Working With Custom Vendors

Bridal Season is heating up and now is the time to start contacting vendors for your custom pieces! I have put together a few tips to help you get exactly what you have envisioned for your big day.

When you contact a vendor about making a custom piece or set make sure you mention the important stuff up front.

• Your wedding date is of course important but also letting the vendor know about any hair trials or other "need by" dates.
• Let the designer know if you are considering a bigger set and not just one item. Some vendors, like myself, will give a discount for bigger sets!
• Your budget. I know, I know - you feel like giving someone a budget is like letting someone rip you off (what if they were going to say way less!?) I felt the same way when I was planning my wedding. But here is the thing, if you let me know how much you want to spend I can find materials and sources to make the best piece possible for that amount of money. I may even throw in something extra because i know it will make your wallet happy!
• Pictures, Ideas & Inspiration. Nothing will help a vendor give you a quote faster than pictures of what you are looking for. Your idea of medium may be way different than mine - but a picture of what you think is medium will help me to know exactly what you expect. Pictures are the key to success. Send pictures of your dress, your shoes, something you like, your hair, whatever. Every picture helps.
  

Other things to consider:

Color Obsessed: Go to Home Depot and grab some free paint color swatches that match your theme - ask your designer for their mailing address and send them off!

Pressed for Time: Let the designer know up front if you are super stressed out. Even if your wedding is 8 months away - if you mentally need something done soon, please let us know!

Not happy with the final product?
Talk to your vendor! If a comb, a fit, a size, a whatever, is not working for you, just let the designer know. They will most likely be happy to try and fix it for you. Even if your wedding is 3 days from now - your designer can talk you through a simple fix that you or a loved one can do at home. If you don't let us know, we cant fix it.

Good Luck and Congratulations!

Wedding Budget

While trolling around the Internet for wedding planning ideas I happened upon this great printable wedding planning budget on About.com. A budget is probably the most important thing you can do to get ready for your wedding day .... And also the least fun thing, but essential for everything to run smoothly. This is just a basic budget of course so expand it where you need to, but it is a great starting point. Happy planning :)