We know how stressful it can be even just thinking about everything that you have to do to prepare for your wedding. So, to put your mind at ease we have compiled the ultimate guide to make sure that you end up picking a provider that is just right for your wedding, so that you don’t end up paying over the odds! After all, this is your wedding we’re talking about, you need to be able to enjoy the run up to the big day too!
- Call in the professionals
- The Zankyou directory
- Word of mouth recommendations
- Complaint sites
- Company information
- Price analysis
- Payment installments
- Detailed contract
- Wedding insurance
1. Call in the professionals
One of our favourite mantras here at Zankyou is ‘hire an adviser’. Wedding planners are miracle-workers and often have a book the size of the yellow pages just full of contacts for all sorts of wedding services, meaning their clients can pick their the perfect service or company to suit their wedding and budget. A lot of people seem to think that hiring a wedding planner is an unnecessary expense, but more often than not, hiring a wedding planner will save you a lot of stress, meaning you will be able to sit back and enjoy the lead up to your wedding, rather than enduring sleepless nights worrying about whether or not you have chosen the right company or even whether they’re reliable!
2. The Zankyou directory
Here at Zankyou, we offer a complete and highly selective directory to help all of our couples to organise every detail of their wedding without having to worry. Each of our contacts has been evaluated by people that have used their services, so that you can make an informed choice before hiring anyone. The best part about our supplier guide is that even if you’re organising your wedding in another country, we’ve got all the contacts that you will need!
3. Word of mouth recommendations
Are you considering hiring someone for your wedding that is not on our supplier guide? That’s fine. However, something we really do recommend doing is asking around and speaking to friends to see if they can recommend anyone. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to hear about services and often we don’t rely on it enough and instead we tend to resort to the internet.
When you get chatting to your friends, make sure you ask all the relevant questions: did the DJ come and leave at the agreed times? Did the buffet serve everything that had been requested? It may seem ridiculous asking so many questions so early on, but just think of the stress and worry that you will save yourself from.
4. Complaint sites
The age of the internet has entitled everyone to their own opinion as well as the ability to publish it far and wide. Sometimes this can all be a bit of a headache, but it can be incredibly useful when you need an honest opinion. So, why not google your potential contact and see what other people have to say about them. There are likely to be a couple of little negative points – after all, a lot of people use these sites to ward off competition. The thing to look out for is if the company is mentioned a number of times on a site, and for a variety of reasons. If this is the case, it’s time to cross them off your list!
5. Company information
It may sound silly but it’s worth checking that the company you plan on using actually exists. For example, you can just go online and check listings for registered companies. If they are not on here, perhaps enquire further. Failing that, it’s probably best to forget about them!
6. Price analysis
Of course you don’t want to pick the cheapest service available – something surprisingly cheap tends to be a warning sign. However, something outrageously expensive can also be a warning sign too. The best way to know what you should be spending, is to shop around and see what sort of prices most services offer, and then make a comparison. You could also ask for a breakdown all the different costs so that you can be sure that you are being charged roughly the right amount for each service.
7. Payment installments
Some people choose to pay their service providers there and then in one lump sum to avoid getting into debt after the wedding. Although there is good logic here, it isn’t necessarily the best option. The best way to pay the company that you hire, is in installments perhaps on a monthly basis so that you can monitor the financial health of the company. Doing things this way means that if there is a problem before your wedding, you can terminate the contract and recover at least part of the payments that you have made. Another important thing to remember, is to keep all the invoices and receipts for things that you pay for. You could also speak to your wedding planner about paying bills so that you can get rid of some debts before the big day.
8. Detailed contract
Make sure that the contract you draw up with each and every service provider you use, is clear and detailed. Doing this will ensure that everyone is fully aware of their responsibilities and the tasks they must deliver on. It can also be useful to you as a reminder of what you have asked of each of your contractors. Most importantly, if anyone you will be able to know definitively if anyone breaches the contract. Make sure that all information and proceedings regarding cancellations and postponement are clearly stipulated to avoid disappointment and unexpected problems.
9. Wedding insurance
Last but by no means least: wedding insurance. This is the ultimate way to account for any unforeseen problems and to manage all the risks! Taking out wedding insurance means that the bride and groom will be reimbursed if the wedding has to be postponed or cancelled for whatever reason, or if bad health becomes a problem, in which case you can’t always rely on the understanding of your suppliers.
So, if you take all of the above into account, the chances are, everything will go just according to plan and after all your hard work and preparation, you will be able to sit back and enjoy your big day!
Looking for inspiration for where to have your big day? Check out our top tips on how to choose the best venue for you.
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