3 Ways to Vet Hawaii Wedding Vendors
Nate Burgoyne:
Aloha, welcome to the Super Fresh Hawaii Wedding Podcast! My name is Nate Burgoyne, your host of this podcast with the Frobaby Productions DJ team. It’s a pleasure to be with you. Thanks for joining this podcast.
This is the first of many to come, and today I’m going to tackle a topic that I feel really passionate about. I think it’s going to be really helpful to couples who are trying to find vendors.
Today’s Topic: Three Ways to Vet Your Vendors
If you have found some vendors that you think you want to hire and are considering, then this right here is the topic for you today. You’re going to love this.
I’m going to make the assumption that you maybe have a few florists that you’re considering. There are a few caterers that you’re considering already. There are some DJs you’re considering, coordinators, rental companies. You have kind of a list of vendors, and you’re trying to narrow that down to who’s going to be the right person for your event.
So today, I’m going to talk about three ways to vet those vendors to help you narrow that down and find your finalists.
Tip 1: Check Their Website and Social Media
The first tip is to visit their Instagram and their websites. I’m a firm believer that the way we do one thing is the way we do all things.
So, if you visit the website and it feels right—it’s easy to understand, easy to follow, you’re getting information, they’re not fluff talking you, and it doesn’t seem generic—then that might be the right person for you. It’s going to feel right.
The same thing holds true for their social media. Visit the social media accounts. What do you see there? What do you feel there? Does it resonate with you? Does the party that you see look like the party you want for your wedding? Does it convey the feelings that you want conveyed at your wedding?
So, visit their websites, visit their socials. In the case of coordinators, what are their clients like? What does that look like? In the case of florists, of course, look at those floral arrangements. Look at what you’re seeing there. Is that what you’re looking for? Does that resonate with you?
When you visit their website, if they’ve taken the time to provide you with information and make things easy to follow and understand, that is going to be an indicator of how communication will go moving forward.
Once again, I believe that the way people do one thing is the way they do all things. Take the time to discover if this is a vendor that is most likely going to work with you and your personality.
Tip 2: Ask Vendors for Recommendations
Ask vendors for their recommendations.
For example, ask the DJ about the caterers. DJs eat lots of food at weddings, and we’ve tried it all. We know who the caterers are. We know who’s making instant mashed potatoes. We know who feeds the vendors well. We know who’s cooking food on site. We know who’s bringing it in, and it’s been in a warmer for hours and is kind of dry when it gets there. Any vendor knows that. DJs know that.
So, for example, ask your prospective DJs, “Hey, what do you think of these caterers, or who do you recommend for a caterer?”
On the flip side, you can ask your caterers who they recommend for DJs. Caterers are there all night and see what happens. They see the dance floor. They see what’s going on there. A caterer can give you an unbiased opinion about the DJ teams.
You could also ask your DJ for recommendations for coordinators. We work with so many, and as DJs—especially if your DJ team also does MC work—we are constantly in communication with the coordinators. We see who’s super organized and who has a certain vibe. We’d be happy to share insights into which coordinators we think might be a great fit for you.
Ask us, ask florists, ask bartenders, ask caterers, ask rental people—they’re there as well. Just get those vendor recommendations.
However, recommendations from vendors can be biased too, so be aware of that. If you’re getting recommendations from vendors, ask them about how that relationship works.
Some vendors have “sweetheart deals” where if the coordinator recommends a vendor, that vendor gives them a kickback, a percentage of their contract. The same thing holds true for some venues. They have these kinds of deals, which, in my personal opinion, can be shady.
If you do get recommendations from a vendor, I don’t think it’s out of place to ask, “Do you have a sweetheart kickback deal with these vendors?” That doesn’t mean that even if they have that kind of relationship, they’re not the right vendor for you. It’s just good to know if there are ulterior motives behind the recommendation.
Tip 3: Read Reviews
Check the reviews. Read them online. You can find reviews on Google, The Knot, WeddingWire, Yelp, and other platforms.
Read the reviews. How many do they have? If they say they’ve been in business for 30 years and have three reviews, that just doesn’t equate in my mind. If something seems off, they may not be asking for reviews, or they may not be earning them.
When you read reviews, read the verbiage in detail. Are couples excited to leave reviews? Are they long and detailed? Or are they suspiciously generic like, “Hey, they did a great job!”?
Look for common threads in the reviews. You can piece those together and identify the vendor’s strengths. If you don’t see a specific quality in the reviews that’s important to you, that vendor might not be the right fit.
Bonus Tips
- Join Private Facebook Groups: Some couples share their vendor experiences in private groups where vendors aren’t allowed. These can provide unbiased feedback.
- Schedule a Zoom Call: Especially for destination couples, meeting vendors face-to-face via Zoom can help you gauge if you connect with them.
Conclusion
Those are the tips I have for you today! Thanks for joining the Super Fresh Hawaii Wedding Podcast.
If there are topics you’d like to hear about, reach out at superfreshpodcast.com. To learn more about the Frobaby Productions DJ team, visit frobabyproductions.com.
Happy vendor hunting! Peace.