Photo on thumbnail courtesy of Ivan Garcia Studio.
For those of you who are familiar with our wedding blog, you likely know that we feature quite a few blog posts centered around your wedding vendor list. After all, it doesn’t matter if you’re just getting started on the planning process or if the big day is right around the corner, you probably already know just how big of a role your vendor team will play throughout your wedding. From the getting ready stages and ceremony to the reception and anything else, your wedding vendors will be involved in more places than one! With that being the case, we wanted to focus this week’s blog post specifically on the task of creating your wedding vendor list. Given that there are a number of potential vendors that you’ll take into consideration, the vendor selection part of wedding planning is certainly one you’ll want to prioritize. Throughout this blog post, we’ll discuss which vendors may or may not find a place on your wedding vendor list and give a few reasons why we think each can be a worthwhile investment!
Before we get into all of the wedding vendor talk, we would first like to provide a quick introduction for those visiting our blog for the first time. Welcome to Madera Estates! We are a luxury wedding venue and event space located just north of Houston, TX. Having hosted hundreds of weddings over the years, we like to utilize our blog as a resource for engaged couples currently planning their own wedding. Whether that be advice on building your vendor team (which will be the topic of discussion this week), inspiration from past weddings held at our venue or a number of other wedding-related subjects, there is definitely plenty to talk about. Having said that, let’s now dive right in and discuss who should find a place on your wedding vendor list.
Wedding Venue
To get things started, we’ll begin with a no-brainer and that is your wedding venue. Your venue will serve as the backdrop for your special day and as such, should certainly find a spot on your wedding vendor list. Whether you choose to hold your ceremony and reception at the same place is up to you, but the venue selection task is one that you’ll want to complete early on in the planning process. This is due to the fact that venues can get booked up several months in-advance, so it’s not a decision you’ll want to procrastinate on. Not to mention, given that venue rentals can command a solid portion of your budget, it can help to have this locked in as you look to make future selections. In addition, once your venue selection is finalized, you’ll have your contact there that can help with other decisions, like recommended vendors and so on. All in all, the wedding venue is a major part of any wedding celebration, so the sooner you can start touring different options, the better!
Photographer
Next on your wedding vendor list will be your photographer (and videographer if you choose to have one!). One thing every couple looks forward to in the weeks that follow a wedding is seeing their wedding photo album and reminiscing on all of the magical memories from this special day. You’ll be able to share these on social media, send them to family and friends, and ultimately have a keepsake from your “Best Day Ever!” As is the case with many wedding vendors, you’ll notice there are more than a few options out there to pick from (especially in a bigger city like Houston). To make this process a little less overwhelming, here are a few pieces of advice: If your venue has already been booked, ask your contact there for recommendations on photographers that have worked weddings there. Likewise, you can also check out their social media pages and see if they tag vendors from past weddings. This way, if you find a style you like, that can help narrow down your options. Lastly, by hiring a photographer that’s worked weddings at your venue, they’ll know all the perfect spots and angles for capturing every single moment!
Caterer and Cake Baker
Everyone loves delicious food at weddings, right? Without a doubt, a professional caterer is worth adding to your wedding vendor list. With this, you’ll want to consider the type of food you want served, as that’ll help narrow down your list from the get-go. After that, it will be time to schedule tastings and go from there. While on the topic of food, we also have the cake baker. This is obviously one of the older traditions in the wedding world and truth be told, there are endless possibilities here given the talents of cake bakers nowadays! Not a fan of wedding cake or want some other desserts for your guests? Why not have a dessert table? We’ve had several couples include this in their wedding day festivities and it’s always a hit! Before we continue on, why not add one more potential food item for your wedding reception? While everyone is enjoying the reception, have you considered having a late night snack delivered? A fan favorite here at Madera Estates is Whataburger, but the option is entirely yours!
DJ and/or Live Band
Speaking of must-haves for your wedding vendor list, some entertainment for the reception is a great investment! You’re celebrating your “Best Day Ever” with all of your loved ones, so why not have some music while you’re dancing the night away? And as is the case with each of the other vendors we’ve already mentioned, there is an advantage to booking a DJ and/or live band that has experience working weddings at your venue!
Florist
Beautiful flowers and weddings. Is there a better combination than that? With our years of experience in the wedding industry, we’re always amazed by the impact of stunning floral arrangements. Whether it be at the ceremony, on the tables at the reception, or elsewhere around the venue, flowers can work wonders on adding to the magic of one’s wedding day.
Hair and Makeup
Next up on your wedding vendor list? How about a talented hair and makeup squad? After all, who doesn’t want to get all glammed up for their “Best Day Ever?” I think most brides would agree that these moments with your besties is always an experience you’ll remember for the rest of your life!
Other Vendors
Truth be told, it would be easy to write an entire blog post highlighting each of these vendors individually. Nonetheless, before we close this one out, I wanted to mention this is by no means a comprehensive list of every potential vendor involved in a wedding celebration. A few others to add to the list include your officiant, fireworks display (which are always popular at Madera weddings), other rentals, photobooth, and more! The wedding world has grown so much over the years, to the point that there are endless options when crafting your “Best Day Ever.”
Host Your Dream Wedding at Madera Estates!
Who all is going to find a spot on your wedding vendor list? We hope this blog post helped provide some guidance as to a few potential options! From your caterer serving delicious food for all of your guests and photographer capturing every special moment to the florist decorating the space with stunning floral arrangement and so on, your vendor team will be heavily involved throughout your wedding celebration!
Are you searching for a wedding venue near the Houston area? As highlighted earlier in this blog post, the venue will serve a major role in your wedding celebration! To learn more about hosting your “Best Day Ever” at Madera Estates, we encourage you to check out our Pricing Guide by filling out the form HERE. It’s filled with information all about our venue, including a link to our online tour booking calendar. Happy Wedding Planning!
About the Author
Ian Ramirez serves as the Venue Director at Madera Estates, an award-winning Spanish-style wedding venue located in Conroe, TX. Madera Estates hosts over 85 weddings and events each year, having recently been named as one of the top venues in Houston. Knowing the important role wedding vendors play in a couple’s “Best Day Ever,” he was excited to write this blog post.
A lover of music, yoga and Netflix, Ian is an internationally trained opera singer and has sung around the globe, from Portland, Oregon to Stuggart, Germany. Working in the wedding industry has been a dream come true for Ian, as he not only gets to help bring magical wedding celebrations to life and utilize his creativity, but also help lead the family business!
Ian is also the Co-Founder of Venue Help Desk, the ultimate sales and business coaching resource for wedding and event venues.