In a typical Indian wedding, there are about 10-15 vendors that a couple will book. It can sometimes be overwhelming to pick the right vendors for your dream Sikh or Hindu wedding.
Here are some tips on How to Select your Indian Wedding Vendors.
1 – Compare Apples to Apples
It is almost like shopping for art work when picking your artists for your Indian wedding vendors such as photographers, decorators or hair and makeup artists. It is very different from buying a car from dealership A vs dealership B.
Prices may vary based on experience, portfolio and work ethic. These concepts help you understand better why a certain vendor charges more than another. Here is a blog explaining why wedding photographers charge a certain number.
Art is subjective and understanding why one artwork costs more than another is the same principle you can apply to certain wedding vendors.
We recommend scheduling a detailed call or in-person meeting with three vendors in each category. This should give you a good understanding why one vendor charges more than another.
PRO TIP – Always check out a full wedding gallery or video for your photography and videography vendors. It is important to see the completeness of a full product delivery. Do not book your vendors solely based on Instagram gallery as it is a catered product.
2 – It’s All About Experience
Wedding industry is at the end of the day is all about service. Indian weddings can be long, emotional and stressful so having vendors who are driven and reliable is of utmost importance.
3 – Allocate a Budget by Vendor Type
We want to help couples select vendors that meet their budget and style requirements. Remember that how a vendor interacts with you will give you a good idea if they are service-oriented or not.
PRO TIP – We recommend that you categorize your potential vendors based on Importance (High, Medium, Low), Price Range, Experience and Portfolio for example. This will help you narrow your preferred vendors that meet your requirements.
After that prioritization of which vendor is more important you will be better able to decide how much budget to allocate for each vendor. For example, cake vendor might be medium and Makeup might be high.
4 – Check out Vendor Reviews
Read Google reviews, ask your already booked vendors or ask past clients about their experience working with the vendor.
5 – Communication & Understanding
It is always best to clear with your expectations with your vendors. If your vendor is listening and understanding your needs, then that is a good sign. We feel it is very important for clients to openly communicate what they are looking for as it is important for us as vendors to understand what our clients are looking for.
The whole process of communication and understanding will build trust between you and your Indian wedding vendors. In return, both you and your vendors will feel more at ease during your wedding.
PRO TIP – Please try to understand the different offerings of each vendor per vendor category. This will help you narrow your preferred vendors. Price is important, as it is good to have a budget, but if you come across as a price shopper without understanding what you are getting then vendors may not want to work with you.
Remember that established vendors want to work with the right client as well.
6 – Remember Instagram
Instagram is a powerful tool which all Indian wedding vendors use. It is also where most couples start their wedding vendor research. However, be aware and remember it is easy to create an illusion on Instagram. Always do your due diligence and have a proper contract to protect yourself.
7 – It Should be Fun
Remember who ever you get they should be fun to work with. Wedding days are long and stressful so getting along with your vendors will definately make your day easier.
Hope this was helpful. We take alot of time sharing this knowledge with brides and groom. Please feel free to share these blogs. Check out more of on www.alfaazphotography.com/blogs