Thursday, March 4, 2010

Do Your Homework When Choosing Vendors

It seems pretty obvious..."Do Your Homework When Choosing Vendors for Your Wedding". But what does that exactly mean? Which questions should you be asking? Who should you be contacting for more information?

It may seem like a lot of work to do if you have a dozen or so different vendors for your wedding...but it is a MUST!

Our organization, the Central Minnesota Wedding Association, can certainly help you get started. Vendors in our association cannot just put up an awning and get listed on our website or Bride Guide.

Each new member in our association submits an application to our Board of Directors. Applications are reviewed, reference calls are made, work samples are taken into account and a vote is cast.

Once in our association, members commit to doing business that adhere to our Code of Ethics. If a vendor falls short, we are not afraid to remove them from the association.

Don't be afraid to ask prospective vendors questions! For some sample questions, check out this link.

See what the Better Business Bureau has to say about vendors you are looking into. They also offer some tips on their website.

Be sure to take a look at some past work samples and ask to talk to some former clients. Ask them about their experience with the vendor you are looking into- and if there were any 'surprises' after the wedding.

Your wedding is not a day that you want to be dealing with substandard vendors. Do your homework and make sure you are choosing only those that are the highest quality!

Monday, March 1, 2010

Do It Yourself or Doing Yourself In?

Napkin holders made out of spent toilet paper rolls? We all know the importance of holding the line on the wedding budget these days...but where do you draw the line? The media is great at showing how "easy" making invitations and centerpieces is.

But is it worth it?

Having a budget is important for your wedding. It's also important to figure out what pieces of your wedding are the most important to you and your spouse-to-be. The dress? The photos? The venue? The cake?

The weeks leading up to your wedding can get a little stressful with a lot of small details needing attention. If you are choosing to do some things yourself, don't wait until the last minute. Get as many things done early as possible. You'll thank yourself later.

For more information on this topic at a national level, check out:
http://ow.ly/16Gt91