Q & A

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thumbtack.

What does a wedding event coordinator do?

Pulling off a large, complex wedding or an elegant, small affair requires juggling myriad details, including the officiant, food, drink, wedding cake, entertainment, transportation, rehearsal dinner, photography, equipment rentals, venue reservations and more. A wedding event coordinator can help you keep track of these details, overseeing the planning process and managing everything on the day of your wedding. Each wedding coordinator (and wedding) is different, but in general you can expect an event coordinator to:

Help you devise a realistic wedding budget and hold your vendors to it.
Map out a master plan that includes all of the details including ceremony music, favors, the guest book and more.
Suggest ceremony and reception locations that fit your wedding size, budget and vision.
Suggest florists, photographers, bands, caterers and other vendors that fit your budget.
Negotiate vendor contracts for the best deals.
Create a timeline for the day of the wedding that includes each vendor and member of your wedding party.
Mail invitations and track RSVPs.
Answer questions about wedding etiquette and current wedding trends.
Manage the wedding day from supervising vendors and setup to handling last-minute emergencies.

What is a videographer and what do they do?

A videographer professionally films weddings and other events and edits the footage to create film keepsakes or marketing materials for their clients. Wedding videographers record all the key elements of your wedding day, ceremony and reception, and then edit the hours of film during post-production to make a wedding video, social media highlight reels, and any other film features you choose. Wedding videography captures, in live action, your vows, the cake-cutting, the first dance, reception toasts, the decor, the guests and all the details of your day. Many wedding videographers also interview guests (based on an interview list provided by the couple) and incorporate the recorded responses into the wedding video. Event videography typically costs less than wedding videography, as events are shorter with less detail. The national average cost for event videography is $500-$760, while the national average cost for wedding videography is $990-$1,260. A videographer usually does not need to be licensed, but it is important to confirm they have insurance and good standing in the business community, as well as good client reviews. A great majority of the work happens during post-production. The pros watch and blend together the hours of footage they took (sometimes from multiple cameras) to capture the story of your wedding day or event.

How do you find a good caterer?

Reviews, interviews and menu tastings will help you find the right catering choice for your big day. Start by screening possible wedding caterers based on past reviews. If a caterer you are interested in has a review that concerns you, ask them about it; how they respond will be very telling. Next, ask about their availability for your wedding date.

If the wedding caterer is available on your date, it’s time to talk about menus and prices. Be clear about what your maximum budget is find out what choices this will allow you. Caterers may custom-create a menu for your event, or they may have menu templates within different price ranges that can guide your decision. A clear budget gives the caterer clear parameters within which to work and offer creative suggestions. Schedule a menu tasting to confirm you love your wedding menu. Once you have a menu and date, and have paid a deposit to reserve the caterer’s services, confirm additional details including when the food will be delivered to the site, what kind of service will be provided, how many servers will be onsite and for how long, and who is responsible for setup and cleanup. The more specific your contract, the fewer worries you’ll have on your wedding day. Get more smart hiring tips here.

What is a wedding planner?

A wedding planner is a professional service provider whose job it is to organize and execute all the details of a couple’s wedding. A wedding planner can be contracted at any stage in the wedding planning process to help to any degree the couple is willing to pay for. Wedding planning is similar to event planning in that a planning team handles the coordination of multiple wedding elements including catering, venue, guests, entertainment, decor, transportation and more. Anyone who has ever been involved in a wedding can confirm that wedding planning is hard work. Experience brings wisdom when it comes to avoiding or resolving day-of challenges. There is no legal regulatory body that oversees or certifies wedding planning as an industry. Anyone who chooses can call themselves a wedding planner. When looking for a wedding planner, be sure to read reviews, and make smart hiring decisions by asking about licenses and insurance.

How do you choose a wedding videographer?

A wedding videographer will create a lifetime memory for you from edited video footage of your wedding day, ceremony and reception. Choosing a wedding videographer starts with looking online at portfolios of their past work. There’s no need to talk to anyone unless you love what you see. Next, make sure they have good reviews and past client experience; don’t be shy about asking for references if there aren’t any posted online. When you find someone who has a style you love, ask if they are available on your wedding day. If so, it’s time to talk pricing. Be clear about your maximum budget, and ask what kind of packages they offer. Pricing will depend on the number of crew needed for filming, the hours they are required to be onsite, post-production editing, and the length of the final product. Talk with several wedding videographers to get a feel for what prices are like in your region. Nationally, the average cost for wedding videography ranges between $990 and $1,260 per event. Once you agree on a product and have a plan, get everything in a written and signed contract. Clearly state the details of what is expected for your wedding day and from the final product. Be prepared to pay a deposit to reserve their services for the day, then pay the remainder upon receiving the video.

Darlene A.

Verified review

Mary and Ally were wonderful photographers for my April 2018 wedding. They made me and my husband feel very natural and not too “posey.” I loved Mary’s calm demeanor and how comfortable I felt with the team. I appreciated how they were thoughtful about lighting and suggestions to get certain shots/angles. The only concerns I had were mostly to do with the amount of time it took to get my final photos (between 6-8 weeks for all photos) although they did send over 1000+ of their best photos in large quality files via web download. Most of the photos seemed to be minimally edited (1000+ would be too much to edit) but the raw images were very beautiful in themselves. I like the idea of editting further myself to control better filters and cropping. I included a few photos (that came from the team as is- I didn’t edit these further). This team helped make my day wonderful and I felt I was in great hands. I would recommend!

Sang M.

Harris delivered a funny and touching service at our wedding just this weekend. It was a great balance of humor and touching moments. We had many guests tell us that they loved him, and we were glad that we picked Harris to start our marriage off on the right foot.

Simone E.

Vesta is the best make up artist i've ever encountered. She did an awesome trial for my wedding which also happened to be the day of my bridal shower. My guests were in awe of how beautiful I looked. Furthermore, on the day of my wedding Vesta travelled to my home and did a phenomenal job on my mother, one of my bridesmaids, and of course myself. All of pictures were flawless for my wedding and it is in large part due to Vesta's brilliance as it relates to her craft. I would not hesitate to use her again in the very near future..

Jarrett M.

We hired Every Detail Catering for our wedding of 100+ guests on 5/20/17 and they exceeded all expectations! We couldn't of been happier with the service and most importantly all the food was amazing – our guests have been raving about it for weeks now. Chuck and Maria take catering to a whole new level and truly have every detail covered. I would recommend Every Detail Catering to anyone without hesitation.

Kevin M.

DJ Hamilton Bird provided excellent service for my wedding, he helped make it extra perfect and special. He was organized and very hands on in every detail of what his job intended. Not only that, but he was also very concerned about making sure we got exactly what we wanted out of this very special occasion. I not only got my monies worth out of him, I also got a good friend. So if you want a DJ who's not only professional and experienced, but also caring, friendly and loves what he does. I highly recommend DJ Hamilton Bird. Thank you so much, Hamilton (DJ Bird) Excellent job. From: Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Martin

Jenny T.

A Touch of Class DJs provided excellent service at my wedding on August 2nd. Everyone at the wedding was dancing, which is what exactly what I wanted! And Louis also had activities for the kids. I had about 15 kids. Plus we both our church youth group there who also joined in the festivities. Everyone thought the activities (limbo and musical chairs) were a great way to keep the kids entertain. Louis also provided suggestions for certain dances (i.e. processional, first and last songs, etc) and worked with us on the types of music we would liked played at the reception. They also provided music for the outdoor ceremony and indoor cocktail hour. They help set the romantic mood for the ceremony and jazzing-amotsphere for the cocktail. I also appreciated that A Touch of Class DJs was very responsive, whether it was a phone call or email. They got to the wedding venue early to set up. (We like being early.) A Touch of Class DJs were professional and it showed through there great work!

Thumbtack Customer

I'm sure officiating at a large, elaborate, or formal wedding has plenty of challenges. But it also can't be easy walking into the last-minute, tiny, extremely informal wedding of a couple who've been living together for a dozen years and still be appropriate on every level. The fact that Anthony was able to do this, without ever having met us previously, and could add such a nice note to our small ragtag ceremony, speaks volumes about his people skills and experience. He showed up at Central Park on time, slightly better-dressed than any of us, and was cheerful and unfazed by any small glitches—late guest, forgotten license. In addition to the vows we had written he said a few simple words of his own, helping to make the brief ceremony genuinely moving and joyful. Anthony managed to be a really pleasant part of our day without being a big presence—which I think is no easy trick when you're one-seventh of the wedding party. And he was a great sport about meeting up the next day so I could hand over the missing license. I wholeheartedly recommend Anthony's services for any wedding ceremony of any kind. We were 100% delighted with our wedding, and he was an import part of that.

Brooke A.

Chris Nirschel & his team were absolutely fabulous!! NY Catering Service catered a party for my boyfriend's parents' 45th wedding anniversary and i have nothing but wonderful things to say. The Night went smooth & everything was PERFECT!! The food Fantastic, Chris is super friendly, passionate about food, professional & still totally personable! He & his staff were very easy to interact with & they went above and beyond,to ensure all the little details were covered. I am so grateful & i highly recommend the NY Catering Company to anyone looking to enjoy a party they r throwing without having to stress over the food etc-Chris and his team have it all covered!! I give them an A++++++

Rebecca D.

My makeup was done by Ochanya artistry (Sarah) and it was absolutely amazing. It was exactly what I asked for and more. Everyone loved my look and she was extremely professional and a pleasure to be around. She was so good, that my family booked her for a wedding, and they also loved their looks. I would certainly recommend her to everyone, she is an amazing makeup artist and a very experienced hair stylist.

Melissa R.

I've worked with Tom four times to date.. and gotten better and better pictures every time. From the moment I met Tom, he put me at ease and made me feel comfortable. I'd never had professional photos done before, and he was amazing to work with. Super sweet and so funny. I loved working with Tom so much, that I recently had him do photos for my wedding announcements - they came out beautifully. I couldn't be happier with all the photos that Tom & I have done together. I won't go to anyone else.. Looking forward to working with him again. :)

Anthony A.

We booked our July 2016 wedding with Anthony from SuperSounds DJs and our experience with him from day one was exceptional! He was recommended to us by a family member. First we had a consultation and told him exactly what we wanted and he recommended lights as an enhancement. His prices were very reasonable compared to other vendors we priced. He sent us information sheets to fill out regarding the type of music we wanted, including particular songs. There was one song we wanted modified so we could use it as our introduction song. Anthony edited the song to make it work and had the timing down perfectly so that we walked in during the chorus like we wanted to. He also had to set up for an outdoor ceremony, an indoor cocktail hour and then the reception. He did this all flawlessly. His song selections during the reception had the dance floor full all night. It was really something to see. We had so many guests compliment Anthony and the music he played. One friend posted on social media that she couldn't remember the last time she danced so much. He also took special requests from guests and his mix of slow and fast songs kept the mood of the evening just right. He was right about the lights too, it added something special. We highly recommend using SuperSounds DJs. Anthony was very professional and personable and easy to deal with. He always got back to us quickly when we emailed or texted him with questions. We give him two thumbs up! Anthony & Angela

Xiomara V.

We are very happy to had him as our photographer in our wedding. All my guests and bridal party love his manner to takes the pictures and professionalism. Nick is also fun and have his way to make us confortable to get the pictures. I will highly recommend him and looking forward to work with him again. Thank you very much for your excellent work.

Lindsay O.

Fernando did my wedding photography and it was a perfect experience from start to finish. After my first meeting with them, the photos were the thing I was most excited about, since I fell in love with his somewhat candid, artsy style. His wife Roge is the behind-the-scenes of the operation and she is extremely attentive and excellent at communicating with us and interpreting some of Fernando's ideas. They are also both just genuinely cool people! All my bridesmaids loved the 2 of them and my cousin even reached out to them about doing her fall 2017 wedding because she loved working with them so much. The final photos were everything I had hoped for and more. They captured the day in such a gorgeous, natural way...I cannot recommend them enough! Anyone would be lucky to hire them, in my opinion!!

Joanne P.

Spike and his team were awesome. I have received so many compliments on the Quick Edit highlight video they did for us. He did a great job directing the wedding party throughout the day and capturing all the right moments. I can not wait to see the full length video. Thanks Spike! :)

Dana H.

We are so grateful to have found Mark. His wedding video artistry gave us the best ugly cry when we watched our highlight video! He could not have been easier or more lovely to work with. He blended into the backdrop, popped out at the right time to queue us and self managed throughout the day. We love our video. Book Mark for your special day- you will not be sorry. Thanks Mark, appreciate all you did, Dana & Sean

Norman V.

Let me tell you about Ross Decker. He is a professional marriage officiant and he felt like one of my closest friend's. We spoke by phone and by text since I work crazy hour's. But I kept him in the loop and even send him a link on how I would like my wedding. Since my bride to be kept changing her mind or keep adding additional items to the list on how to do a philippine wedding. He has done his research and we agreed on the right solution. Everything went according to plan even though I slowly turning into a nervous wreck. The wedding was a complete success. We were slightly off schedule but it work out fine. I am telling you, you won't be disappointed using his service for your wedding. Don't look at him as a Father, minister, pastor or a priest but as a friend!

Linda F.

Maxx did a great job as the DJ for our wedding!-He met with us ahead of time to help us organize the reception and develop a flow for the evening. His knowledge and experience were a big help to us as we prepared. The reception went beautifully! He did exactly what we had asked him to do. It was a Christian wedding and Maxx made great selections for music. It was fun without ever being inappropriate or dishonoring to God. We would recommend Maxx to anyone looking for a DJ!

Carolina T.

Katya is very profesional and passionate about her job. I had several make up trails for my weeding and none provided me with the natural beautiful look I was looking for. Katya's products are high quality and she's very knowledgeable about make up. I can't wait for my wedding day. I know she's going to make me look amazingly gorgeous!

Maria S.

Beginning with our first interaction I felt at ease trusting my special day to nick and beau. They showed incredible attention to detail and went above and beyond the day of my wedding reception. THE FOOD WAS AMAZING. Even after moving around the schedule many times the day of, they still delivered. I had guest after guest asking who had catered the food that evening. Healthy, original and delicious, they really impressed!!

Mary Ellen R.

All Things Possible took great care of ever little detail from beginning to end and helped to create the Sweet 16 of our daughter’s dreams!! Beyond grateful for their attention, creativity and heart put into their planning!!

Mallory M.

From start to finish Michael Oliver was incredible. We hired him on short notice for our destination wedding in Orlando. His prices were very reasonable for the quality of his work. He is a true artist and his photographs speak for themselves. When he was onsite, he showed up early and made sure to work with us to capture every aspect that was important to us. We had a challenging environment for him to work him but he adapted so well and made himself invisible. He makes his work look so effortless. I literally had no idea that he captured such amazing shots at the time. He came up with really creative ideas on the spot and gave us a gift we will cherish forever. Every time someone looks at our pictures that often comment that they look like they are right out of a wedding magazine. I told Michael and I still stand by it, out of all the vendors we hired for our wedding, he was by far the best decision we made.

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