Tips for finding your wedding vendors online
The famous "looking for" social media posts
We all know that social media is the place to go for advice on everything from restaurant suggestions, vacation spots, fitness advice and of course, wedding vendors! There are so many bride to be groups for Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus. Many times, brides step out of the bride groups and post in local "mom" groups or neighborhood groups. Why? Because we value the opinion and experience of our neighbors! The one thing I rarely see is our friends and neighbors helping to narrow down the options. Every day I read posts from brides to be that are in search of the perfect vendors for their day. Sometimes, there are 100's of responses from potential vendors and brides providing references. Here are a few tips on how to narrow down your search and target the best vendor options for you. As a Cincinnati wedding photographer, I have a few tips for you!
Be Specific
Saying things like "I'm looking for a photographer that won't cost an arm or a leg" or "I need a caterer that won't break the bank" completely leaves your request wide open to any vendor. Not only are you creating more posts for yourself to sift through, but vendors that may not be a good fit for you are also spending time responding. Instead of the ambiguous 'won't cost an arm and a leg" or " won't break the bank', be specific! Your idea of "breaking the bank" may be $800, while someone else's idea may be $5,000.00. Add your budget range in the post. For example " I'm looking for a photographer with a budget of up to $4,000.00." This lets former brides and vendors have a clear understanding of the budget you are comfortable with spending.
List Your Expectations
Another typical post that I often read says something like "I'm looking for a photographer for my wedding day in October". This leaves vendors with no idea of a time frame or an actual date. Most vendors have their packages created custom per hour. Including a specific time frame will help your potential vendor know exactly what you are looking for and will, in turn, only provide you with vendors that may be a good fit for your request. Also many vendors can only book one client per day. It is best to include a specific date in your request. Try listing your post like this - "I'm looking for a photographer for my wedding on October 10, 2022. I need 8 hours of coverage and my budget is no more than $1,500.00.
Editing Style
This is directly related to your photography preferences and often gets overlooked in social media post requests. I often see brides saying they like " dark and moody " or "light and airy " or " true to color" edits. These descriptions are very helpful, however your idea of what these descriptions look like may be different in the opinion of other vendors. Try to include sample images in your post that are a visual representation of what you are looking for.
