There are many benefits to supporting and using local suppliers for your wedding. We believe that if you are getting married in a regional setting, such as the South Coast of New South Wales, utilising wedding vendors who live and breathe the local area is not only recommended but essential. Let’s look at some of the key benefits of using local suppliers such as florists, caterers, hair and makeup artists, and more in “Why You Should Use Local Suppliers For Your Country Wedding” with Vanessa from The Wedding & Event Creators for The Country Issue.

Images: Alana Taylor Photography

Your Suppliers Know Each Other

Being relatively small regions means that your suppliers will often work regularly at the same venues and alongside other local vendors weekly or many times throughout the wedding season. This means that they know the ins and outs of how each other operates making it a seamless planning process and a wedding day that runs smoothly. For example, if the caterer tends to run on time or earlier with food timings, this is something that can be accommodated in the run sheet.

If your suppliers have a familiar working relationship and great connection, then this can also take items off the couple’s to-do list. There’s no need for the caterer to email the bride asking if they have hired a certain item, how many supplier meals are required, or what the final guest count is. They can just contact the wedding planner or coordinator directly. This is a huge weight off the couple’s shoulders knowing that their vendors have open lines of communication and actually enjoy working together.

Your Suppliers Know Your Wedding Venue

This is a big deal and a huge plus if your vendors have worked at your venue before. For example, a local photographer may know the best spots for photos and where the best light or sunset locations are. Your caravan bar knows where to set up for the best access for guests,  your makeup artist knows the best room to prep in with the best lighting and your caterer will know exactly what you need to hire for particular venues they regularly work at. The list goes on, but using local vendors is key to having a stress-free wedding day where nothing is forgotten.

For venues we work at often, we just know the ins and outs rather than someone walking in to work at that venue for the first time. Experience and local knowledge are so valuable on your big day. The more prepared we can be based on issues we have troubleshot in the past means a day that runs as smoothly as can be. Certain venues will have their own quirks and character, for example, not being able to plug more than two sets of festoon lights into a power outlet or it will trip the power. Another venue we regularly work at doesn’t include event bins so these need to be hired in advance.

Local Suppliers Have Better BackUp Plans

Using a local supplier means that if something was to go wrong on your big day, they have the connections and local knowledge of who to call or how to troubleshoot the issue.

Locals may have the ability to source staff last minute from friends of friends if someone calls in sick or know a local electrician or when the local IGA or liquor shop shuts. These are just some examples of how a local supplier can save the day when something unexpected comes up.

A Local Supplier Can Save You Money

Unfortunately, booking suppliers who are not local means you often have to pay travel fees along with overnight accommodation and other expenses, when often using local there may be no additional fees and costs.

A supplier that has local knowledge and connections can also save you money. For example, your caravan bar could point you in the right direction for the best alcohol supplier in the region or they might have a relationship that comes with discounts.

Another instance is an out-of-town florist that sources thousands of dollars of wattle and gum from the markets in the city only to find that the venue had this freely available at no charge. Perhaps the hire company charges the same evening pack-down fee only to realise that the local venue is okay with the next-day pick up.

Images: Red Berry Photography of Helen & Rich’s Wedding / Styling: The Wedding & Event Creators / Flowers: Ivy Lane Collective

Ultimately, the knowledge that these suppliers have of the local area, a particular venue, or other suppliers is so invaluable to make sure your day runs smoothly. This is absolutely priceless on your perfect day!

About The Wedding & Event Creators: At The Wedding & Event Creators, our team is able to offer a comprehensive approach to your wedding by having everything in-house! We can cover all your styling, hiring, planning, coordination, set up, and floral needs. We can assist from the beginning with styling concept and design through to set up, hire goodies, florals, and then execution on the wedding day.