THE WEDDING SERIES: How to Find the Perfect Wedding Vendors
Welcome to the wedding series, where I interview brides, vendors, and venues to dive into the intricate world of wedding planning, vendor selection, and everything in between. My first interview in this series was with my beautiful friend Devyn, a bride-to-be with a marketing background that has allowed her to have a clear vision and a knack for detail when planning her wedding. Read on to learn about Devyn’s masterful skill in finding the perfect vendors for her September 2024 wedding in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
Building the Dream Team:
Devyn’s approach to vendor selection is a masterclass in thoroughness and creativity. Instead of thinking of each vendor in isolation and checking each one off a bulleted list, Devyn has thoughtfully hand-selected each vendor based upon how well they will complement the others: “I've enjoyed picking different vendors who I think will like really complement each other and create my ultimate vision.” I found this tactic to be genius. Imagine how many obstacles could be avoided if all of your vendors shared a vision and worked harmoniously with one another on your big day! Devyn goes on to say that she based her team of vendors around her photographer whose work she had been admiring for years. “I feel like [photography] is the one thing from your wedding you take away with you at the end of the day. Like the florals are going to die, your cake…I guess some people put that away for a year and just have frostbite on their anniversary…but [photography] is your constant reminder of that day that you had so it was really important to me to find a photographer that worked in an aesthetic that I really liked.” From there, each vendor was handpicked to align seamlessly with her aesthetic vision and her photographer’s style.
The Power of Social Media:
In today's digital age, social media plays a pivotal role in the wedding vendor selection process. Devyn’s experience is a testament to this. From perusing Instagram profiles to cross-referencing popular vendor directories, she left no stone unturned in her quest for the perfect vendors. Social media provided her with an authentic glimpse into each vendor's style and approach, helping her make informed decisions: “If I liked a vendor I would go directly to their social media because I feel like that's the most honest representation of their work.” As much as social media helped Devyn gain trust in some vendors’ work and professionalism, she also found that it deterred her from wanting to work with others: “If your social media isn't tight, if your website's not tight, if it's hard to search you, that's going to make it that much harder to establish trust before you even know the brand. I found a website and I was like this company is great but why is their contact me page broken? That's going to set up, in my head, a weird experience for initially working with them.”
Above and Beyond:
What sets certain vendors apart? It's the extra mile they're willing to go. Devyn describes how her florist went above and beyond to create a personal connection even before she officially booked her as a vendor: “Before I had even signed a contract with her she came out to Marblehead, went to our site, took a ride with me out on the boat…and that made me feel so good, like she was so invested in it and she saw the vision and I knew that she was going to do great but then that made it like oh she like is going to be great for ME.” This extra step placed this florist on a different playing field in Devyn’s mind and sealed the deal in the booking process.
The Human Connection:
While expertise and skill are essential, Devyn emphasizes the importance of connecting with vendors on a personal level. After all, these are the people who will be by your side on one of the most important days of your life. “The reality is that these people are going to be with you on [your wedding] day too. How annoying would it be if you can't get in contact with XYZ vendor or she didn't listen to what you want, or your photographer is super annoying. And then she's hanging out with you on your wedding day. No thank you. You need to make sure that your personalities match.” Finding vendors who not only understand your vision but also resonate with you as individuals can make all the difference.
Devyn’s Personal Touch:
Being the creative, aesthetically driven bride that she is, Devyn is seizing the opportunity to take a hand-on-approach in creating her English-garden inspired floral wedding décor. “I love English Gardens. I think they're so beautiful and whimsical and free but also they're English so they're like proper. So a lot of that's not necessarily flowers—it's a lot of plants that flower. And then I also feel like with plants you add a lot of different height so I am growing my own herbs and like fruit trees and things like that to mix in with my florals. I literally went to Ocean State Job Lot with my mom and I went in there and bought a bunch of terracotta pots that look like really beautiful imports from Italy and we're going to grow our herbs in there. We started growing them last summer and hopefully by this summer they’ll be big and bountiful and beautiful. I can mix them in with beautiful white and greenery. I'm just trying to make things seem really full and lush and that would be so expensive just to accomplish with flowers that you are purchasing from somebody.”
Final Thoughts:
As Devyn’s wedding day approaches, her meticulous planning and vendor selection have laid the foundation for an unforgettable celebration. I wish that I had heard about her planning process when I was planning my own wedding because DAMN the girl knows what she’s doing. I hope her journey serves as inspiration for both newly engaged couples and wedding vendors alike, as there are so many helpful nuggets of information in this interview that each party can take away for a more seamless, prosperous wedding planning experience. So, here's to Devyn, a kick-ass bride and my beautiful friend, and the vendors who are bringing her vision to life. Stay tuned on how this vision comes to life—I have no doubt it is going to be like the English garden of her dreams.
To watch my full interview with Devyn, visit my YouTube channel or click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjsN6jGRf2k
