Hiring Professionals Pays Off

By Jan Brenner & Jennifer Ahearn

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if weddings just planned themselves and automatically included everything you ever wanted? You’d simply say “yes” to that designer gown you covet, the 300-person guest list, the six-course dinner with endless champagne, the hot band you just saw on YouTube and all the other deliciously pricey items on your wish list. That pesky word “budget” would not even be in your vocabulary.

Finding The Right Professionals

articles_alt How do you know which professionals you can trust? All of the vendors in Here Comes The Guide have gone through a rigorous screening process. Read what it means to be Certified by the Guide.

You can also tap everyone you know for recommendations, including wedding vendors that you already trust. Ask if they can refer you to someone who was recently married who might be willing to talk—most brides are happy to chat about their experiences with wedding professionals! Your location may be another source for excellent references: they probably have a list of preferred vendors—pros who’ve done many events there, are knowledgeable about the facility and have a good relationship with them.

Read All About It

If flipping through too many glossy wedding magazines has you lost in wedding fantasyland, some good books can help you out of the maze. We like the no-nonsense advice in Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing a Fantastic Wedding on a Realistic Budget, by Alan and Denise Fields and the experienced voice of Countdown to Your Perfect Wedding: From Engagement Ring to Honeymoon, a Week-by-Week Guide to Planning the Happiest Day of Your Life by Joyce Scardina Becker. Carolyn Gerin’s Anti-Bride Guide: Tying the Knot Outside of the Box talks dollars and sense. All of these resources will give you the firm footing you need to start making some informed decisions.


Filed under Ceremony, Expert Advice, Music and Entertainment, Photography, Planning, Receptions, Wedding Video

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