Vendor Selection for Honeycutt/Causey wedding...

So, once we had selected out venue, it was time to select our vendors for the wedding. How do you select from hundreds of photographers, florist, and bakeries? One of my suggestions is to talk to people who have gotten married, and who have interviewed vendors. So thats what I started doing. I have alot of friends who recently got married or are going through this with me, and gave me tons of names. Some I met and didn't click with, even though my friends may have worked well with them. I would interview them, and ask questions, and get a feel for their style. And sometimes the vendors that didn't work well with them, actually worked well for me.

My most interesting vendor meeting was my photographer. She is a good friend of one of our groomsmen. At the time we were at a funeral and weren't thinking about the wedding at all, when our friend said you need to meet Ashley, she is an amazing photographer. I really didn't want to think about it at that point, we were there for our friend since his relative had passed, but he went on to promote her. She and I talked and said ok well lets set up a meeting. I went to her website and was blown away. I loved it! I mean you never know when you are going to meet someone, whether it be for a wedding vendor or a job...

Our next meeting was with a cake baker, suggestions from SEVERAL girls. I met with her, and was sooo disappointed in the cakes, and the taste, and her style. It wasn't me or us. I hated that since I had been to many weddings with her cakes! I then met with a vendor that my bridesmaid had used for her wedding. I fell in love with the cakes, and a particular cake in their shop. I was sold!!! Something just clicked when I met Alli with Sweet Memories Bakery in Apex, and I just knew that was who I wanted to work with.

Then it was time for flowers....flowers are EXPENSIVE!! I asked around, I researched, I looked online, I emailed, and got snobby responses, and got frustrated. I finally found a vendor that many of my friends said they would have used but she was expensive. However, we have little to no flowers, being that the wedding is in a barn, so I said why not? I met Rachael with Tre Bella in Durham and she and I were totally on the same page. She thought of things I was thinking. We clicked and I loved her style, and I said this is it. The price seemed good, and I truly felt she listened to me.

DJ.....I just decided that since I had been to a wedding where I loved the music I would find out who the DJ was? It was another Bridesmaid, Jenny, she told me Joe Bunn DJ. I was sold from the beginning since I had been to a wedding directed by the group. They were sooo much fun, and casual and really were professional.

We will have the reception on a lake outside, and a DJ really didn't seem to be the right way to go. So live music, a string trio would be perfect. I couldn't find anyone who knew any ceremony music players, so this was me researching and reading reviews, and calling. I found Ruby Prescott with Blue Sands Music of Durham, and was very impressed with the reviews, and my interview with her. We booked her, and we shall see!!!

Since the Angus Barn provides linens, all rentals and centerpieces, my vendor list is short. I think the idea of a one stop shop is a great idea, where you can get a little more for a great price.
So when you are looking, look for a place that offers a little more, like chairs and tables, or linens. It will help your checkbook, and your sanity. More to come...