
What are your payment plans?
What is your cancellation policy in the event of an emergency?
Do you require travel fees?
Do you offer design help as well as planning?
Do you help us with vendor recommendations and how many?
Do you communicate with vendors? Attend meetings?
Do you manage the invitations?
Do you have any extra fees?
Do you work alone or with assistants?
What is your contingency plan?
What time do you arrive and leave?
Do you have examples of specific conflicts you have handled on the day of a special event? What was the outcome?
Photographer
Are you available for the preferred date?
What are your packages and suggestions for my wedding?
What is the payment plan?
What is included in the photography package?
Do you provide a second photographer?
Do you use backup cards to prevent loss of images if a card fails?
What style is your editing?
What gear will you bring to the wedding? The rehearsal dinner?
How are images delivered?
What is the turnaround time for image delivery?
Do you provide sneak peeks and when would we get them?
What are your travel fees?
What types of weddings have you shot before?
Do you provide videography?
Do you offer prints? Do you provide a print release so we can share your images?
How is the final gallery of images delivered?
Do you have any special needs for the day of the event?
What photos are included in the package and what would be extra? (Engagement session, bridal session, rehearsal dinner)
Do you have food restrictions?
Cake Artist
Are you available for the preferred date?
How many wedding cakes have you made?
What is included in the price?
Will you be the cake artist or will someone from your team make my cake?
What are your preferred cake ingredients to work with?
What is your most requested flavor or cake and filling?
Do you have gluten-free or vegan options?
What other desserts do you offer?
What is your cancellation policy?
What is your deposit requirement?
Do you offer payment plans?
Is there a venue delivery fee?
What happens if the cake is damaged during delivery?
Do you provide stands, tables, etc?
Do you offer cake-cutting services?
What is not included in the price?
Are you licensed?
Catering
Are you available for the preferred date?
What is your previous wedding catering experience?
Do you have references, reviews, or photos from other weddings or large events?
Have you catered at the venue we have selected before?
Will you coordinate with the venue or will you work through me?
If cooking on-site is unavailable, how will you deliver the food?
Is there flexibility with your menus?
What dish(es) are most popular?
Do you offer plated meals or buffet style?
Do you offer kid’s meals?
Do you charge per person or a bulk rate?
What is included in the price?
What is NOT included in the price?
Do you handle special dietary requests including allergies, gluten-free or vegetarian options?
When do you need a final headcount, menu decision, and deposit?
Do you accept any last-minute requests?
Do you provide dessert/cake services such as cake cutting?
Do you offer coffee services?
Do you provide bartending services?
Do you provide the alcohol or do we?
What is the pricing structure for alcohol?
Do you have a catering/bartending license and liability insurance?
Do you provide linens, utensils, plates, napkins, etc? What do they look like? Are there extra fees for that?
How many servers do you provide?
Who is in charge on the event day and can we meet them?
What is your cancellation policy?
Do you have a payment plan option?
Flower Artist
Are you available for the preferred date?
Have you worked at our selected venue before?
How do you price your services? Packages, itemized, etc?
Do you have a minimum budget?
How do you break up the payments and what is the deposit?
What is your cancellation policy?
What is included in the price?
What is NOT included in the price?
What are the extra costs? Delivery, setup, breakdown, hours if you need to stay and relocate flowers, etc.
Do you provide a day of event arranging for the purchased flowers?
Can I see examples of your work and previous weddings you have done?
Do you have a specific way of designing and/or do you accept requests with photos?
Based on my budget, what are some recommendations?
How can I maximize my budget?
What types of vases do you offer and to whom do they belong after the event?
Are you able to color coordinate with my cake artist?
Do you preserve bouquets?
How long will set up take?
Request a copy of the contract to read carefully.
Weddings and other special events are exciting to plan. There are many details to consider during the planning process. It’s important to keep in mind that your wedding, birthday, anniversary, or other special day will be special regardless of all of the details. Perspective is necessary to keep the focus on what matters most - marrying the person of your dreams, celebrating a milestone anniversary, or celebrating a milestone birthday.
We work with our clients to provide exceptional service to avoid unnecessary stress for the guests of honor. Our preferred vendors provide the highest quality of service, and we trust them completely. We are certain you will enjoy working with them. Whether you are just getting started dreaming about your wedding, or you’re engaged and ready to make decisions, our staff is prepared to work with you. Check out this great printable timeline from The Knot to help you get started.
Check out Royal Affairs Ballroom for yourself to see the unique opportunities we have to celebrate your special day. Call us for a private tour at 972-221-6565.
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