How to choose, vet, and book each vendor role, with the questions that separate steady pros from the rest.
A New England wedding usually involves eight to ten hired vendors: venue, planner or coordinator, photographer, florist, caterer, officiant, music, hair and makeup, and rentals. Book venue and date first, then planner, then photographer, then band or DJ. Vendors excluding venue and catering typically account for 40 to 55 percent of total spend.
Every category ships with the questions that separate strong candidates from polished websites. Use them in every intro call.
The single vendor whose work you live with for decades. Review one full recent wedding start to finish, not a highlight reel.
Full-service planners run the process from budget to send-off. Month-of coordinators pick up in the final weeks and run the day.
Personals, ceremony installations, tablescapes, and reinstalls. Regional floral styles vary from garden-loose in Maine to formal in Newport.
Some venues are all-inclusive. When they are not, catering is often the largest single line item and drives staffing, rentals, and timeline.
Religious, civil, or personal. In New England, license rules and witness requirements vary by state, and the officiant signs the license.
Music sets the energy of the reception. In New England, book bands and top DJs 9 to 12 months out for peak dates.
Trial, day-of application, and touch-ups. Coastal humidity and long days affect product choices; align with your photographer.
Tables, chairs, linens, dinnerware, glassware, lounge furniture, tenting. Raw venues turn on rental logistics as much as on design.
New England Vows places wedding vendors in front of couples actively planning in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
Every listing is editorially reviewed. We prioritize vendors with a real portfolio, a working business presence, and a track record of weddings in the region. Rates and placement specifics are shared with vendors who inquire directly.
The core team is: venue, planner or coordinator, photographer, videographer, florist, caterer, officiant, music (ceremony musicians plus a band or DJ), hair and makeup, stationery, and rentals. Cake, transportation, and lodging blocks round out most wedding weekends.
Venue and date first, then planner, then photographer, then band or DJ. Florist, caterer (if not in-house), hair and makeup, and officiant follow. Rentals, stationery, and transportation come once the guest count and layout are firm.
Many do. Photographers, planners, and florists based in Boston, Portland, and Providence commonly cover the full region. Confirm travel fees, minimum coverage hours, and any overnight lodging costs before contracting.
Review a full recent wedding (not a highlight reel), read multiple third-party reviews, request references from a couple who used them, confirm insurance and licensure where applicable, and read the contract carefully. Chemistry matters: you will spend the entire day with these people.
Vendors (excluding venue and catering) typically make up 40 to 55 percent of the total. Photography, florals, music, and planning are usually the largest line items. New England averages run above the national number, so build in a 10 to 15 percent contingency.
Mid-market coverage typically runs $4,500 to $8,500 for 8 to 10 hours. Established regional photographers price $8,500 to $15,000 or more for full-day coverage, second shooter, and albums. Elopements and small weddings often price at half-day packages starting around $2,500.
A meaningful floral program (bridal party, ceremony arrangements, centerpieces, install and strike) typically starts around $4,000 to $6,000 and scales into five figures at estate and mansion venues. Local, in-season sourcing lowers cost meaningfully.
Regional wedding DJs run $2,000 to $4,500 for a full evening. Wedding bands typically start around $6,000 for a smaller group and run $12,000 to $25,000 for larger, well-known regional acts. Ceremony musicians and cocktail-hour music are usually priced separately.
Often yes. Venue coordinators manage the venue, not your full vendor team. A month-of coordinator or full-service planner owns timeline, vendor logistics, and day-of decisions across the entire wedding, which the venue coordinator does not.
It depends. All-inclusive hotels, mansions, and country clubs bundle catering. Rural barns, historic halls, and outdoor venues usually require an outside caterer from a preferred list. Confirm which model your venue uses before you compare prices.
Start with the New England Vows state and destination guides, then cross-check with recent full weddings on each vendor's site (not curated highlight reels). Grace, The Vow Concierge, can also match you against regional partners by style and budget.
Tipping is customary but not universal. Common practice is 15 to 20 percent for hair and makeup, $50 to $100 per catering staff member, and $100 to $500 for planners, photographers, and band members depending on service. Tips for venue owners are typically not expected.
Grace, your 24/7 New England wedding concierge. Ask her anything.