What to Look For

- Companies that will break down your costs menu-style and separate wedding ceremony requirement costs from wedding reception costs.

- Companies who listen to your budget concerns, offering creative cost-cut ting solutions and that will lay out exactly what you need in order to create the wedding vision you are going for, companies that will let you know what can be an optional enhancement for future budget consideration items that are nonessential and with or without them your wedding design will stand on its own.

What to Watch Out For

- Ask if they already own, will be subcontracting, or will be creating your design elements from scratch. If they will be custom creating items such as centerpieces or props for you, find out if at the end of the event they belong to you, or what the price concessions are if they are keeping them, reusing them, and renting them out to other clients in the future. Look for items that can also serve a dual purpose and become take-home wedding favors or even become part of your entertaining and décor. Remember to always maximize the benefits of the money you are spending.

- A supplier that will not do a site inspection of the venue if they have not done events in the facility before.

What to Expect and Inspect During Your Site Inspection

-Take the time to visit with the company that will be handling your rentals. Make sure that their linens, chair covers, china, crystal, silverware, etc., are in good condition and are of the quality that you are looking for.

-When renting table rounds, make sure that the tables they are sending are a solid unit in the size requested and not plywood placed over a smaller table, as the plywood could easily tip if someone leans on it. New on the market are hydraulic tables that convert from 30-inch dining tables to 22-inch cocktail tables at the touch of a button.