You shouldn’t skimp on these vendors at your wedding
We’re not fans of the lists that tell you need to spend a lot on your venue, your hair & makeup, your dress, because “what will people think if…”
This is your celebration, your party, and you should enjoy it in a way that fits your style! There are some things though, some purely logistical, and some that come from experience, that will make your life easier if you don’t skimp on them.
1. Service and wait staff
Regardless of how you serve food and drinks, you need someone to prepare the food, serve it, and take away dirty dishes. There are ways to get around having an expensive dinner and bar, but at the end of the day, there are used plates, glasses to fill, napkins to replace, coffee and creamer that empty. You don’t want you or your wedding party slogging through these details when you’re trying to enjoy dinner. Hire wait staff at the very least, or make sure your caterer provides this service. Trust your caterer when they say they need a certain amount of people to help with food service — they actually need that many people for the evening to go smoothly!
2. AV/sound system setup
Yes, your bridesmaid can plug in her iPhone and play your wedding playlist through the speakers. We’re all for DIY DJing. However, setting up AV for your ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and speeches is a different set of tasks, and shouldn’t be confused with being a DJ. You could technically cobble together a sound system, then assign a groomsman to set up, breakdown, and manage the sound. But the last thing you want is for your sound to be set up poorly or hastily, so that your guests can’t hear when you read your vows, or when your dad gives a heartfelt speech at dinner.
3. Hair & makeup
This one is more obvious. Even if you’re a DIY bride and have been doing your own makeup for years, the expertise that goes into matching your hairstyle with your dress with your makeup is actually worth the money. Splurge on the makeup trials to find the best pro for you. It’ll be stressful on your actual wedding day if you’re scrambling to get your eyeliner perfect for the 10th time and running late because of curling your hair. Leave this one to the pros.
4. Photography
We agree with the rest of the industry! If you’re putting effort into your wedding day, then you should make sure it’s captured fully and thoughtfully. A professional, creative photographer will make sure to capture the grand, obvious moments AND the small hidden ones. You’ll have these memories for years to look back on. Yes, you can technically get your 16 year old cousin to be your photographer for the day; however, wedding photography is more difficult than it sounds, and requires you to be on your feet for hours and quickly adapt to changing lighting and scenery.
5. Lighting
Lighting is important in creating a lovely atmosphere to converse, party, and enjoy. If you’re having a dance floor, make sure to get uplights! If you’re having dinner outside, don’t skimp on the string lights/lanterns that’ll make the night feel magical.
You’ll also appreciate your lighting choices when you’re looking back on the photographs.
6. Hors d’oeuvres for your guests
Probably the biggest complaints from guests about weddings is the wait time (during family photos, etc.) and about going hungry. Make sure to provide small bites that your guests can snack on before the big reception if there’s a 30 minutes or longer lag time. If you’re having a dance party, think about offering late night snacks! People will be moving, drinking, and sweating. They’ll definitely appreciate some late nigh snacks to reenergize.
