Questions to ask any wedding vendor
Start every conversation with these, whether it’s a caterer or a photo booth. Write the answers down as you go, and ask for anything important to be confirmed by email. Some venues require vendors to carry insurance or follow house rules, so have your venue’s terms to hand when you ask.
- Is our date available, and can you hold it while we decide?
- What exactly is included in this quote?
- What costs extra, such as travel, setup, tax or service charges?
- Who will be there on the day, and for how long?
- What happens if you’re ill or can’t attend?
- Have you worked at our venue, or will you visit first?
- Do you carry liability insurance, and can you share proof?
- What’s the deposit and payment schedule?
- What are your cancellation and postponement terms?
- Could we speak to a recent couple you’ve worked with?
When to book each vendor, and what to ask first
Timings below follow the stages in the full wedding checklist. Popular dates and busy seasons fill sooner, so if you’re set on a particular person, reach out earlier rather than later.
| Vendor | When to book | Key question | Get in writing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caterer | 12+ months, alongside the venue | What’s included per guest? | Menu, staffing, service style, final-count date |
| DJ or band | 12+ months, after the venue | Can you work within the venue’s sound rules? | Set times, equipment, breaks, overtime |
| Florist | 9–12 months | What’s your plan if a flower isn’t available? | Item list, substitutions, setup and pickup |
| Hair and makeup | 9–12 months | How long per person, and who else is coming? | Services per person, arrival time, trial |
| Cake or bakery | 9–12 months | How is the cake delivered and set up? | Size, flavors, design, delivery time |
| Rentals | 9–12 months | What do delivery and collection include? | Item counts, damage terms, pickup time |
| Stationer | Before save-the-dates, 6–9 months | How many proofs are included? | Items, quantities, proof and print dates |
| Transportation | 6–9 months | What happens if the day runs late? | Pickup times, addresses, vehicle, waiting time |
Questions for caterers, florists and cake bakers
Food and flowers are where quotes vary most, because so much depends on guest count, season and service style. The caterer guide covers tastings and menus in depth; these are the questions to have ready for each first call.
- Caterer: Is staffing, tableware and cleanup included, or separate?
- Caterer: How do you handle dietary needs and allergies?
- Florist: Which flowers are in season for our date?
- Florist: Can ceremony pieces be moved to the reception?
- Cake: Can we taste flavors before deciding?
- Cake: How will the cake hold up at our venue’s temperature?
Questions for DJs, bands and hair and makeup artists
With music and beauty, you’re booking specific people as much as a service, so ask who will actually turn up. The DJ and band guide goes further on sets, equipment and must-play lists.
- DJ or band: Can you also cover the ceremony and cocktail hour?
- DJ or band: How do you handle requests and a do-not-play list?
- DJ or band: What space and power do you need?
- Hair and makeup: Is a trial included, and when?
- Hair and makeup: Can you work with different hair types and skin tones?
- Hair and makeup: What time would you need to start on the day?
Questions for rentals, transportation and stationers
These bookings are mostly about logistics: counts, times and access. Check your venue’s rules on delivery windows, parking and décor before you confirm any of them.
- Rentals: When will items be delivered and collected?
- Rentals: Do we need to stack, count or clean anything?
- Transportation: Have you driven these routes before?
- Transportation: Is waiting time included between stops?
- Stationer: Can we see a printed proof before the full run?
- Stationer: Can you handle addressing or postage?
How to compare vendor quotes fairly
Quotes are rarely laid out the same way. Put each one into a simple table against the same items: hours or quantities, number of staff, what’s delivered, travel, tax and service charges, and anything you’d need to add. This is the same approach that works for comparing photography packages, and it quickly shows whether a lower price simply includes less.
Once the numbers line up, weigh how clearly each vendor answered your questions and how comfortable you felt with them. Three quotes is often plenty for a smaller service; more rarely makes the decision easier.
Before you sign, and after you book
Read the full agreement before paying a deposit, and ask for any promises from your calls to be written in. The vendor contract checklist walks through every clause worth checking, from substitutions to usage rights.
After booking, add each vendor’s contact, payment dates and arrival time to your tracker, and share the venue’s rules with them. That makes final confirmations much quicker in the last month.
Track this task
The quick version of this guide, as it appears in the 6–9 Months Before checklist. Mark it done to save your progress.
Book the remaining vendors
Only add services that serve your shared priorities
Book the remaining vendors
Only add services that serve your shared priorities
Book any remaining vendors around 6 months before the wedding, choosing only the services that support the priorities the two of you agreed on at the start.
Steps
0/7By now the big bookings are usually done, and what’s left tends to be smaller services: a photo booth, stationery designer, childcare, a late-night food truck. It’s easy to keep adding extras. Checking each one against your shared priorities keeps the budget steady and the planning manageable, and booking now still leaves good availability.
- Check your running budget total before each new booking.
- Would we actually miss this if we didn’t have it?
- Does the venue need proof of insurance from this vendor?
Frequently asked questions
How many quotes should we get from wedding vendors?
For most services, two or three detailed quotes is enough to understand what’s normal and what’s included. For your biggest spends you might speak to a few more. Ask each vendor the same questions and compare them item by item, so the choice comes down to value and fit rather than whose quote looked simplest.
Should we use the vendors our venue recommends?
Recommended vendors often know the venue’s layout, rules and staff, which can make the day run smoothly. Check whether the list is required or simply suggested, and ask whether the venue receives a fee from them. You’re usually free to compare recommended vendors with others, as long as outside vendors are allowed and meet the venue’s requirements.
Is it okay to negotiate with wedding vendors?
Yes, as long as it’s respectful. Rather than asking for a lower price outright, ask what could change to fit your budget: fewer hours, a smaller package, a weekday or off-season date, or dropping an add-on. Many vendors are happy to adjust scope, and it keeps the conversation friendly for a relationship that lasts until the wedding day.
What if a vendor won’t answer our questions clearly?
Treat it as useful information. How a vendor communicates before you book is usually a good preview of how they’ll communicate later. Try asking again in writing, more specifically. If the answers still feel vague on things like price, cancellation terms or who will attend, it’s reasonable to choose someone else, even if their work looks lovely.