5 Wedding Vendors You Need and What to Budget For Each
Photo by LA Love Weddings
Wedding Vendors are an important part of the planning process. You don't need to break the bank but you must make sure that you do your research. We have shot a lot of weddings and find that the most important wedding vendors are:
Day of Wedding Coordinator or Wedding Planner
Videographers
Photographers
Florist
DJ or Band (Must be able to MC)
These are the most important Wedding vendors. There are others you can add to the list and you can take some of these off the list. But this is a good core group to make your wedding the best it can be. I'm going to break down my tips for finding your perfect team.
Budget
You need to figure out what you are willing to pay for each of these vendors. Depending on what is most important for you. When we were planning our respective weddings. We found that the Videographers and Photographers were an important aspect. This is because of our background. You might find for your wedding that flowers are more important. Everyone is different.
With any vendor the more qualified and experienced they are the more expensive they can get. The prices averages below are reflective of California pricing. So it may be different depending on where you live.
It's best to assume you will be paying about $2,000 per category.
Day of Wedding Coordinator $1,500+
A day of wedding coordinator is a point person that is there to make sure that your wedding day runs smoothly. They will help you create a timeline, and shot list, and communicate with vendors. They are a huge help in making sure no one bothers the Bride and Groom on their special day. A lot of venues require you to hire a day-of coordinator for weddings. Now, remember a venue coordinator is not the same as a day-of coordinator. Some venues will give you a point person. They are in charge of making sure everyone eats on time. They won't keep track of your timeline and that your bouquet toss happens when it's supposed to.
They are well worth the money and you will not regret getting one.
Full wedding planners help during your entire planning process and are more expensive. If you know how you want to plan your wedding. Then a day-of coordinator is more than enough.
Photography and Videography $1,500+/per
In the Wedding world right now. Photography is more expensive than videography. As the trends start to sway towards video they will start to become closer in price in the future.
Photographers and videographers in Los Angeles can range from $1,500 to over $10,000. I kid you not. Of course, you can find one cheaper than $1,500 but you are gambling on your wedding photos and video at that point. It's best to make the investments so you're not disappointed later. Since you can't "redo" your wedding for better photos and video. If you find a team like LA Love Weddings, that does both, you can get a package deal that is a more affordable option. Plus the benefit of having one company do both is that they know how to capture weddings as a team.
If you’re really budgeting remember that often photography and videography for 6 hours vs 8 hours will be a little less. Just remember that you will have to sacrifice some to get all the shots you want in a 6-hour timeframe.
Floral Design $1,500+
In Los Angeles, if you want good flowers you are looking at over $2,000. This is if you hire a florist. I would be wary of anyone less than this unless you’re willing to DIY a little.
Know that you can repurpose the ceremony flower arrangements during the reception. You can also put the Bridesmaid’s bouquets in vases for extra centerpieces during the reception.
DJ/MC $1,000+
You want a good DJ that can get the crowd on the floor. Make sure that they will also emcee your wedding. This means making announcements when special events are about to happen. DJs can get more expensive if you want them to do special lighting or add more speakers. When planning my wedding I got quoted $6,000 for a DJ and under $1,000 for another. It’s a matter of your budget and needs.
I’m letting you know the average prices so you can budget for what you want in vendors.
Vibe Check
You don’t need to zoom and meet for coffee. But you should talk on the phone with any potential vendors you have. You will know if they are a fit for you. If you get along and are on the same page with how you want to work together that's great. A vibe check is to see if you want this person on your team. Do not hire a vendor without a phone call. Also, remember that the vendor works for you. Don’t be afraid to say what you want or don’t want for your wedding. If they are rude to you or insult your budget (especially if they already knew it ahead of time). That is a red flag.
This is supposed to be fun. Believe me, I don’t care how “high in demand” someone is. The first thing they should be is fun. Pick your vendors based on if I liked them enough to be friends. They will be hanging out with you on one of the biggest days of your life. Make sure they are kind.
Professionalism
Your vendor doesn’t have to have a ton of experience sometimes you get great deals on people starting. They should have some examples and know what they're doing. Which is what the phone call is for.
They also don't need to have worked at your venue before. If you are concerned because you have a unique location. Send them photos or the venue's website.
Professionalism comes from if they email you back, answer your questions, and are organized. We use Honeybook as vendors and love it! It keeps all communication in one portal. Has an easy way to take payments (including credit card payments). If you encounter a vendor that uses Honeybook - know that they are serious about their business. Even if they don't use it make sure they are
Organized
Send you a letter of agreement/contract
Answer any questions you have
Have insurance or the ability to get day-of insurance for your wedding
I find the best places to find vendors are Zola, The Knot, Wedding Wire, Word of Mouth, and Instagram.
If you would like LA Love Weddings to be part of your special day check out our videography and photography packages here. We would love to capture your wedding!
