When couples choose by cost instead of experience, these 3 things run the risk of ruining your wedding.
First of all, we realize that there are dozens of vendors that end up making a big first wedding run smoothly. All have an important role, and some, are optional. We'd like to highlight 3 in this article that we feel can, at times, be considered optional, and when they are considered "optional" this causes stress and problems in the long run that could have been avoided.
We get it. You have a budget that you need to keep to. However, after hundreds of weddings, Rod and I have identified 3 vendors that bride and grooms tend to overlook, hire within the family, or choose by “whose the cheapest”, and this truly effects the overall experience of the day.
What do the 3 things have in common? They all require experience and practice in order to get their ‘thing’ great---and experience does not come cheap. All 3 may make it look easy, if they are good at what they do, and if they are inexperienced, you are flirting with disaster for what might happen to your day.
#1. The DJ -- Hire experienced, not cheap….and definitely not free (don’t have a family member do it, they should be on the dance floor, not sweating it out on stage.)
Don’t leave your party to chance. If you are going to have someone running the music, an experienced DJ will mean the difference between a party that goes on into the night and flies by, and keeps everyone staying around and engaged, to a party that has everyone leaving early and missing the bouquet toss. Truly.
#2. The Makeup Artist---No kidding, they can make or break a bride’s day. It seems like something you could do yourself, but trust me, if you do it yourself you are leaving 3 big things to chance:
a) your time, and therefore your stress level...professionals know how long things take.
b) your happiness and confidence in yourself throughout the day. Pros know how to use the right products and tools to not only have you looking flawless from the beginning, but all day and into the night
c) your photos. Wouldn’t you like to enjoy ALL your wedding photos without having to see them all retouched first? Many brides are getting nothing but digital images these days, and that means no retouching...which means, honey, let’s get that makeup on right!
Added bonus, if you get professional makeup for your bridal party, think how happy you’ve made everyone feel, and look in your photos, that’s a feeling and a gift that you’ve given those women that will last forever as well.
#3. The Photographer and Videographer. Of course as photographers we are bias, but we’ve saved the best for last. Ok, so maybe you don’t want to remember your wedding. If you hire your photographer or videographer based solely on the fact that you’ve found the cheapest solution, you are taking a chance that you may end up with nothing. We have heard horror stories over and over again. Imagine nothing to leave behind for future generations to look back on. Are we clear? It should be. Don’t risk it.
Obviously you need to weigh your budget with everything you do, but the point is, there are certain things, the 3 things above in particular, that couples have a tendency to ONLY look at price, and not ask about other factors that may be important when choosing that vendor. Our opinion is that you need to look at the vendor’s experience, and also fully be aware of the consequences of that item in your budget, if it all goes wrong.
The DJ, the makeup artist (MUA) and the Image makers, are 3 hires that if you look ONLY at price, you will end up with consequences that can be disastrous to the experience and to the memory of the experience. There are few other things that we can honestly say couples seem to forget and leave to chance, and that can also make such a big difference to the day.
Remember, start out strong with confidence and beauty, end strong with a party that everyone will enjoy. Then, when you have that great photographer, they will capture all the fun you and your guests had at the reception, and you’ll smile back on how great everyone looks, even in the photos you didn’t have retouched for the album. Oh, you didn't get an album? Please print your photos. We implore you. But that's a talk for another day.
Cheers! Xoxo. Rod and Stephanie Oman, The Imagery Portrait Photography Studio, Burnsville, MN
