Questions to ask a wedding decorator

Design and inclusions

1. Can you quote against our brief, item by item: stage, entrance, seating, table decor, lighting, flowers?
2. Which items are fresh flowers and which are artificial, and how do fresh flowers stay fresh through a long event?
3. Which items are rented and must be returned, and who pays if something is damaged?
4. Can we see the actual fabrics, props and flowers before the day?
5. How do you adapt the design if guest numbers change or the event moves indoors?

Lighting, power and safety

1. How much power will your lighting need, and have you checked it against the venue’s supply and backup?
2. Are your LED lights and chains registered under the BIS scheme where they need to be, and are outdoor lights protected from rain?
3. How will cables be run so that guests, elders and children do not trip over them?
4. If candles or oil lamps are used, how far will they be kept from fabric and flowers, and who watches them?
5. Do you avoid banned single-use plastic decor such as thermocol cut-outs, plastic flags and plastic balloon sticks?

Timing and team

1. How many hours do you need to set up, and how long to take everything down?
2. Who will be on site during the event in case something comes loose or a light fails?
3. Will the same team handle every event, or are some subcontracted?

Money

1. What is included in the quote, and what are the likely extras: transport, labour, late-night take-down, taxes?
2. What advance do you need and when is the balance due?
3. What happens if the event is postponed or the venue changes?

Get it in writing

• A written quote on the vendor’s letterhead, email or invoice format, dated, with the event name, date, venue and hours.
• An itemised list of what is included and what costs extra, so two quotes can be compared line by line.
• Whether taxes are included in each amount, and whether the vendor will issue a proper invoice.
• The payment schedule: advance, part payments and balance, with the date each one is due and how it is paid.
• What happens if you postpone, reduce the guest count or cancel, and what happens if the vendor cannot deliver.
• The name and phone number of the person who will actually be in charge on the day.
• A receipt for every payment, including cash, with the date and what it was for.