{"id":17153,"date":"2015-12-22T06:00:21","date_gmt":"2015-12-22T12:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/houstonweddingblog.com\/?p=17153"},"modified":"2018-05-04T09:38:57","modified_gmt":"2018-05-04T14:38:57","slug":"joe-knows-weddings-photographer-joe-cogliandro-on-how-to-choose-your-wedding-vendors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.weddingsinhouston.com\/blog\/joe-knows-weddings-photographer-joe-cogliandro-on-how-to-choose-your-wedding-vendors\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Knows Weddings: Photographer Joe Cogliandro on How to Choose Your Wedding Vendors"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Joe<\/p>\n

Photo: J. Cogliandro Photography <\/a><\/p>\n

Today you\u2019re in for a special Houston Wedding Blog treat, darlings! Renowned fine-art, portrait, wedding and boudoir photographer Joe Cogliandro joins us for the first in a series of guest posts we\u2019re calling \u201cJoe Knows Weddings.\u201d Why? Because, with 14 years of experience shooting many of the most magnificent nuptial celebrations in Texas (and across the country), the founder of J. Cogliandro Photography<\/a> does<\/em> know weddings\u2014and the brides and grooms having them\u2013incredibly well.<\/p>\n

For our first installment, Joe responds to a recently engaged friend who\u2019s having difficulty deciding on vendors\u2014and offers his thoughts on the power of personal connection:<\/p>\n

Bride-to-be, Leah:<\/em><\/strong> \u201cJoe\u2026. Did you get the message I sent you on Facebook a few days ago?\u00a0I know it was sorta out of the blue since we had not talked in a while but I wanted to let you know that I recently got engaged! Yes\u2026yes, I know, pretty crazy and super unexpected, since we have only been dating two months.\u00a0But you know how things happen\u2026 one day you don\u2019t have a clue what life is going to bring you then suddenly everything is clear.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Greg and I met at yoga class a few months ago and have pretty much been inseparable since.\u00a0I wanted to let you know personally since you have been such a good friend through the years and (of course) I wanted your opinion on a couple of vendors. We are getting married in six months and I only have the location and coordinator picked out, and I have had tons of advice from everyone on who to use for all the other things. <\/em><\/p>\n

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The problem is\u2026they all seem pretty good, they all have such good recommendations and many have been used by my friends.\u00a0I know you are in the industry and thought I would get your professional opinion.\u00a0We are currently looking for a florist, DJ\/band, photographer and videographer.\u00a0My mom and a few of my bridesmaids just attended a big bridal show and though it was helpful and answered a ton of questions, I feel like it left us with many more questions unanswered.\u00a0We have already met with about three or four vendors in each category, but I am at a loss on how to choose. Some of them seem the clear choice but others seem like they can go either way\u2026 so\u2026clarity\u2026I need some clarity!”<\/em><\/p>\n

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Joe Cogliandro:<\/em><\/strong> \u201cLeah! So good to hear from you and so excited for this craziness happening in your life! I have the simplest advice for you regarding your vendors.\u00a0I am going to assume since you are not bringing up finances that all of these vendors pretty much fall into your budget, and that since you have met with them and you still have a few for each category, that they are all good at what they do.\u00a0You also said that each one has been recommended by someone you know, right? If all of these factors have already checked out, then all that is left is for you to\u00a0choose the<\/strong> people<\/strong> that are going to make you the happiest. If you are certain of their professionalism and you trust they will all follow through with what they say they can deliver, then it\u2019s just about relationship at this point. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Over the next few months, each of your vendors will play a pivotal role in your life.\u00a0Now, they may not be your best buds, they may not meet up with you for drinks after work or attend your Christmas party\u2026 but the energy they bring into your life will either positively or negatively affect much of what is happening in the rest of your personal life. These people are helping you plan the biggest day in your life, so it\u2019s only natural that the relationship you have with them will be an emotional one, to an extent. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Pick the people that you would have share this time with you.\u00a0Which florist made you smile the most? Which photographer could you actually see holding a conversation with you (or more importantly your friends and family)? Which DJ do you believe will help project the environment that\u00a0you <\/strong>want for your friends and family to share? Which of these people, given other circumstances, could possibly be your friends?\u00a0Which have shown you that they care about you and your needs, not just about what they do and have done? You want people on your<\/strong> team\u2026 that are working together for your sake, not for their own individually. Here\u2019s my advice in a nutshell:<\/em><\/p>\n

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