Who do you know that does weddings? Your first instinct is to go to the internet and search for wedding venues, but who do you know personally that does weddings? Do you have a friend that bakes on the side and is trying to grow a business? Do you have a friend that DJs parties and events? Do you know someone who recently used a limousine service? Are the wheels turning? Are people coming to mind that you can hire for your wedding day?
One of the first things Daniel and I did after we had our vision talk about what our wedding would look like, was to ask ourselves Who do we know that does weddings? Days later Daniel booked our DJ. He’s a friend of his that does it frequently. I read an article that said you should NOT try to save money on your wedding budget by hiring your fiancé’s friend for the DJ. I agree, if their friend does it for fun. If they do it as a side hustle and are good at it, why not? Do you know a DJ that could do your wedding?
Daniel booked our caterer a few days later. She’s been in the catering business for decades and she also has a restaurant that is delicious! She has been a Godsend because she has referred us to a flower shop, a bakery and our venue for the reception. Who do your vendors know that you can hire for your wedding?
Don’t limit yourself to just who you know. Ask your friends and family who they know.
I booked our wedding date with our priest a few days after that. … Within one week of our vision planning we had our preliminary guest list, our wedding date, our DJ, AND our caterer! We weren’t even engaged yet! Bananas right?!
Read how Daniel proposed to me.
Make sure your friends have the following if you decide to hire them for your wedding:
- Experience. If you’re friend doesn’t have experience then they should not be considered unless you know they possess raw talent. The more experience they have at their craft the less you’ll worry about how it’ll turn out. This is a comfort you’ll need as everything starts to come together for your big day. You also want them to have enough experience in case any issues arise.
- Insurance. I want to assure you that your wedding day will go without a hitch but some things can happen that are out of your control. Some venues require your caterer to be insured in order to use the venue’s kitchen. Insurance is something they should have. Ask your friend if they have insurance.
- The proper equipment. I have a friend who takes beautiful candid photos. Daniel and I both wanted more candids then the traditional wedding poses. I was excited that she was available for our wedding day but she let me know that she did not have a zoom lens or a flash to handle low light spaces. While it would have helped our budget to hire her, we would have been limited on the photos that could be taken. I hope that you have friends that are upfront and honest about what they can do. Make sure you ask your friend what kind of equipment they have, or you may regret it in the end.
- Referrals. We all want to give business to our friends, but we should remember that our wedding day is important. We want all the details just right. If we would look for referrals from someone we didn’t know, why not someone we know? Ask around to see if some of your other friends have used them in the past. Ask your friend for a referral list. Ask them to see examples of their work. If your friend doesn’t have any examples to show you or any referrals, they might not have enough experience.
- Contract. Having a contract with someone you hire for your wedding day festivities outlines what is expected of them and you. All of the people Daniel and I have hired so far for our wedding, all had contracts drawn up after we discussed what they offer and what we were looking for. We were able to create custom packages! The contract should include expectations of the wedding day, back up plans if necessary, and price. If they don’t offer you a contract, consider asking them to create one for your wedding day. Like Mami always says, Better to be safe than sorry! Contracts protect you and they protect your friend.
Have you or would considered using a friend as a vendor for your wedding? Did they have experience, insurance, the proper equipment, referrals or a contract agreement? Did you get a discount? How was your overall experience with hiring a friend for your wedding day? Can you think of another reason to hire a friend?
Until then,
