Recruiting your Vendor Army

Choosing the people that are going to help make your day the best day of your life is very important. Who will arrange the flowers? Who will take the photos? Who will serve food and drinks to you and your guests? With so many options—and so many of these being quality options—available on the wedding scene nowadays, it’s almost impossible to make decisions about vendors. Here are a few tips and hints we have for you to help lessen the burden and make it a fun experience.

Scope out what you already know you love. If you fell in love with the flowers and décor at your best friend’s wedding, be sure to collect details about the vendors she worked with to make it all happen. Don’t make any big decisions right away, but have these businesses on your preferred list if you loved their work.

Begin researching early. The earlier you begin looking at different vendors and what they offer, the sooner you can start the process of choosing one. Look at their websites, blogs, and anything else they use to promote their business. Make sure to take time to also consider the vendors you loved so much from a previous wedding you attended. Often, many people refer you to different vendors also. Don’t blow them off completely; take these options into consideration while you’re conducting your research. The best fit is found through connections through friends and family most of the time!

Look at specific samples of their work. If this vendor is new to you and you haven’t seen any of their work in person, try to work out a way to do so. For example, if a caterer is going to be working a friend or family member’s event, try to sneak in so you can critique their performance. Pay attention to how the photographers interact with the couple and guests at a friend’s wedding, and notice where they stand during the ceremony and reception. They shouldn’t just deliver high quality work, but you should also have good chemistry with them as well. This will lead to good communication, and ultimately, a flawless event!

Have a trial run. After you see their work live, narrow down the group to your top 2 or 3 choices. Then, schedule a trial run. For example; set up a cake tasting, food tasting, have a bouquet arranged, etc. After you do this, you’ll be able to see if the vendor fits your specific tastes.

Double check your budget. After you have seen what you like and what you don’t like, make sure to keep your budget bright in the back of your mind. You want to stick to the numbers without sacrificing quality. So, if you have two top florists you’re considering, go with the company that will fit your budget best.

It can be overwhelming to make vendor decisions, but if you follow these steps, you’ll not only realize and pinpoint your style, but you’ll find the right fit to make that style come to life. Keep calm and plan on soldiers! 

Italy in Washington | The Kelley Farm | Rosalyn + Carlo

Photography: Jacquelyn Portolese Photography || Videography: NW Film Co. || Wedding Planner: Elegant Affairs || Venue: The Kelley Farm || Caterer: Snuffins || Florist: Bride’s Grandmother + Ever Blooming Floral || Beauty: Madison Pelzel || DJ: DJ Radem || Transportation: First Student || Officiant: Timothy Gilmore

Did you know, whether it is near or far, Elegant Affairs can help you plan your wedding! Just like what we did for our couple, Rosalyn and Carlo! I initially met Rosalyn, during a Skype call when she reached out to us to help her and Carlo plan their long distance, dream wedding from Italy.

Balancing work, travel, and with only a couple months remaining, they wanted us to bring together both of their families, from different parts of the world, to celebrate their unity in marriage. Throughout the limited amount of time we shared and the challenge of the different time zones, Rosalyn and Carlo were very easy going and made the planning so fun, it was truly such a delight creating and customizing their wedding.

It was very important that several people in their lives played a special role for their big day, like their long time family friend and officiant, Mr. Gilmore, Rosalyn's Nana who created beautiful centerpieces from her very own garden, and Rosalyn's mom who made their elegant cake. Incorporating these special touches along with other details like the fine Italian wine, classic Italian Spritz cocktails, to the Italian Pastiglie Leone candy favors, were a little taste of Italy brought to the PNW for all guests to enjoy.

From the smiles, laughs, hugs and happy tears, Rosalyn and Carlo were surrounded by so much love and joy, you could feel it radiating by all. As the sun began to set over the hillside, Carlo majestically whisked away his bride into the cornfields, soaking up every moment of their day, before returning to bust a move or two on the dance floor.

Ending the night on a high note, Rosalyn and Carlo made their way through a tunnel of champagne bubbles and hopped on the back of their getaway car with the top down, continuing the celebration with their guests close behind on the bus, cheering and chanting on #theysaidSI.

Who Pays for the Wedding?

Budgeting is one of the most important and most dreaded part of planning a wedding. And figuring out who pays for each part can be tricky and potentially awkward. Here is a very traditional and very basic breakdown of who is expected to pay for what:

The Couple: the rings, all gifts for family and bridal party, the marriage license and their share of the bachelorette/bachelor party.

The Wedding Party: Their outfits for the wedding and their share of the bachelorette/bachelor party.

The Groom’s Family: The rehearsal dinner and a shower, if they choose to throw one.

The Bride’s Family: The wedding and reception.

However, nothing is traditional these days, especially when it comes to weddings. Couples themselves are often paying for a lot more of their big day, leaving their families with less of the financial burden. Or some couples opt for more simple and inexpensive weddings, such as backyard ceremony or reception to save money. But no matter how you break down your budget or how much you plan on spending consider everyone who is helping you pay for your big day when making decisions so no one ends up breaking the bank. It is also important to keep in mind how much you are expecting each person or family to pay. Don’t expect too much or push too hard because money is one of the trickiest topics to talk about and to decide upon. So be smart and save when you can to ensure your big day goes off without a hitch!