Photography by E and E Photography
At some point in the hiring process, you might find yourself scrolling through portfolio after portfolio, comparing styles and pricing and reviews, without ever actually talking to the person behind the work. For a lot of vendors, that's fine. But for a few of them, it's worth pausing before you sign anything, even if that just means a quick Zoom call.
Since most of our clients are planning from the mainland, a call like this usually replaces an in person coffee chat, and that's completely fine. What matters isn't the format. It's making sure the person you're hiring is someone you actually want to spend time with, because some of these vendors are going to be spending a lot of time with you, not just on your wedding day, but in the months of planning leading up to it.
Your Planner
We say this to almost every couple in their first consultation, half joking but not really. Planning a wedding with us means working together closely for months, sometimes years, long before your wedding day even arrives. It's not the same commitment as marriage, but it's still a long stretch of time to be in each other's inboxes, group texts, and planning meetings.
That means communication style matters just as much as experience. Are you someone who wants quick, casual check-ins, or do you prefer detailed emails you can reference later? Do you want a planner who tells you exactly what they think, or one who lays out options and lets you lead? None of these are right or wrong, but they do need to line up, because a mismatch here doesn't just make planning harder. It makes it harder for us to execute the day the way you actually want it executed.
Your Hair and Makeup Stylist
Your stylist is one of the first vendors you'll spend real time with on your wedding day, often for an hour or more, sitting close while they work. That kind of closeness early in the morning sets the energy for the rest of getting ready, whether that's calm and quiet or upbeat and chatty. Since this is usually the very first thing you do that morning, before anyone else has arrived or the day has really started moving, the energy they bring ends up setting the tone for everything that follows. If their personality puts you at ease, it's one less thing to think about before the day even really begins.
Your Photographer
Your photographer is going to be closer to you on your wedding day than almost anyone else there. They're directing you through portraits, catching candid moments up close, and spending hours right by your side while you're also trying to be present in your own wedding. If their presence feels stiff or awkward to you, that's going to show up in how comfortable you look in your photos, no matter how talented they are behind the camera.
A quick call beforehand tells you a lot. Do they make you laugh? Do you feel at ease talking to them? That's usually a good sign of how you'll feel with a camera in your face for eight hours straight.
Your MC
Your MC is going to have a microphone in their hand for most of the night, which means their humor and energy become part of your reception whether you planned for that or not. A joke that lands for one couple might completely miss for another, so it's worth getting a feel for their actual personality rather than just their reviews.
Your Officiant
If you're hiring an officiant rather than having a friend or family member officiate, their energy should match the tone you want for your ceremony. If you know you'll be a little nervous standing up there, someone calming and grounded can help you feel steady. If you want your ceremony to feel light and fun, you'll want someone bubbly and animated instead of someone who reads the room as serious when you didn't intend it that way. And if you want something more traditional and heartfelt, you'll want someone whose delivery matches that, so your guests stay engaged instead of drifting off.
Why This Matters
Not every vendor needs this kind of check. Your rental company, your linen provider, your graphic designer, these are relationships built mostly through emails and mood boards, and the end result speaks for itself regardless of how well your personalities mesh. But the vendors who are physically with you throughout the day, guiding you, speaking for you, or standing beside you while you say your vows, are a different category entirely. Their presence becomes part of your experience, not just a service you booked.
We always factor personality into who we recommend, but recommendations only go so far. A quick call lets you actually feel it out for yourself, and that feeling is hard to get from a portfolio or a five star review. It's a small step early in the process, but it makes a real difference in how comfortable you feel with the people standing beside you on one of the biggest days of your life.
If you're just starting to build out your vendor team and want some guidance on who to meet first, we'd love to chat. Reach out to set up a consultation, and we're happy to walk you through it.
