If you’re planning a wedding in Australia, the questions to ask every potential supplier start with the basics. Are you available on our date? Do you work in our location? What happens if we need a plan B due to weather, illness or emergency? From there, the right questions depend on the vendor, but a few apply across the board.
Whether it’s an intimate elopement or a large scale celebration, finding the right team is key to a stress free, smooth sailing wedding day. And the trick to finding the right team is asking the right questions. Before you book any supplier, you’ll also want to know:
- What is your rescheduling or postponement policy?
- Where might we be able to see examples of your previous work?
- What is your process and timeline for communicating with couples and locking in details?
- What are your package and pricing options, and do you offer midweek discounts?
- Are there any other add on costs to your services that we should know about? For example, travel fees?
- Would we be able to see a copy of your general contract in advance?
- Do you share your weddings online or on social media?
We want you to enjoy getting married without a tonne of mental load, so we’ve put together a comprehensive list of questions to ask potential wedding vendors before booking. To make life even easier, create an email template using the questions below to make inquiries speedy and simple.
Without further ado, let’s assemble your dream team, lovers.
What questions should I ask Australian wedding venues?
Curfews, wet weather options, rules and what exactly is included. Best to iron out these details right from the jump to avoid any disappointment down the track. Here’s what couples should ask every venue on their shortlist.
- What are your wet weather plan options?
- When do we have access to begin setting up the space?
- Do couples get exclusive use, or may there be other weddings and events on the same day?
- Is this a kid-friendly venue?
- Will there be a venue coordinator on the day, and what is the scope of their role? For example, will they help with set up if we don’t have a stylist?
- What hire items are available (furniture, lighting, AV, decor), and do these incur an extra cost?
- What photo locations are available onsite, and do we need to pre reserve these?
- What is the venue curfew, and are there noise restrictions we need to consider?
- Do you have preferred suppliers, and are we limited to using these suppliers only?
- Do you have any decor restrictions, such as candles, confetti or sparklers?
- Can we do a ceremony rehearsal?
- Do you offer guest parking?
- Is our ideal space wheelchair accessible, or accessible to guests with limited mobility?
- Do you offer special packages for lower demand periods such as winter or weekdays?
- Do you require us to bump out and remove everything the night of?
- Do you offer accommodation, and if not, where do couples and guests generally like to stay nearby?
- Are we able to bring in home made food or desserts? This applies if family or friends are helping with your sweets or other food.
What questions should I ask wedding photographers and videographers?
The photographer and videographer you match with will impact how your day is documented and how you look back on these memories for years to come. Aside from your partner, they’re the person you’ll likely spend the most time with on the day, so it helps if you get along like peanut butter and jam.
- What are your wedding packages, and how many hours of coverage is included in each?
- Do you require a second shooter for a wedding of our size, and does this come at an extra cost?
- Do you shoot in digital, film, or both?
- What is your turnaround time in delivering wedding albums and videos?
- Do you offer physical albums or prints?
- Do you pitch weddings to wedding magazines? Like Hello May, wink wink.
- Have you worked at our venue before?
- Here are some wedding photos we love. Does this feel like a match for your signature style?
What questions should I ask before booking wedding hair and makeup?
Beyond browsing their portfolio, make sure you and your beauty team are aligned on style, budget, preferred products and logistics. Bonus points if you suspect their personality will slot naturally into your bridal party, because the getting ready room is where wedding day fun really begins.
- Do you offer hair and makeup trials, and what is the cost of these?
- What kind or brand of products do you use?
- Do you have experience working with my skin type, skin tone or hair type?
- Do you come to the venue or getting ready location, or does the wedding party come to your salon?
- Do you offer to stay for touch ups after the ceremony, and what is the additional cost of this?
What questions should I ask my wedding caterer before signing a contract?
Everyone has different priorities when planning a wedding, but great food is one of the most memorable parts of the day. Before signing on the dotted line, ask potential caterers about the full scope of their services (including tableware and staff), how they handle dietary requirements, menu tastings, and whether the kitchen facilities at your venue fit what they need.
- Are tableware, glassware, napkins and serving utensils included in your services?
- What kitchen facilities do you require onsite?
- Are we able to do a menu tasting?
- Do you have set menus, or are we able to customise them?
- How do you handle dietary requirements?
- What catering styles do you offer, such as cocktail, plated or family-style?
- Have you catered at our venue before?
- When do you require access to the venue?
- What kids meals do you offer?
- Do you have a cake cutting fee?
- What is your leftovers policy, and are we able to take them home at the end of the night?
- Are we able to make slight modifications to numbers or costs once final RSVPs are counted?
What questions should I ask my wedding celebrant?
As the person leading your ceremony and handling the formalities, ask your potential celebrant about their approach and vibe, as well as practical details including paperwork requirements.
- Are you able to walk us through a ceremony rehearsal, and does this incur an additional cost?
- What is your process for working and collaborating with couples?
- Can we read and approve what you intend to say before the day?
- Do you have any recordings of prior weddings we can view?
- How much can we customise our ceremony?
- What are your packages? For example, legals only, elopements and micro weddings, standard ceremonies, or destination weddings.
- How would you describe your style and vibe as a celebrant?
- Do you offer vow writing support?
- Do you take care of all the paperwork?
- Do you require us to provide equipment such as a PA system, or do you supply this yourself?
What questions should I ask wedding planners and stylists?
These detail oriented legends are responsible for making your vision a reality, so questions should centre on whether their signature aesthetic matches your vibe, whether they’re used to working within your budget, and exactly what their services include across pre event, set up, day of and pack down.
- Have you worked at our venue before?
- What packages do you offer, and what is included in each?
- What does your process look like in terms of collaborating with couples, and how often do you update couples on progress?
- Do you handle communication with all vendors, including the coordination of hire item, cake and other deliveries and pick ups?
- Do you offer guest invitation and RSVP management?
- Our overall wedding budget is ____. Does this sit within the budgets you generally work with?
- Are we able to work with any wedding suppliers, or only those on your recommended supplier list?
- Are you able to provide testimonials for your services?
- Our desired vibe is ____. Have you coordinated weddings like this in the past, and can we see photos?
- Do you support set up of larger hire items such as furniture, as well as smaller decor details?
- Do you support pack down?
What questions should I ask my wedding florist?
Given the special care wedding blooms require, questions to your floral artist should focus heavily on logistics, such as delivery, set up and repurposing, as well as any add on costs associated with these services. Here’s what we’d be asking.
- Does your service include day of set up, and if so, how much time do you require?
- Have you worked at our venue before?
- Our floral budget is ____, and here are a few photos to articulate our vibe. Does this sit within the budgets you generally work with?
- Do you offer trial or mock up arrangements?
- Do you have a minimum spend?
- Do you offer to come back at the end of the night to pack down florals, or make mini bouquets for guests to take home?
- Do you offer any floral related hire items, like vases or arbours?
- Can I repurpose ceremony florals in the reception, and do you support moving these?
What questions should I ask wedding musicians and entertainment?
Whether it’s an ethereal harpist for your aisle moment or a DJ with a canny ability to get even the most stoic loved ones on the dance floor, musicians and entertainers are a key ingredient in setting the vibe juuuust right. Before booking, it’s worth asking:
- How do you work with couples to curate your set list, and can we request specific songs?
- How many hours are included in your packages, and what music do you play during breaks?
- How do you handle requests on the day?
- Do you have footage we can see from past weddings or gigs?
- Do you provide all lighting and sound equipment?
- Do you charge an additional fee for performing at two separate venues, for example if the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception are in different locations?
- How would you describe the vibe of your set?
What questions should I ask our wedding hire company?
Repeat after us: logistics, logistics, logistics. If you’re hiring wedding items like marquees, furniture, decor, AV or photo booths, the main thing is understanding when items get to and from the venue, who’s responsible for that, and whether the hire company supports set up.
- What is your standard hire duration, and can this be extended if needed?
- Do your standard prices include delivery and pick up?
- Do you offer dry hire?
- Do you have a minimum spend?
- What happens if items are damaged?
- Do you help with set up and pack down of large items?
- Do any of our desired items require professional set up?
- Do you have a showroom space where we could see these items in person?
- Can we make minor modifications to our order once RSVPs are locked in?
- Are our desired items suitable for an outdoor event?
What questions should I ask our wedding cake maker?
Have you seen some of the wedding cakes going around these days? Cake designers are, without a doubt, artists. But before you lock yours in, or get distracted dreaming up flavour combos, ask these questions.
- Are we able to book a tasting prior to booking?
- Do you provide a mock up or drawing of the design?
- How do you handle dietary requirements?
- Do couples pick up their cakes, or do you deliver? Is there an additional delivery fee for our wedding location?
- We would like [detail your ideal flavours and aesthetic here]. Is this something you’d be able to offer?
- What else is provided as standard or offered as an add on, such as a cake stand or cake knife?
Frequently asked questions about talking to wedding vendors
The Hello May directory is your planning bestie for finding standout vendors in your area. Also ask any vendors you’ve already locked in for their recommendations. Seasoned vendors have thorough experience working with local suppliers and are usually happy to pass on their favourites. Wedding vendors are a collaborative bunch and won’t gatekeep. Our real weddings blog is also a treasure trove of wedding talent.
Try something like: “We are so excited to work with you, your style is exactly what we’ve been dreaming of. We’re actually looking for a [vendor type] at the moment. Do you have any recommendations in the [wedding location] area?”
This differs depending on the vendor and service, but you can expect they may ask for your wedding date, venue or general location, number of guests, ceremony time, allocated budget for their services, and the number of people in your wedding party.
As a general rule, yes. Wedding vendors should supply you with an agreement that details what’s expected of both parties and protects everyone involved. Even if a friend or family member is taking on a vendor style role, such as your aunt making your cake or your cousin officiating your ceremony, it’s still a good idea to sit down with them and discuss similar questions, like what might happen if they’re unwell on the day.
Start with the big ticket items: venue, photography and videography, and planner. That said, it depends on what’s most important to you. If you’ve got your heart set on a particular florist or entertainer, secure their availability as soon as possible. Check out our complete Australian wedding planning timeline for more detail on when to tick off each item.
No one likes to be ghosted, so a simple, sincere thank you is appreciated. Try: “Thank you for getting back to us and for your time. We love your work, however we have decided to move forward with a different vendor.” If the issue is availability or location, it’s a good opportunity to ask if they have recommendations similar in style.
Set up a new email address specifically for the wedding, accessible by both partners. This keeps all vendor communication in one place, away from your day to day inbox, and makes it easy to track RSVPs if you’re going the E-invite route.
Yes. Depending on the vendor, it’s the done thing to provide a meal if their services require them to be there most of the day. For example, expect your photographer to need a meal, whereas your hair and makeup artist may not, unless they’re staying for touch-ups throughout the day. Our amazing vendors are doing magic, and it’s important they get a moment to recharge so they can do their best work on your big day.
YOUR COMPLETE WEDDING PLANNING TIMELINE
For more info on when to finalise your guest list, book vendors, write your vows…pretty much everything, bookmark our Australian wedding planning timeline. Or head to the directory to discover our favourite wedding suppliers in your area.
PHOTOS Lizzie Sweetman Photography
