How to Choose Wedding Vendors: Pros Warn Against Mistakes to Avoid

If you've started planning your wedding, you're likely aware of how many choices are involved in building a wedding vendor checklist and selecting wedding vendors. There's a lot of information around how to choose wedding vendors the right way.

To help you feel confident in your vendor search (and feeling informed while navigating The Knot Vendor Marketplace), we tapped a handful of trusted wedding pros (who staggeringly boast more than a century of combined experience!) to get their insights for their best advice on putting together a vendor team.

Jove Meyer, owner and creative director of NYC-based Jove Meyer Events, and Jung Lee, event architect at Fête open up below. Additionally, Cameron Forbes, lead planner of Forbes Functions and Hovik Harutyunyan, owner of Harutyunyan Events, weigh in. Plus, we asked Florida-based wedding planner and business owner Kelly McWilliams and Holly Gray, owner of Anything But Gray Events in LA, to share their advice. Lastly, Tracey Benor, partner and creative director at Benor & Beik, as well as Emily Campbell, founder and executive producer at GoBella Event Design & Planning, get candid with their thoughts. These wedding experts revealed the most common wedding mistakes to avoid that they see couples too frequently fall victim to while hiring wedding vendors.

1. Forgetting About Your Budget

Thinking about budget may not be the most fun of wedding planning tasks, but it may be the most important factor to consider when hiring your vendors. One of the biggest mistakes couples can make is getting swept up in the hiring process and forgetting about the cost. "Not having a clear budget from the start is a big mistake," says Cameron Forbes. Beyond knowing the overarching numer, you also need to have a clear breakdown of what money goes to whom. "When couples do not have a general budget broken down by vendors and categories, they can easily overspend on some vendors and are left with limited resources for others," Jove Meyer says. Before booking anyone, sit down with your partner and decide on a price point for each vendor.

FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT

2. Skipping Vendor Research

Now that you know how much you're going to spend, you probably want to hire all your pros right away. But it's important to pump the breaks and consider who's best for the job through thorough research and by reading reviews. Tracey Benor encourages folks to "look for creative partners with proven experience by checking their portfolios and reading testimonials." Emily Campbell adds: "One of the biggest mistakes we witness or hear about couples making is not conducting thorough research when hiring their creative team. Seek out professionals with a solid track record by examining their portfolios, asking for references, and reading reviews."

While vetting potential pros, Kelly McWilliams suggests that couples be consistent with the questions they ask vendors. "Ask each vendor the same questions so that you can compare apples to apples as you interview," she advises. "Ask about their expertise and their relationships with other vendors you're considering. Most importantly, ask what sets them apart from the others and most importantly, 'What do most of your clients say that you do best?' This answer should align with what you want."

Pro tip: Be sure and peruse winners of The Knot Best of Weddings, an annual award that recognizes the top wedding vendors across the country—so you can see winners right in your area. Once you've made a short-list of vendors you like, set up meetings with your top choices to decide who you want to proceed with.

3. Ignoring Contract Fine Print

Eager to get through your wedding checklist? We don't blame you. But before you sign the dotted line on your wedding vendor contracts, be sure to read the text thoroughly. "Ignoring contracts is a significant oversight," says Hovik Harutyunyan. Not paying attention to the fine print with the contract can "sometimes include additional costs [couples] may not have anticipated," Meyer says. Be sure to read the entire contract and ask for clarification where needed. Forbes specifically encourages couples to "review your vendors' cancellation and refund policies."

4. Booking Vendors Too Late

"Booking vendors late is another major error," warns Harutyunyan. If there's a caterer or some other pro you have to have at your wedding, book them right away. Even if it feels early, hesitating to book is a common mistake that couples make. Additionally, waiting too long to book can result "in both limited choices and higher costs," says Forbes. To save on time, we've compiled easy-to-use templates that you can quickly copy and paste when submitting email inquiries.

5. Waiting to Place a Hold on Someone You Like

"The best vendors are often booked months, if not years, in advance," Harutyunyan. Maybe there's a wedding band you're pretty sure you want at your wedding or a glam team you think you'd love to work with on your wedding day—but you're not 100 percent ready to commit. Meyer recommends asking them to hold your wedding date for you while you do more research. "If you don't ask a vendor to hold a date, they may give it to another couple who is ready to book right away." Better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your wedding team.

Photo: Melissa Stimpson Photography,

Live Illustrator: Samia Lynn Illustration & Design

6. Not Hiring a Wedding Planner

If doing all the work sounds unpleasant to you (or downright impossible given your schedule), consider taping a wedding planner. "Hiring a wedding planner can save you so much time and energy, as it eliminates the guesswork and streamlines the wedding planning process," he says. "A wedding planner will get to know your goals, style, personality and budget and they will match you with the best vendors for you."

Another pro of working with a wedding planner? They'll take on all the administrative work of emails, scheduling, site visits, logistics, meetings, insurance—you name it. That way, you get to focus on enjoying your day. A planner will "manage any vendor issues and ensure a smooth planning process," explains Forbes.

7. Ignoring Professional Advice

It's not enough just to hire a professional, you also need to listen to them. Holly Gray explains that she frequently sees couples "hiring great vendors but not allowing them to create at their full capacity due to micro-managing. As a couple, if you are doing your due diligence and vetting your vendors prior to hiring them and feel comfortable and confident about their talents and communicated expectations, it only makes sense to trust their process and not try to control the situation."

"Couples can achieve a beautiful, stress-free celebration by staying proactive, communicating clearly, and being adaptable throughout the wedding planning process," explains Campbell.

Remember: "You hired a professional because they are an expert in their field (and you are not!) Let them do what they do to produce the best result possible," says Gray.

8. Booking a Venue Before Considering Your Guest List

When to book vendors is a question at the top of every newlywed's mind. And while booking vendors too late can be an issue, as we just discussed, it's also important that you don't jump the gun too quickly, especially when it comes to a wedding venue.

After getting engaged, Jung Lee says she often sees couples excitedly rush to book their venue. But booking a venue is typically the most expensive decision couples make during the wedding planning process, so it's important to establish guest count and budget before choosing your day-of destination.

"Venues can end up being too big to too small, they can take the lion's share of the budget and not leave enough for anything else, or a venue's minimum guarantee can be too high (and once it's in the contract, you can't decrease it)," Lee says. So while it's important to get going on your wedding checklist after getting engaged, make sure the guest count and budget are finalized before signing any papers.

9. Choosing the Cheapest Option

While weddings can be expensive, booking your vendors solely based on price isn't the best route. "If you think good vendors are expensive, wait until you see the cost of the cheap ones," remarks Harutyunyan. "While staying on budget is crucial, it's equally important to ensure the vendor aligns with your wedding style, vision, production scale, and needs. A poorly matched vendor can end up costing more in the long run, along with added stress and anxiety."

Gray emphasizes that aligning expectations with your budget is a key factor here. "Your expectations need to reflect your budget and your budget needs to reflect your expectation," she says. "Choosing the least expensive option hoping it will exceed expectations is the fastest way to be disappointed.So often, couples are looking for champagne dreams on a beer budget. While there is nothing wrong with a cold beer, it is just that, a beer. It will never be champagne, even if put it in a coupe glass. Be realistic with your budget in each vendor category, as well as the going rate for the services and experience you are expecting. Understand with experience comes higher expectations as well as higher prices points for vendors services. If something seems like it is too good to be true, it probably is!"

If your budget is a concern, prioritize what's most important to you. Is it an amazing meal with all of your favorite foods? A gorgeous flower installation? An incredible DJ to keep the party going? Prioritize certain vendors and then budget accordingly.

10. Poor Communication and Expectation Setting

"Lack of communication with your creative partners can cause misunderstandings and disappointments on the wedding day," warns Campbell. Weddings have a lot of moving parts so all key stakeholders must be on the same page about what's happening. McWilliams advises couples to align on a plan early on. "Ask what they expect from you and tell them what you hope to receive from them. A good vendor should be able to explain their process and how it will work with your wedding specifically. For example, if you know that you will not be available at all Mondays–Fridays, let them know in the very beginning that you may only be able to respond or have meetings in the evenings or weekends."

Photo: Forged in the North,

Makeup: Tedrick Lamar

11. Ignoring Compatibility

It's important to trust your gut and ensure that a pro aligns with your vibe. "trust your instincts and vibe check. Just because a vendor was perfect for a friend five years ago doesn't mean they will be for your wedding," says Harutyunyan. Or in Meyer's words: "It's like dating: if you feel the feels, make the deal!"

Why is compatibility so important? Because it affects the end result. Benor explains that you want pros who "understand your vision and style, as compatibility leads to better collaboration. Trust your instincts—if something feels off during the initial consultation, it's okay to keep looking until you find the right fit." Gray agrees, going on to note that "with the average duration of wedding planning being 8-12 months, if there isn't mutual respect, good communication, trust, and a general sense of camaraderie and synergy, it won't be a good fit on either side."

12. Lacking a Team Mindset

According to The Knot 2023 Real Weddings Study, couples hire an average of 14 pros to bring their event to life. That's more players than a team has on a football or soccer field at any given time! With that many pros, in addition to VIPs like parents and wedding party members, it's important that everyone is aligned with a team mindset. "When assembling your creative team, establish a strong connection and ensure they grasp your vision and style," advises Campbell. Harutyunyan takes things one step further and warns that "your wedding is only as strong as your weakest vendor. Think of having the best vendors as an essential insurance policy for success."

"By being proactive, communicating effectively, and remaining flexible, couples can navigate the challenges of wedding planning and ensure a beautiful, stress-free celebration," encourages Benor.

13. Letting Other People Make Your Decisions

We love the idea of looking to your friends' weddings for day-of inspiration. But Meyer says a common mistake couples make is booking their friends' vendors without actually talking to the vendors first. "Don't book your friends' vendors just because they liked them," he says. "You are not them, and this is your wedding—not theirs." He suggests exploring your friends' recommendations, but keep your differences in mind. Maybe your friend's caterer cooked a luxe meal of steak and grilled veggies but you want to serve tacos at your wedding. That's perfectly OK, Meyer says. "Be selfish and make decisions that feel right to you, even if they're not popular amongst your friends."

Lee agrees, advising couples not to try and copy other weddings. "Every couple is special and unique, so your wedding is the time to genuinely reflect that," she says. "It's a rare opportunity to share all the things you love in life (food, drinks, ambiance) with all of the people you love."

14. Trying to Do Everything at Once

Everything, everywhere, all at once—this concept made for a compelling movie, but is not a great way to approach wedding planning.

For example, Meyer says most couples get into trouble when they try to book all of their vendors at once. The best way to go about hiring your wedding pros is by making a list of vendors, including the price for each one, and then prioritizing them in order of importance. "Focus on one vendor at a time," Meyer says. "Don't try booking all of your vendors at the same time. You'll be overwhelmed and lose track of everything."

The same goes for other items on your wedding checklist. There's a reason that the average engagement length is 15 months. There's a lot for you to handle, and it's ok to take things one step at a time.

15. Forgetting to Have Fun

Wedding planning can be overwhelming and stressful at times, but Meyer says couples should always find time for fun in the wedding planning process. "I encourage couples to create a celebration after you book each vendor," he says. Share a bottle of champagne, or go out for a delicious dinner together. "Wedding planning is a lot of work, but don't lose track of the reason for the celebration, which is love!"

Kim Forrest and Maddy Sims contributed to the reporting of this article.