Michigan-Detroit

VENDOR HELP!!! soo overwhelmed!!!

Ok..so here's the deal. My wedding is either July 6 or 7 of 2012 (long story behind why we don't hae an exact date yet) but I have booked the ceremony & reception site (Dearborn Inn) and I thought I had found my photographer and videographer and band. BUT when I started adding it all up it was costing way more than I had planned on spending in those catergories--about $6000 between photography and videography(3000 each). and way way too much for the band. 

So I'm back to square one. 

I started looking through the local vendors forum and got so overwhelmed! I don't even know where to begin now! 

I want awesome entertainment at my wedding without spending half my budget! We'd really love a modern day band (not those who play just wedding songs!). SUGGESTIONS??!

I love JSPhotography (photosbyjs.com) he quoted me at about 2500-3000 for unlimited hours, unlimited shots, unlimiited locations, all proofs edited and in an album, a slideshow of wedding pics at reception, all proofs done 7 days after the wedding, and my fiance and I loved his work. Is that a good price for that kind of service? Any suggestions on photographers who are creative, yet still do a few traditional shots? I love the photojournalism approach.

I fell in love with 516 productions videography when they did my friends wedding in May. They made like a movie trailer and a highlight reel on top of the full wedding video! It was incredible. but they quoted me at 2500 for 9 hours of continuos shooting with 2 videograhers. Is that a good price?? (highlight reel and trailer are extra!) Do you know fo any videographers that do something similiar? I thought about hiring a photography/videopggraphy student to do it...thoughts?! 

If you have any suggestions for me as far as vendors you loved or ways that I can search for vendors without getting overwhelmed PLEASE let me know!!! I am in SE Michigan.
Feel free to PM me or email (since I check that everyday!) ashnsmith2@yahoo.com

sorry so long!! thanks for any help in advance!! 

fitnessfashionfemininity.blogspot.com

Re: VENDOR HELP!!! soo overwhelmed!!!

  • emarston1emarston1 member
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Ok it seems your issue is that you are creating your budget based on the price of vendors rather than having your budget and then finding vendors within that budget.

    STOP LOOKING FOR VENDORS UNTIL YOU HAVE A SET BUDGET.  Find out how much you have to spend in total and then break it down from there.  If you have $10,000 to spend, you cannot blow $6,000 of that just on photography and videography.

    Once you have an overall amount, the knot's budget calculator has a good breakdown of how much you should spend on each item.  It's not perfect but it's a great place to start.  Once you have a general idea of how much you should spend on each item, THEN start looking at vendors within your alloted amount.  Once you get to that point, check out the vendor sticky at the top of the board.  It has some great information about past and present knotties' vendors.
  • bruna29bruna29 member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I agree with PP.  You definitely need to get your budget figured out first before you look into vendors.  Then, find vendors that fit into your budget, don't work your budget around each vendor.  You'll go crazy!

    Also, for your photographer, do you really need unlimited hours, shots, locations all within 7 days after the wedding?  Personally I think that is a bit much, and no wonder the price is so high!  Schedule the photographer for 1 hour after the ceremony (or before if you want to do the first look), for the time during the ceremony, and for an hour or so during the reception (maybe within the 1 hour of pictures after the ceremony you can go to one or two locations - you don't want to take too long because then your guests will be waiting forever).  You don't really need all unlimited because that's what raises your cost right there.  Also, have a friend or family member take pictures with a digital camera during the remainder of the reception (for free).  You don't need professional pictures to capture EVERY moment, you just want them for the important things.

    Same with your videographer.  I know it seems like 9 hours of continuous shooting is ideal, but really, you have to think about how often you're going to look at that video.  Will you really spend 9 hours watching your wedding video every week?  I doubt it.  And why do you need 2 videographers?  Can't one do a good enough job?  No wonder the price is so high, you're paying two professionals for 9 hours of continuous service.  I'm surprised it's not more expensive.

    Good luck!
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  • Sue-n-KevinSue-n-Kevin member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Answer First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I can imagine why you feel overwhelmed. You are trying to choose vendors to fit into your budget, instead of doing the budget first. The prior posters have excellent things to consider.

    Budget first: This includes deciding what is the most important thing for you. I'm assuming since you mentioned you have $6000 AFTER mentioning your venue, that the venue costs (food, alcohol) are already covered.

    Unless you already have the following covered, your $6000 will also have to include

    - flowers
    - favors
    -centerpieces
    -possibly linens (unless you are going with what the venue has and it's included)
    - gifts for the bridal party
    - rings?
    - wedding coordinator?
    - Hair and makeup?
    - cost of cake (unless it's included)
    -ceremony music
    -cost of officiant to perform the ceremony
    - various paper products (invitations, seating cards, programs, save-the-dates)

    It would help if we knew what you specifically intend to cover with the $6000.... but more importantly, it matters that YOU know what it covers, and what is most important to you out of all the things I mentioned. If the $6000 budget is only for musicians and photographer, then no problem. If it has to cover any or all of the items I mentioned, it's time you and your fiance had a conversation about what you consider the most important thing of all of this: what is the thing you care about the most and you think will matter most to the guests.

    Good luck.
  • hippo22hippo22 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    You have received great advice about making sure to set your budget before your vendors.  I just wanted to say that I LOVE JS photography and Jason is worth every penny he charges.  He did my daughter's wedding 3 years ago and will be doing my sons this year.  We have recommended him to several friends and that have all been so happy.  But, you have to set a budget first and then see what you can spend on each vendor.  Even if Jason is worth what he charges, you won't want to book him and then not have any money left for all the other items Sue mentions. 
  • matuofmmatuofm member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I would like to second (third?  seventh?) the idea that you should put together a budget.  But my first instinct in responding to your problem came from a slightly different angle.  Even setting aside the idea that the appropriate order of operations is to set your budget before choosing vendors, I just want to point out what a disservice you're doing to your own happiness by looking at any and all vendors.

    Please DON'T look at vendors that aren't in your price range.  IMO, all that's going to do is raise your hopes sky-high and then dash them when you (like are are now) realize that you can't actually afford that level of attention/quality/perks.  It's going to make you dissatisfied with the perfectly talented and appropriate vendors that you CAN afford.  Please don't put yourself through that unnecessarily.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • edited December 2011
    Ditto everyone else above. It's completely normal to feel overwhelmed! Unless you've planned a wedding before, all of this is brand new! Set your budget, then pick vendors. I used the vendor sticky as a guide to help me pick vendors. Some will be easy to pick, some will be challenging to decide on - it's different for every bride (I met with one DJ and signed him immediately, but then I met with over a dozen photographers before choosing). The biggest mistake I made early on in the planning process was looking at vendors outside of my price range - I fell in love with one photographer's work, but he was more than 4x my budget. Don't open Pandora's box. The good news - you've found the Detroit board :) the girls here are awesome and have great advice :)
  • Meegles4Meegles4 member
    Combo Breaker First Comment First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    Definitely agree that you should set a budget first, but if you've already done that and are simply overwhelmed at the cost of everything -- then you're not alone.

    I'm not even paying for all of my wedding and as we were booking the big vendors (venue, photo, video, DJ), I just kept looking at FI saying "it's only one day! why are we spending so much of our family and our money on one day!). Once all those initial meetings/deposits pass, you'll get over the sticker shock.

    That being said, it sounds like you should prioritize. I don't know what your overall budget looks like, but I know my budget and I know that we would've had trouble booking a great photographer AND a great band. You have to decide what's more important if you can't afford both. Same goes for video, cake, dress, basically everything. When I found a photographer I loved that was WAY out of budget, I booked her with the determination to be under budget with my dress, invitations, centerpieces, flowers, etc. to try to make up for it (the jury is out on whether that's working or not!)

    It's just about deciding what you want (and want most) and sticking to it. It sucks because you really want ALL! THE! THINGS! but you'll find the right balance.

    Good luck!
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  • ashn02ashn02 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Sorry I should've included that! My budget is $25,000
    fitnessfashionfemininity.blogspot.com
  • edited December 2011
    My fiance and I are starting a wedding planning business called Brides on a Budget or Weddings on a Dime. We are helping out brides until the business kicks off in Jan. 2012 for a smaller fee. We had to plan and pay for our entire wedding ourselves because my mom is deceased and his parents are not helping. I have learned so much and doing all that research was so worth it. The tv shows and magazines make you think that you need to spend thousands, but you CAN have a gorgeous, amazing wedding on a budget. Feel free to email me with questions and I can definitely give you referrals for people. We design cakes (sketches to give to the cake places) and also do centerpieces, but I have great vendors for everything!

    - Jami

    Email me at- NickandJami831@yahoo.com
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