Finding your Michigan Wedding Vendors
Why does finding the right Michigan wedding vendors for your day feel so difficult? Because you’ve never planned a wedding before and have no idea what all goes into planning one (and that’s okay)! When planning my wedding in 2023, I often felt lost and unsure of what to ask in consultations with vendors. Getting all the information felt overwhelming at times. Sometimes I didn’t know what to do with some of the information given (like napkin color choices and the add ons DJs have). I often didn’t think of what to ask until after our consultation call.
It wasn’t until I started working alongside other vendors at weddings that I really saw how weddings truly all came together behind the scenes. As a photographer, I’m usually hired right after a venue is booked and often get asked to help find the remaining vendors-something I’m always happy to do. If you’re in the initial stages of wedding planning, save this to know what questions to ask during consultation calls with your Michigan wedding vendors! These are in the order I see couples typically book vendors in, but you could
Michigan Wedding Venues
Michigan has some of the most stunning wedding venues. Between our lush woods and our sparkling lakeshores, you really can’t choose wrong when getting married here. Every venue is incredibly diverse, not only in nature, but in how they run a wedding day. These questions will help determine not only your venue, but other Michigan wedding vendors as well!
- What is the minimum/maximum guest count requirement?
- Are there additional fees for early set up or late tear down? (Some venues allow you in a day early to decorate)
- Do you provide in-house catering/bartending, and if not do you have recommended vendors for this?
- Are there any restrictions on vendors we can/can’t use? (Think catering & bartending when it’s not in-house)
- What decor restrictions do you have? (Think candles, hanging things on walls, drapery)
- Are there any policies on event hours & noise levels?
- Can we get a list of everything included in the rental cost?
- Do you require us to purchase additional event insurance?
- Do you have a bridal suite included, and what hours will be it accessible to me?
- How many events do you host in a weekend?
- How do you ensure our event stays private if you host multiple in a day?
Photographers/Videographers/Content Creators
The biggest Michigan wedding vendor you’ll want to hire is your photo and video team. If you really think about it, the photographs and videos are tangible things you will leave your day with (besides that marriage license)! You’ll have this media for the rest of your life. Call me biased since I’m a photographer, but I believe your media team is one of the most important parts of your Michigan wedding vendor team.
- Are you licensed & insured?
- How do you ensure the safety of our images/videos? (The answer should include backing them up to external hard-drives & using cameras with dual card slots)
- What happens in the event you can no longer work our day? (Think last minute illness or family emergency)
- How long after our event can we expect our photos/video/content?
- How many weddings do you take in a weekend?
- What’s your typical wedding photo/video style? (Think more in regards to super posed & staged moments throughout the day or capturing candid moments)
Floral Team
Florals are such a dreamy design element of many wedding days. You’ll want a floral team that can execute your vision while also staying within budget.
- Do you require a minimum purchase/budget?
- Do you use any sustainability practices in your business? (This is more in regards to environmentally friendly practices aka no floral foam)
- Can you tell us more about your design process & how you will bring our vision to life?
- Are there limitations on the types of florals? (I’m sure spring florals are much different than fall florals)
- Do you provide any other decor alongside florals?
- Can we repurpose our ceremony floral decor to the reception floral decor? Do you assist with that?
DJs
DJs are the Michigan wedding vendors that keep the party going ALL night long. A great DJ can read the vibe of the room and adjust the music accordingly. They can keep your guests mingling during cocktail hour and on the dance floor all night.
- What are your set-up needs for my venue?
- What is included in your costs?
- Do you offer up-lighting or cold sparklers? (This is totally optional, but a lot of DJs have lighting set ups)
- How do you handle song requests or do-not-play requests?
- What’s your back-up plan in the event of equipment malfunction? (I once had a power outage at a wedding and the DJ had no back-up!)
- Do you provide sound system equipment for the ceremony? (Think wireless mics)
- How much space do you need for your set up?
- What filler music do you play when not at your booth? (Think more about during dinner time- don’t forget to provide a meal for them)
Hair/Makeup Teams
Your beauty team is one you’ll want to have trial services with! You want to make sure you both understand the vision and logistics of your glam vision.
- Does the total cost include trial services?
- How long have you done bridal makeup? (Bridal services are much different than non-wedding events)
- Do you include touch-up kits?
- How many artists will we need for a wedding party size of x?
- Are you able to accommodate my skin type? (Think sensitive, dry, oil, rosacea, etc.)
- What brands/types of makeup do you use?
- If you are suddenly unable to work on my day, do you provide a replacement?
Catering & Bartending Services
Catering and bartending are one of those Michigan wedding vendors that your guests will remember for a long time! When talking with our friend group, the one thing that I hear all the time is “remember so & so’s wedding? Their food was amazing!”. Choosing the right caterer and bartenders will provide a guest experience that’ll have YOUR people remembering and talking about.
- Are you licensed & insured?
- What types of meals do you offer? (Think family style, buffet, plated)
- Do you offer menu tastings & how many people can I bring?
- Do you have options for food allergies & restrictions?
- Do you charge a cake cutting fee? (This is a fee to cut any large cakes to serve to guests)
- Do you provide alcohol, OR do you buy back unused alcohol?
- What additional fees are there?
- When are final menu decisions needed?
Where to Find Your Michigan Wedding Vendors
If you’re struggling on where to find your Michigan wedding vendors, there are a few places you can check! I highly recommend a directory like Zola. You can search for vendors by area- but just a heads up that it’s usually better to email a vendor than it is to send them a message through the platform. Sometimes messages on these platforms get lost so email them directly to avoid the potential of that happening! Social media is also a great tool for finding Michigan wedding vendors. Look at vendor feeds, see who’s tagged in the photos, and see who’s working with who! I’ve had more success with Instagram than Facebook, but I encourage you to look at both! Also, If you DO have a vendor booked already- ask them for recommendations! I give vendor referrals all the time to clients.
