Planning for a wedding can be a tough enough task, but when you are looking out to plan your own, it becomes all the more challenging. But what if we told you that there is a mantra that will make sure that you would get everything you wanted for your dream wedding! 

With the world moving more and more towards online platforms, it has become almost impossible to be sure about choosing the vendor that will work according to your expectations and likings. To make sure that you would pick a person that would understand here are some of the things to keep in mind before paying the advance!

So here is a checklist for you including everything from, food to your makeup all in one place. So, keep your notepad ready as you read through these points. 

For the big day

1. Venue

The first building block towards your dream wedding is to pick the actual place that the event would take place, and it is as important as it sounds! This is often the first place where the planning can be derailed, but there is a solution to make sure that this doesn’t happen to you. 

Whenever you are looking at a venue, try to line the location with whatever plans you had with your partner. This can be an open area, a closed hall, a five-star resort with all the amenities, or even exclusive likes, like the water body proximity. No matter what the obstacles are, make sure that the architecture of the place matches your vision. 

When picking out your Venue Vendor, ask them to show you a list of all the past events that they have hosted which might give you a better idea about the usage and the different aspects of the space used. This will give you a whole list of options from natural to completely artificial setups for your wedding. 


2. Caterer

The second biggest aspect of any marriage that people remember, apart from the glory of your lehenga, of course, is the food they eat. Because at the end of the day, no party is complete without food, and it is really important to make sure that you have the food that you like. 

Now while choosing your caterer there are two ways to go, one would be to pick out what you and your partner would like in your wedding. This personalized choice will make sure that you have the party that “you” wanted. However, when you are inviting a host of people, it is sometimes really important to include their tongue palette in the same. 

A good guess is to keep a varied menu, with 2 or 3 different types of cuisine that will keep your young cousins and your old uncles in the Shaadi, equally happy. And what’s more, don’t forget to add all your favorite delicacies. 

One thing to keep in mind while choosing caterers is either getting them to give you a sample of dishes that they are going to prepare, or having tasted them in another wedding. Ask for pictures, samples, and honest reviews from the last customers while booking the caterer to have a more clear idea of their tastes. 


3. Decorator

After your venue, if there is anybody that can make your dream wedding come to life, it is definitely your decorator. This person/company is responsible for not only what the venue would look like but would be in charge of everything from the linens on your tables to the flowers on your stage and is therefore really important to make sure that you choose the right one. 

While looking for a wedding decorator there are a few things that you would really need to think of, like the reputation of the decorator in the market, the skills of organization and time management, the response to your queries and their customer service sector, reaction to suggestions and ideas, their passion towards their art and of course the attention to detail. 

Now considering all of these factors would not be possible in just one single meeting, so it is important to always go and meet with the decorators at least 4-5 times before the big day to give you enough time to get to know their motivation. 

Another thing to consider here is their working space. With the world moving on to digital platforms, it is really become difficult to understand the roots of a business. While the young talent in the market is always attractive, it can sometimes be a dangerous gamble. To avoid anything going wrong on the happiest day of your life, make sure that you have a clear idea of the kind of work that your wedding decorator can handle. 


4. The Music Coordinator/DJ

Though the lighting and décor are done, the music is one of the most important parts of a 21st century wedding day. Right from your entry into the wedding venue when you are walking under the blanket of flowers to the beautiful moment of Jai-mala to the inevitable dance party that everyone is looking forward to, music definitely has its place in the mix. 

Again while choosing the music for your wedding, there are two ways to go. There are many people who go with a DJ set up with a list of all your favorite songs right at the fingertips and the availability of options. However, we have noticed a recent trend of lineage towards a live band. This will not only liven up your wedding day with a more human presence but can highly help in personalizing the entire event even more. 

While choosing the music, whether you pick a DJ set up or a live band, make sure to ask for the old clients that they have dealt with. With a live band, you can ask for a demo CD that can give you an idea of the kind of music they play and whether this would be something that appeals to you!


5. Photographers

With the wedding photography business taking a leap in the latest trend, these are the people who will help you hold on to the giddy and happy feeling of walking to the love of your life with a simple freeze of time in form of a picture. Helping you preserve these memories for yourself and your future family is a task that cannot be given to just anyone and it is really important to pick wisely. 


For your personal look

6. The dress boutique

Finding a dress for a bride is like finding Cinderella’s shoe, it can be nothing short of a perfect fit. And this is a  very challenging vendor to tackle as it is highly based on a personal choice of garment. However, there are some things that you can keep in mind that will help you pick out a brand that you want without confusion. 

Before you step out in the market to find yourself the perfect lehenga, here are a few questions that you can ask yourself:

  • What is my budget for the wedding dress?
  • Is design more important than brand?
  • What is the color of your wedding dress in your mind?
  • Do you have a preference for design? 
  • How heavy would you want your wedding dress to be?
  • Would I want to buy a lehenga or just rent it for the day?

Asking these questions will make sure that you have a vague image of the thing you are looking for in your wedding dress, and this can help you narrow down the locations you would have to search for the same. 


What you need from the Dress Boutique is not too much, however, there are certain essentials that they must fulfill. 

  • The availability for an in-store tailor to make sure that your lehenga can be fitted according to your body just a few days prior to the wedding. This is important as a lot of brides amp up their workout schedules to make the wedding outfit spectacular. 
  • The availability of quality products that are worth the money. This is important as the wedding day is when every eye in the hall is on you and you would want to look your best 
  • A minimum 5 days return policy. Though most brides pick their dresses for at least a month, it is important that you have the right to change your mind. However most stores won’t be quite agreeable on this, so check the policy before your purchase. 


7. The Jewelry Store

The jewelry that goes along with your lehenga, is as important as if not more than your lehenga, as these are the final parts of the puzzle that will make you a bride! With choosing your lehenga and jewelry, you would either be picking your jewelry according to the lehenga or vice-versa, and it is important to determine which before setting off in the market. 

Some things to decide before picking a jeweler will include, 

  • what design of jewelry you are looking for?
  • Is there any preference for color
  • What material of jewelry would you prefer?
  • Would you want to spend on real jewelry or a close alternative or would a faux piece work just fine?
  • Is there more preference on the brand or the design?

Once you have answered these questions in your mind, you would have a list of the few names in the market, which you can then explore. While buying jewelry is often a task, it is even more important to make sure of the following points. 

  • Find a jeweler you trust. With the market running on black lately, if you purchase a piece from an untrusted jeweler you can end up with a fake product while paying the price of a real one. Always ask for a purity certification along with the product. 
  • Find a jeweler that will focus on your style, needs, and desires instead of pushing your own agenda. This means that they would help you narrow down your choices organically and not push you into accepting the piece with the largest price tag
  • Find a jeweler who is credentialed and established, while providing you with an array of services like repair, polish, and exchange if need be. 


8. Make-Up Artist

One of the most important aspects and yet often grossly overlooked parts of being a bride is your make-up artist. The fairy godmother that will help you become a bride for your party, this particular person will literally control how you look for your big day, and it is a big deal!

While picking out your make-up artist, there are a lot of things that can go wrong, if you are not thorough with your choice. Here are a few things to take care of before picking your fairy godmother!

  • Always ask for a demo makeup. If you are trying out a new makeup artist, make sure that you get a first-hand idea of their work and if they are able to understand and meet your need. 
  • Try to get an idea of the past clients of your MUA, to get an idea about their punctuality and nature, and patience on the big day. This is important, because a day dedicated to celebrating your love, should be all about you!
  • Ask your MUA to present you with a list of all the products that they use. This will help you in two ways; one you can check the list and provide them with alternatives of particular products from your dressing table. And you can look out for stuff that you are allergic to. 
  • Take a list of all the services that are included in your bridal package. This will give you something to compare others in the market according to your needs and your budget. 
  • How would the price breakdown of the service be? Would it be per service charge or would it be a day-wise or per person affair? It is extremely important to get the terms of payment down before the big day to avoid misunderstanding. 
  • Would you need to travel to the make-up studio or would they be coming to your wedding venue? It is always preferable if they can travel to your place for the ease of movement to the venue once you are ready
  • Do they work as a team of artists, or a singular artist? This will give you a chance to talk and bond with the person who is responsible for your D-day look!


Though there is so much more that will go into planning your perfect wedding, we sincerely hope that our checklist has given you some additional things to ease the process along!