How to find wedding suppliers if you don’t like wedding fairs

I’ve exhibited at a few wedding fairs myself, but they’re definitely not the only way to find wedding suppliers…

Wedding fairs can be great, since you can chat to suppliers directly (and sometimes you get free cake!).

However, they’re not everyone’s bag, so I thought I’d share some other ways you can find suppliers who’ll make your wedding day incredible.

 

Look at wedding fair websites

Even if you don’t like the experience of wedding fairs themselves, quite often the good wedding fairs will have online directories featuring the suppliers who go to their events.

Most of the time there’ll be direct links to their websites, so you can have a look at their work from the comfort of your own home.

For example, the Eclectic Wedding Extravaganza wedding fair has an accompanying online supplier directory.

 

Visit online wedding directories

A similar story to the wedding fair websites, but there are a few online wedding supplier directories too.

These are nice as suppliers tend to go to the directories that they vibe with most – so for example, I’m on Rock my Wedding and the Gay Wedding Directory, cause I love filming alternative and LGBT+ weddings.

So if you find a directory that seems up your street, it’s a fair bet that most of the suppliers on there will be too.

 

Search for wedding suppliers on google

Sack off the directories, cut out the middle man, and head straight to the font of all knowledge: google.

It’s super easy to tailor your search on google. Try adding location keywords, or what kind of vibe you want (e.g. “relaxed wedding planning in Staffordshire”)

Google’s good at showing you what you want to see.

And with the review service, you can also see what other couples thought of working with that supplier – which can be far more trustworthy than just hearing the supplier boasting about how great they are!

 

Ask friends and family who have recently got married for recommendations

Speaking of what other couples thought of the supplier – ask people you know who’ve recently tied the knot who they’d recommend.

Compared to online reviews which you can only read; you can ask them detailed equations about the supplier, and really hear their side of it.

And sometimes, you might have already sampled their work. If you went to a wedding with the best cake you’ve ever eaten, ask the couple who made it.

 

Ask your venue or other wedding suppliers who they like working with

Suppliers know other wedding suppliers. I personally have a list of all my favourite people to work with – from photographers who have the same vibe, to florists that I thought did a phenomenal job at a particular wedding.

Venues particularly often have recommended supplier lists, and some of these suppliers even do discounts for working at that venue.

 

Try and meet suppliers for a coffee or a Zoom call

Once you’ve done your internet sleuthing and have a list of suppliers that you like the look of, I’d say the next step is to meet up for a coffee or a Zoom call (depending on location).

Choosing a vendor to be a part of your wedding day can be a massive decision; you want to make sure you get on with them, as well as liking their work.

You can tell far more from meeting a supplier in person and chatting to them directly than you can from social media / websites.

So don’t be shy – if you’re interested in booking someone, then give them a shout!

I’m always happy to chat to couples about wedding videos, even if you’re not totally sure it’s something you want yet. Chatting it through with an expert is one of the best ways to help make your mind up.