A Guide to Wedding Vendors and Some of My Favorites to Work With in Wisconsin

What vendors do you need to make your dream Wisconsin wedding a reality? Read here to find out and get to know some of my favs in the space!

What vendors do you need for a wedding? The question is a tricky one as every single wedding is different. Just like no two people are the same, no two weddings are either. Even in the case of two weddings at the same venue with similar vendors, depending on the vision of the couple they can still end up drastically different. This is why it is so important to choose vendors for your Wisconsin wedding that can help you to create the wedding day that you’ve dreamt of. But how do you decide on which vendors will help you to achieve that vision? That’s what we’re here to find out today, so let’s take a look at all the possible vendors for your wedding day as well as some of my favorites to work with in Wisconsin!

What Vendors Do You Need for a Wedding?

Before we dig into the different vendors that make up a wedding day, let’s talk a little more about what vendors a wedding day needs. Like I said, every wedding is different, and that also means that the vendors needed for every wedding are also different. It really comes down to the experience you’re looking to have and finding vendors that can provide that experience. 

Venue

First on our list we have one of, if not the most important vendor for your wedding day, the venue! While not a vendor in the traditional style of a person you’d hire to provide a service on your wedding day, make no mistake that your venue is in fact a vendor and a VERY important one. Your venue isn’t just the place where you’ll have your ceremony and/or reception, it is also the space that will determine the overall feel of your wedding day! Whether you are looking for more of a blank slate to decorate and make your own, or you’re going for something with more of its own charm and character to it, your wedding venue is often the largest factor in determining the feel of your wedding day.

In terms of wedding venues that I recommend I have recently fallen in love with The Aisling in Hudson, Wisconsin. The Aisling was the venue in my recent blog post covering a styled shoot I had the pleasure of photographing there! The Aisling is newly constructed on the grounds of the Troy Burne Golf Club and has SO much to offer it’s couples in terms of amenities as well as a gorgeous setting to work with. Be sure to check out my article on the styled shoot to see more of what this venue has to offer! Of course there are NO shortages of wedding venues to choose from, so talk with your partner to figure out what you both are looking for in a venue. From there you’ll be able to find a space that fits your vision.

Photographer

Next on our list we have, yours truly, your photographer! While I might have just a little bias in this department being a wedding photographer myself, it’s hard to argue how important a wedding photographer is to a wedding day. If you think about it, you only get to do your wedding day once. Once it’s all said and done though, that’s it. With wedding photography though you’re able to relive your day as it happened. All of your favorite moments that made the day special to you, as well as the moments you may have missed. Your photographer is an invaluable member of your wedding vendor team since they not only capture these memories, but also they’re there to support you. They keep the day running smoothly, help you feel organized, and can even help with the planning process of your wedding itself.

As for my recommendation for a photographer for your wedding vendor team, look no further than yours truly! Head to my contact page if you’re ready to book me and we can start planning your wedding together today.

Videographer

The next wedding vendor on our list is your videographer. Now at first this may seem redundant as a videographer is pretty similar to a photographer, right? Not exactly! While yes, both photographers and videographers capture moments from your wedding day for you to be able to look back on and cherish for the rest of your lives, we go about this in completely different ways. Not only that, but both photography and videography capture feelings and emotions completely differently to one another. Videography captures things like the cadence of your mother’s speech at your reception, or the way you begin to tear up during your vows to one another in a completely different way than you’ll experience with photography. It’s why it’s often best to have both for your wedding so you can capture these moments and relive them through both mediums. 

Hair and Makeup

Our next vendor on the list is one that will be there to make sure you start your day off on the right foot. This of course is your hair and makeup artist or artists! Your wedding day is one of the happiest days of your lives. You should be feeling and looking as though you’re on top of the world, after all this is a celebration of you and the love of your life and the relationship you’ve built together. Your hair and makeup artist is a very important vendor as they’re the one that will help you achieve your dream look for your wedding day. 

My recommendation for your hair and makeup artist is none other than Michelle Dunlap Design. Michelle is not only an INCREDIBLY talented individual wedding vendor that services couples in Wisconsin, but is also a wonderful person to work with. Her strength lies in that while she is an exceptional hair and makeup artist, she also excels at making her clients feel comfortable, confident, and most of all excited for their wedding day.

Florals

One of the staples of any wedding celebration, big or small, are the flowers you’ll have as decorations for your day. Whether you keep things simple and opt for just a bouquet and some flowers on your reception tables, or you go all out with flower décor, your florals help create the setting of your wedding day. 

There are a ton of talented florists out there, but one of my favorites to work with recently has to be Green Goddess Floral. Their work is some of the most creative and beautiful I’ve seen and is always such a highlight to the wedding experience. They're an easy choice for you to consider as a part of your Wisconsin wedding vendor team!

Stationery

Wedding day stationery often gets overlooked, which is a shame as it is usually the first vendor that your guests will see the work of! Your stationery vendor takes care of your invite suite, but can also be a part of your wedding day itself. Whether that’s through custom signs welcoming your guests, custom pamphlets talking about the road that brought everyone here today, or even your drink menu, your stationery is such an important vendor to give your wedding a cohesive feel and style to it from start to finish.

As for my recommendation for your stationery wedding vendor in Wisconsin, Epitome Papers has been a pleasure to work with in the past! Their work is gorgeous and always achieves that cohesive vision and feel I was talking about earlier. You can take a look at some more of their work on their website to get an idea of what I mean. Lastly they’re incredible at communicating and working with their clients to achieve the style and vision they’re looking for.

Cake and Desserts

Next on our list is a crucial wedding vendor for anyone with a sweet tooth. Your wedding cake as well as the desserts of your wedding are a must have, both for you and your guests! A longtime staple for many weddings is the bride and groom cutting their wedding cake together, which is always a fun highlight of the evening. Having more than just cake at your wedding though goes a long way for your guests. That’s why it’s so important to choose a wedding vendor that can supply some tasty treats that you and your guests will love.

One of my favorite wedding vendors in the cake and dessert space has to be Emily Grace Cakes. Emily is able to create visually stunning desserts that actually taste as good as they look, if not better! It’s crucial when choosing your vendor for your cake and desserts that you do a taste test prior to your day to make sure that you love the items that will be there on your big day.

Entertainment

One of the most important wedding vendors for your reception has to be your entertainment for the evening. The biggest choice you’ll have to make when deciding on the entertainment for the evening is whether or not you want a live band or a DJ as they each provide a slightly different experience. With a live band you can almost always guarantee a packed dance floor as they bring an unmatched energy to the party. A DJ is going to be able to read the room and adjust their set on the fly to match what the crowd is feeling. Both options are fantastic so it really depends on the feel you’re going for as well as the budget you’re working with.

Rentals

Depending on your wedding venue you may or may not need to rent any additional furniture or décor for your wedding. If that isn’t the case though there are plenty of great options out there. Even if your venue does have furniture available for use you may still end up going with a rental company to achieve a certain style or vision for your wedding day. It all comes down to your preference and the vision you have for your wedding day!

There are a few rental companies that I and my client’s have had great experiences working with in the past. Boho Rental Co, Elysian Events, and We’ve Got it Covered all provide incredible products while also being simple and stress free to work with for their clients.

Wedding Planner or Coordinator

Hiring a wedding planner or a wedding coordinator can be a game changer for your wedding day. A wedding planner, like the name suggests, is someone who is there with you basically from day one, helping you plan the details of your wedding day all the way through the actual day. Meanwhile a coordinator is someone who will work with you in the weeks leading up to your wedding day and the day of to make sure everything goes according to plan and your vendors have what they need to do their best work. Both of these vendors can be a HUGE help to your wedding day and to your sanity.

Whether you decide to hire a planner or coordinator as a vendor for your Wisconsin wedding depends largely on how hands-on you want to be with the planning process. If you’re more of a big picture person and like to have someone there who can help ensure that your big picture goes off without a hitch, then a planner or coordinator can be an invaluable member of your vendor team.

Wedding Attire

Last and certainly not least we have your wedding attire! Choosing the attire for your wedding is an experience in itself, so choosing the right vendor for your outfits is a very important decision. They’ll be there to answer questions, help guide you towards the dress or suit of your dreams, and most offer in house alterations and tailoring to make sure that your outfit perfectly fits you and your vision! Some of my favorites that my couples have worked with recently include Raffine Bridal and Stitch & Tie.

As you can tell there are a lot of different vendors that make up a Wisconsin wedding! Each plays an important part in making sure that you have the wedding day you’ve always dreamt of. While it may seem like a lot of work to craft your team of vendors, it is honestly SO worth it. When it comes to the day of your wedding you’ll be so happy and relieved that you have a team there, each an expert of their craft ready to do their best work to bring your wedding to life. Be sure to check out my blog for more wedding planning tips, and if you’re ready to get your vendor team started and book me as your photographer head to my contact page.