Questions to Ask Every Wedding Vendor Before You Book

October 21, 2026 · 4 min read · By the Shaadi Planning team

Booking vendors for a South Asian wedding means comparing quotes for several events at once, often from vendors who price in very different ways. One photographer quotes by the hour, another by the event; one caterer includes service staff, another does not. The right questions make quotes comparable and contracts clear.

Use this list as a starting point. Not every question fits every vendor, and you will add your own. Write the answers down next to each quote so you can compare like with like.

Questions for Every Vendor

Start with these, whoever you are talking to:

• Are you available on our dates, for every event we need you for? Multi-day weddings often need a vendor on two or three days.
• Have you worked South Asian weddings before? Ask which traditions and which events. A vendor who knows a baraat or a sangeet plans differently.
• What exactly is included in the price? Hours, people, equipment, travel, setup and teardown.
• What is not included? Tax, service charges, overtime, travel fees, permits.
• What is the deposit, and when are the other payments due?
• What happens if we need to change the date or the guest count?
• What is your cancellation policy, and what happens if you cannot make it? Ask whether they have a backup.
• Who will actually be there on the day? The owner, or someone from their team?

Ask for every answer that matters to be written into the contract.

Venues

• How many guests does each space hold, seated and standing?
• Is there a food and beverage minimum, and does it change by day or season?
• Can we bring our own caterer, or must we use yours? Is there a fee for outside caterers?
• What do you allow for a baraat: a horse, a dhol, a route through the property?
• Do you allow open flames for a havan or diyas, or only LED lamps?
• How loud can the music be, and when must it stop?
• When can our decorator get in, and when must everything be out?
• Is there a getting-ready room for each side?

Caterers

• Do you cook the regional food we want? Ask for a tasting.
• How do you price: per person, per dish or per event? Are kids priced differently?
• Are service staff, plates, cutlery and setup included?
• Can you handle vegetarian, Jain, halal or other requirements, and how do you keep them separate?
• When do you need the final headcount for each event?
• If you serve a traditional meal, such as on banana leaves, how many servers do you need?

Photographers and Videographers

• How do you price: by the hour, by the event or by package?
• What is your overtime rate? South Asian events often run long.
• How many photographers or camera operators are included?
• Have you photographed our ceremony before? Ask to see a full gallery from one, not just highlights.
• How long until we receive photos and the edited video?
• Do you work from a family photo list? Large families mean many group photos.

Family photos can take a long time at big weddings. A list of who is in each group, in order, keeps it moving. Photo Groups gives your photographer that list and lets guests find their group with a QR code.

DJs, Musicians and Dhol Players

• What music do you play, and can you mix Bollywood, bhangra, garba or regional music with other styles?
• Do you provide the sound system, microphones and lighting? For which events?
• Can you emcee, or should we book someone separately?
• Can you play the songs for our sangeet performances in order, from files we send?
• For a baraat, can you provide mobile sound or a dhol player?

Decorators

• What is included: mandap, stage, florals, lighting, linens, centerpieces?
• Are setup, delivery and teardown included, and how long do they need?
• Can items be reused across events, such as the sangeet stage for the reception?
• What happens if the venue changes the setup time?

Hair, Makeup and Henna Artists

• How many people can you do in the time we have, and how many artists will come?
• Do you travel to the venue or the home, and is there a fee?
• For henna: how long does the bride's design take, and how many guests can each artist do in an hour?
• Do you offer a trial before the wedding?

Comparing Quotes Fairly

Once you have answers, line the quotes up on the same terms: the same hours, the same events, the same guest count, with tax, service charges and minimums included. Only then compare the totals. The cheapest quote is not always the cheapest once everything is added.

Shaadi Planning keeps vendor quotes, contracts and payments in one plan next to your budget by ceremony, with the next payment due on your Home screen. You can find vendors who know South Asian weddings in our free vendor directory, and vendors can list their business for free. To keep everything in one place, start planning.