There’s no right or wrong when it comes to wedding planning. Every decision is really all just based on your feelings and preferences! This is your chance to craft a day that reflects who you two are and what you love! One super easy way to do this (THAT I LOVE) is by choosing small business owners as your wedding day vendors!

Although larger, commercial vendor companies are sometimes a good deal, what you may get in return could simply not be worth it in the end. It’s important to stick to a budget and not totally break the bank, but you may find a lack of connection with the people who will be showing up on your wedding day. You might also get that not-so-fun feeling of being ‘just a number’ or ‘just another wedding’ to the company.

This goes for businesses where you hire the company and they hire out one of their many vendors on deck to show up on your wedding day. There’s less communication and genuine connection between you and the actual person who will be doing the work, as they’re simply there to provide you with a service. This isn’t always a bad thing, and maybe you don’t mind not having a personal connection with each and every vendor, but for the ones who do value this, a small biz might be the best way to go!

A Small Business Vendor is typically a one-person show (like me!) You’re finding SOMEONE whose name you know, whose work you adore, and whose experience is tailored to you. This is a boutique experience versus a department store. When you’re choosing to invest in a small business, you’re not just a number to them. You’re VALUED, you’re SO cared for. You get so much personal interaction and connection with the person who will be there with you on your wedding day. Plus, you  truly will gain a friend in the process!

The KEY to not having that weird gut feeling about your vendors is to have a people on your team who you connect with! Having someone you’ve barely ever spoken to can be weird, but having a friend show up and feel more like an honorary wedding party member will make you feel SO much more comfortable. The entire experience from first inquiry to final hugs goodbye is just that – an experience!

I personally am in contact with my couples so often, from grabbing coffee together to video chats, emails, texts, and just following along with life on social media. Those connection builders are what help make you feel so comfortable in front of the camera and what make you ADORE your images for generations to come. You can have that same experience with everyone from florists to makeup artists and hairstylists, to your decor team and invitation designer! I could ramble on forever, but it’s truly night and day when it comes to the experience and value you’re getting with a small business owner!

I’ve had couples who’ve felt uncomfortable with how their DJ was acting, felt weird about their videographer’s approach, felt unhappy with the lack of communication from their florist, and the list goes on. But when you have FRIENDS as vendors and you truly feel like you know them, your wedding day experience will be just that much more incredible. The communication and understanding will all be there. What you want is a team of vendors who care for you. People who want you to have the best day ever, not just vendors who want to get a paycheck.

You are not just another couple. You deserve to FEEL like that from each and every one of your vendors.

A major perk of hiring a small biz is that they likely support other small businesses! For my couples, one of the first resources they receive when they book with me is a list of my preferred vendors who, as you may have guessed, are all small business owners! They’re the people I trust to give YOU the ultimate wedding day experience and leave you with the best memories.

Wondering where is the best place to search for small businesses? Instagram! Look at local hashtags like #NJweddingphotographer or #Phillymakeupartist to start narrowing down the search. Try looking up your venue’s Instagram and see who has worked there based on who is tagged in the photos.  Be sure to ask for their recommendations, ask in local wedding planning Facebook groups, and reach out to your already booked vendors to get a list of their favorite vendors!

Some of this post has been adapted from another blog post I wrote! Click here to read the full post all about one of my couple’s experiences switching from a larger photography company to a small business owner (me!) just months before their big day!