When planning your clients’ weddings, there are many wedding professionals you will be recommending and working with during the entire wedding planning process and on the wedding day. The vendor team is the most important asset to ensure a successful wedding day. As the planner, you are the leader of that team. Since your clients have likely never thrown an event of this size and caliber, they rely on your expertise to plan the perfect wedding. 

When hiring wedding vendors, what are the most important questions to ask? Often, couples without a professional wedding planner get so overwhelmed before the vendor meetings that they walk away with many unanswered questions. As a wedding planner, you know a significant amount more about the vendors in your area and can provide a tremendous service in regards to helping engaged couples choose the best vendor team for their style, budget, and desires.

Here are the most important questions to ask prospective wedding vendors:

Questions to Ask All Vendors

1. How long have you been in business?
   Pro tip: Working with new companies is fine, but you should know how long they have been in the industry.
2. How many weddings do you book per day? If more than one, how does your team handle the volume? Who will be the point of contact?
3. What is your deposit? Is it refundable? Is the amount negotiable? 
4. What is your cancellation policy? 
5. Can I review your contract?
6. Are there any additional fees? Gratuities, taxes, additional staff, etc. 
7. Do you carry liability insurance?
   Pro tip: Urge your clients against booking a vendor who does not maintain their own liability insurance.
8. What happens if you are sick or cannot work the day of our wedding?
9. Do you have references? 
10. Do you charge a travel fee? 

Event Venue Specific Questions

1. What is your capacity? 
2. Can we hold a rehearsal the day before? Is there a cost?
3. Is there a backup option for inclement weather? 
4. What duties will an on-site coordinator perform?
   Pro tip: Often, an on-site coordinator is sold as a replacement for a professional wedding planner, but they do not serve the same function. 
5. Do you require Event Liability Insurance?
   Pro tip: Most venues require clients to obtain an event liability policy. You should consider recommending to your clients that they purchase event liability and event cancellation insurance to protect their wedding investment in the event of something unexpected occurring, even if the venue does not require it.

Catering Specific Questions

1. What styles of meal service do you offer? Plated, family-style, buffet? 
2. Do you provide all of the rentals, or do we need to work with a rental company for linens, dishes, glasses, and flatware? 
3. Do you offer complimentary tastings? 
4. Are menus fixed, or can clients create custom menus?
5. How many staff members will be on-site on the day of the wedding? 

Photographer Specific Questions

1. Will you be the one shooting the wedding? If not, will my clients meet their photographer(s) before our wedding? 
2. Will you have a second photographer on-site? 
3. Can we create custom packages? Or are they set? 
4. Do you shoot in digital, film, or both? 
5. Will my clients be provided the digital images? How soon after the wedding?
6. Can my clients order albums and prints from you?
7. Can extra time be added on the day of the event if we get behind schedule? 
8. Can we request specific photos we would like you to take? 

Florist Specific Questions

1. What style of weddings and types of clients do you work best with?
2. What types of flowers and décor do you recommend for my clients wedding based on the style, budget, and images we shared with you?
3. Do you offer any decor items? 
4. Do you and your staff provide all the setup and break-down of flowers and decor on the wedding day?
5. How far in advance do you need final numbers for the floral and decor? 

DJ/Band Specific Questions

1. What genres do you cover? 
2. Can clients submit a do not playlist?
3. How do you like to work with wedding planners during the planning process and on the wedding day? 
4. Can you serve as the emcee or just play music? 
5. Who will be the DJ on the day of the wedding? Will we be able to meet the DJ before the wedding day?

When matching your wedding clients with wedding professionals, remember that there are no silly questions. 

Wedding Insurance

Finally, remember that it is essential for every client to consider purchasing event liability and cancellation insurance for their wedding. Markel event insurance offers both event cancellation and event liability insurance for weddings. Although Markel’s event cancellation coverage does not provide coverage if the event has to be canceled or postponed due to an infectious disease, epidemic or pandemic, it does offer insurance protection for your clients if the wedding needs to be canceled or postponed due to such things as extreme weather, venue bankruptcy, or military deployment.

Event liability coverage can help protect your clients if they are held legally responsible for property damage to the venue or bodily injury to someone injured at the event. 

Markel event insurance can be a great solution for your clients with policies starting as low as $75, and a free event insurance quote from Markel takes only a few minutes online or on the phone. Get more information now on the Markel Insurance website.

*this post is sponsored by Markel Service, Incorporated

This blog is intended for general information purposes only, and should not be construed as advice or opinions on any specific facts or circumstances. The content of this document is made available on an “as is” basis, without warranty of any kind. This publication is not intended to be legal, underwriting, or any other type of professional advice.  Persons requiring advice should consult an independent adviser.  Markel does not guarantee any particular outcome and makes no commitment to update any information herein, or remove any items that are no longer accurate or complete. Coverage is provided by one or more of the insurance companies within Markel and policyholder services are provided by the underwriting manager, Markel Service, Incorporated, national producer license # 27585, in California d/b/a Markel Insurance Services, license # 0645481.  Certain products and services are provided through various non-admitted insurance company subsidiaries of Markel and are offered through licensed surplus lines brokers or through Markel West Insurance Services California license # 0D95581.