In this guide
Hire for the work that needs doing. A venue may provide furniture and catering but leave you responsible for guest communication, decor installation and running the timeline. A friend may offer photographs but have no way to cover two locations simultaneously. Map the work before deciding which job titles belong on your team.
Start with a responsibility map
List each event zone and service, then name who supplies it, who installs it, who operates it and who removes it. Where two suppliers meet, define the handoff. A florist may deliver arrangements without moving them later; a venue coordinator may manage venue staff without cueing your ceremony.
Discover real businesses through venue recommendations and local professional directories. The Knot's marketplace and WeddingWire provide US-oriented searches; Hitched's supplier directory serves UK searches; Junebug's directory includes selected international locations. Verify local coverage and availability directly. Review relevant work and written terms; a directory presence is a starting point, not a guarantee of suitability.
Planner and coordinator
Ask whether the service includes design, budget management, sourcing, contract administration, guest logistics or day-of execution. “Coordination” can describe very different scopes. Confirm when they take over, how many assistants attend, which meetings are included and what happens after the couple leaves.
Brief: “We have booked the venue and photographer. We need help finalizing supplier logistics, creating the run sheet, cueing the ceremony and supervising breakdown. Please identify what stays with us and the date you need our documents.” If the missing work is creative design rather than event operations, say so explicitly.
Use the planner and coordinator responsibility matrix to compare full planning, targeted support and final event management without relying on the package name.
Photographer
Review complete galleries from events with comparable lighting and scale, not only portfolio highlights. Discuss coverage hours, travel between locations, family group portraits, candid versus directed work, privacy preferences and delivery format. Ask who photographs the day, how files are protected and what contingency exists for illness or equipment problems.
Brief: give the event schedule, the important relationships and a concise group list. Identify sensitive family dynamics privately. Ask the photographer to advise on realistic portrait time rather than requesting every image seen online.
Videographer or content creator
Clarify the actual deliverables: a short edited film, ceremony recording, speeches, vertical clips or unedited files are different products. Ask about sound recording, turnaround, revision rounds, music usage, privacy and sharing permissions. Establish how the team works alongside photography without obstructing guests.
Brief: “Hearing the vows and speeches matters more to us than a long highlight film. Please explain audio capture, backup, final file formats and how coverage fits our schedule.” Any drone use needs the operator's confirmation of applicable permissions and site suitability; do not assume aerial filming is included or permitted.
The photography and video guide adds style comparisons, an original family-group brief and a worked coverage-hours handoff.
Florist and decor installer
Describe the mood, colors, zones and maximum quantities before insisting on particular flowers. Discuss availability and approved substitutions, scale, scent preferences, venue attachment rules, delivery condition and who owns rented vessels. Ask whether a mock-up is included and how late changes are priced.
Brief: “We need ceremony focal arrangements that can move to dinner, plus eight low table arrangements. Please quote the person and time needed for the move, suitable vessels, setup and collection.” A reuse plan only works if movement, weight and timing are accounted for.
Caterer and bar team
Give the event location, guest range, service style and available preparation facilities. Ask who supplies staff, tables, tableware, water, waste removal and cleanup. Discuss service pace, children's meals, supplier meals, late arrivals and the deadline for final counts. A buffet needs a circulation and replenishment plan; plated service needs a reliable meal-choice record.
Collect dietary requests privately and send them through the caterer's agreed process. Ask about ingredients, preparation and cross-contact management; a menu label alone does not guarantee an allergy-safe meal. The Food Standards Agency guidance linked here is scoped to England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Your caterer must follow the rules that apply locally.
Brief: request a staffing and service proposal for your actual schedule, including an appealing alcohol-free offer. Ask the bar operator about venue rules, permits and responsible service, rather than treating the couple as the default operator.
Band, DJ and ceremony musicians
Ask about live performance versus recorded coverage, breaks, announcements, setup time, sound equipment, power and a backup system. Explain the venue's sound restrictions. Share must-play and do-not-play preferences, pronunciation notes and whether guests can request songs.
Brief: “We want a calm dinner followed by dancing, with clear announcements and no games led from the microphone. Please show how music and sound continue during breaks.” Ceremony performers need the procession cues and a named person to signal the start.
Rentals, lighting and production
Ask for item quantities, dimensions, delivery windows, installation scope and collection terms. Establish who checks deliveries, reports damage and stores empty packaging. Qualified suppliers should assess structures, rigging, power and weather limits; a rental list is not a safety plan.
Brief: provide the approved layout and access times. Request separate lines for labor, delivery, collection and any standby equipment. Confirm the venue approves the installation before ordering items that need attachment, extra electrical capacity or specialist setup.
Transport
Use a route and passenger plan, not just a vehicle count. Confirm pickup points, accessibility requirements, luggage, child arrangements where relevant, waiting time, final departure and contingency for delays. Ask the operator to validate capacity and travel time for the actual date and route.
Brief: “We need guests moved from two accommodation sites, including these requested access arrangements, with a return before and after the main departure. Please identify the service schedule, contact person and what changes if a vehicle is delayed.”
Build the quantities, delivery register and passenger plan using the rentals and transport guide. It separates the guest layout from the work needed to install, operate and remove it.
Connect the team before the final week
Use the quote worksheet to compare a common scope. After booking, keep one contact record and share only the information each supplier needs. Ask every supplier to confirm their arrival, work area, dependencies and departure in the final run sheet. The most useful team is one whose responsibilities join up without leaving the couple to solve missing jobs during the celebration.