With so many options to access information regarding a potential vendor, there really is no excuse for not doing one’s homework.
First, there is the well-known Yelp service. But what if the vendor does not have a Yelp account?
So, how did you locate this vendor? If it is through the Web, then go to their website and see if they have a page for past clients’ comments. See how recent these clients are. And READ them. Sometimes when you read through from beginning to end, you can tell whether the client’s recommendation are truly sincere or fabricated. And timing can be a factor. If the most recent comments are more than a year old, it might be good to chat with that vendor more to find out why. DiMadeline is a case in point. In the fall of 2016, the company began a relocation transfer and this took us off the grid for about a year before we began booking again. And then from there, waiting until the events occurred for photos to get posted and reviews to be entered. So there may not be anything serious as to why the reviews aren’t more current – so if you have heard great things about them – ask!
If it’s a referral that came through a friend or acquaintance, then investigate if their event was similar to yours. If yes, then you can get more specific with the why’s and how’s of this vendor’s services by asking some of the same questions they probably had when they were in the planning process. If not, then it may not be a good lead for you.
Another source is through professional organizations such as The Knot, Wedding Wire, Local Solo, Alignable, etc. Again, we recommend that you look for a client’s comments page. Just because they may have a four or five-star rating, the comments may be old and therefore not justify current business practices.
If it’s possible to visit an event that your vendor is participating in, this provides a first-hand observation of how they operate. Sometime one can stop in and observe during set up or take down – but make sure you have full approval and are discreet. In other words – don’t be wedding crashers!
So all in all, you can see that there are multiple ways and opportunities to scope out and pick the best vendors for your event. No excuses! Do your homework! It will be worth it in the long run.
Photo by Ichad Windhiagiri
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