Debating: go alone to tastings or wait until I can have second opinions with me?

MarieSD

Just curious ... would you / did you go alone to vendor appointments like cake and food tastings, DJ meetings, etc? Is it not a big deal at all, or should I wait until I can have someone go with me?

I don't have ideas in mind for the wedding (even after months of letting the engagement soak in and thinking about all these details) - so I'd probably rely heavily on what the vendor suggests, which I could see being a good OR bad thing. As far as food goes, I like everything, so I'm a terrible judge of what's tasty and what's not to other people. I just moved to this area for my fiance - so he's my only second opinion right now, but he's unexpectly just become insanely busy at work.

seujoanne

My sister, I'm sure, would be happy to tag along!     She's my planner/coordinator/MOH/everything and has gone with me to almost all of my appointments.  The only one she won't be able to make is the initial DJ meeting, and I'll be dragging FI to that.

It's incredibly hard for me to speak up for myself, so I love having her there to tell people what I want. 

Tiffany618

I would have someone go with you if at all possible.  Especially for food and cake. 
I can't count the number of times I have LOVED a meal or cake and heard someone else say the meat was tough, meal too salty, cake was dry etc. etc. and I had thought it was delicious personally.

I don't think a vendor will steer you wrong, maybe toward more expensive choices, but not wrong.   If you go in there with an idea of what you want and a set budget then I think you can definitely do it by yourself if you need to.

Jay+Marissa

Haha, I actually had my mom do the food tasting for me!
(I'm out of state)

DF came with to see the hall and to the cake tasting, otherwise I went it alone. It was a lot easier that way.

prlmrg08

I think a second opinion is always good... but it isnt the end of the world if it is just you! I know some cake tastings they will let you take samples home to your FI as well... Also if you have questions bounce things off of us here on the knot... we are a pretty honest group

SoonToBeMrsHoz

My FI and I have made all the decisions together so with every decision we made, both of us had an opportunity to meet with the vendor.. sometime we had to go individually and meet with them based on our schedules, but it gives us a piece of mind to know we both liked a vendor before we booked.
So maybe you guys can set up seperate meetings if necessary too based on your schedules, or you could go and narrow down the choices to a couple of favorites per vendor and then have him come and given an input as well.

shortgirltx

DH and I did all the meetings together.  The vendors we had issues with were ones that only one of us was wild about and the other person did it to appease the other; if I had to redo our wedding, I would make sure both of us were wild about every vendor.

The cake vendor we chose let us take our tasting cupcakes home so that is an option.

amberpro

I went to most of my initial meetings alone (except cake).  After I got further into the process, I took my mom along to help finalize things and get a 2nd opinion. 

fallbride1109

It's not critical but I would certainly take someone if you can.  My DH went with me to the venue, cake, DJ and officiant meetings.  I did the florist and photography meetings on my own.  I would have loved to have my sister with me at my floral meetings--not so much my husband however! 

My inlaws and husband and I did the tasting.  It's really nice to have someone to bounce your ideas off of, but like I said, it's not critical.  Also, you have plenty of time and can definitely schedule some of these when you have more time or your mom, or MOH or someone can be in town to go with you.  I would say venue and tasting (and of course officiants) are the most critical for your FI to be with you.

Jay+Marissa

Haha, maybe it's because I'm a control freak!

MarieSD

Thanks for all the advice! It really helps - I was pretty afraid people would chastize me for wanting/needing a second opinion at all, and I wasn't sure if most girls involve their FI on details like that. My FI wasn't interested in the reception details in the first place, and now that he has a valid reason to miss them ... I wasn't sure what to do.

I already have an appointment for the cake tasting that I made before FI's work got all crazy, but since so many of you mentioned that you could take samples home, I'll call and ask if that's an option! Otherwise (and for all the other appointments), I'll wait until FI can go with me.

fallbride1109

Hee, yeah cake tastings are fun!  Definitely take your FI with you if you can. 

llc2011

My mom went with me to all of the meetings since Chris' schedule has him working pretty much all weekend.

Chris was able to make it to the vendors that matter most to both of us: the venue, the photographer and he will be at the tastings.

I think it helps to talk over things with someone else, and bounce ideas off of.  Hopefully it will at least work out for the cake tastings that you can take it home for your FI to taste.