I’ve given some tips before on interviewing wedding vendors before and talked about what worked best for us, but here are some additional tips I learned along the way:
- It is entirely your responsibility to be knowledgeable going into the interview. I realize that some things are complicated, like photography, deejaying, and videography, but you HAVE to know the right questions to ask. Otherwise the vendor you’re interviewing might start rattling off all sorts of information that SOUNDS impressive, but really might not mean a whole lot. Venture on to some industry forums and lurk around. Learn about why it’s crucial that your photographer shoot in RAW and not JPEG. Learn that there’s a difference between high definition and “high quality” video recording equipment.
- Similarly, vendors know they can tell you all sorts of information that sounds impressive. So don’t be afraid to ask, “Why is that important.” For instance, the deejay you’re interviewing might tell you that they use a 1400 Watt Amplifier. Interrupt them. Ask “why is that important.” Ask them “is that an industry standard” and “is that considered “top of the line, mid-level, etc. equipment” and “what websites can I go to to learn more about your equipment? and “Do other deejays use similar equipment?” Don’t just nod like a little sheep. Ask questions. It’s your money. Spend it on the right folks.
- Ask them what the worst complaint is that they’ve ever received. Of course, you can always go and check their reviews on Yelp and Wedding Wire, but I always like to hear it from them. If asking someone in a job interview what their greatest weakness is, then asking someone about their worst complaint is perfectly acceptable. Ask them if they thought the complaint was valid, how they handled it, and what they did in the future to avoid such complaints.
- Give them some scenarios that you see likely (or at least possible) to happen at your wedding and ask them what they would do. Ask your deejay how they’ll handle it if your non-dancing family won’t get on the dance floor. Ask your caterer and bartender how they’d handle Uncle Joe who likes to drink too much, and ask your photographer how they’d handle a lot of wannabe amateur photographers at your wedding.
What other wedding vendor interviewing tips do you have?
