When planning out your wedding, it’s useful to have a list of all the people you need to hire. Here are some of the main professionals you’ll need to hire for the day along with some tips on how to find the best talent.
Hair and makeup
At the beginning of your wedding day, you’ll need someone to take care of your hair and makeup. There are stylists out there that specialise in wedding hairstyles and makeup – these are usually the best choice. It’s worth booking a stylist a few months ahead and arranging a meetup the week before to do a trial so that you’re happy with your look.
Transportation
You may be able to get a friend or family member to drive you to the ceremony to save money, however those wanting to take the traditional approach may prefer a chauffeur. You could choose to hire an independent driver or you could go through a transport company which may a fleet of vehicles to choose from. This is something to similarly book a couple months ahead in order to reserve the ideal vehicle.
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Photography/videography
It’s worth hiring a professional to photograph/video your wedding – you want someone experienced who understands the pace of a wedding. When choosing a photographer/videographer, be sure to check out their portfolio to get a good idea of the quality of their work. This is something you want to arrange at least nine months in advance – the top photographers and videographers get booked up early.
The flowers/decorations
You’ll probably want to get some flowers and decorations sorted for the venue. Some venues may have staff that are able to do this – if not you’ll have to hire your own vendors. You should hire a florist a few months in advance in order to plan out the flowers you want. Decorations are something that you may be able to get a friend or family member to do for you, although you may prefer to hire wedding decorators if you have something elaborate planned out.
Catering
Some venues will similarly be able to handle food and drink for you, however you may prefer to handpick your own catering company if you’ve got a specific style in mind. Decide whether you want a sit-down meal with waited staff or a buffet service such as this one. As for drinks, decide what kind of bar service you want and whether you’ll supply your own drinks.
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Entertainment
When it comes to wedding entertainment, most couples opt for a DJ. However, it’s also possible to hire a live band as listed here. Other entertainment could include fireworks, dancers and even a magician to go around tables. As with photographers, entertainment is something you’ll want to book up as early as possible in order to secure the right act.
The cake
The wedding cake is an important detail that many people leave until the last minute. However, the best wedding cake makers get booked up early, so this is something you may also want to arrange a couple months in advance. Take a look at each wedding cake maker’s portfolio so that you can decide whether their style of cake making suits you.
Wedding planning
If all this sounds daunting, you could always hire a wedding planner to handle all of these aspects for you. This can take away all the stress and they’ll likely have some great connections and possibly even access to exclusive discounts, allowing them to get more for your budget. It’s best to hire a wedding planner a year in advance so that they have enough time to thoroughly prepare your wedding.
