Wedding vendor confirmation is the process of contacting every supplier in the final weeks before a wedding to confirm, in writing, their arrival time, location, contact person, deliverables, setup and pack-down needs, final numbers and any outstanding payments. Most professional planners send confirmations two to three weeks out and follow up again in the final week.
It’s not glamorous, but it’s where weddings are won or lost. A florist who thinks setup starts at 2pm when the venue opens at noon, a caterer working from an old guest count, a band who doesn’t know there’s no lift — every one of those problems is preventable with a solid confirmation process. Here’s the wedding vendor confirmation checklist professional planners use, supplier by supplier.
Why wedding vendor confirmation matters so much
Over months of planning, details change constantly. Guest numbers move, the timeline shifts, the couple swaps a colour or adds a late-night snack. Suppliers booked early may be working from details that are now out of date. The final confirmation round is your chance to make sure everyone is working from the same, current information.
It also does three other jobs:
- Catches misunderstandings while there’s still time to fix them.
- Creates a written record of what was agreed — useful if anything goes wrong.
- Builds your reputation with suppliers. Vendors love working with organised planners, and they’ll recommend you.
When to confirm with wedding vendors
A clear timeline keeps the process manageable.
| Timing before wedding | Action |
|---|---|
| 4–6 weeks | Review every contract and your notes; update the run sheet draft |
| 2–3 weeks | Send detailed confirmation emails to every supplier |
| 10–14 days | Chase any supplier who hasn’t replied; finalise guest numbers |
| 7 days | Send the final run sheet and supplier contact list to everyone |
| 1–2 days | Quick check-in call or message with key suppliers |
Adapt the timing to the event — destination weddings and large events may need earlier confirmation, while smaller events may be simpler.
What to confirm with every wedding vendor
Before you get supplier-specific, these basics apply to everyone.
- Supplier name, business name and day-of contact person (with mobile number)
- Date, venue name, full address and specific location within the venue
- Arrival, setup, service and pack-down times
- Access details: loading dock, parking, lifts, stairs, any restrictions
- Power, water or space requirements
- Final deliverables, quantities and any changes since booking
- Meals for supplier staff, if included
- Outstanding balances and due dates (according to their contract)
- Insurance or compliance documents the venue requires
- Their backup plan if they’re unwell or delayed
Supplier-by-supplier confirmation checklist
Venue
- Final room layout and floor plan
- Final guest numbers and table plan
- Access times for suppliers, including any earliest arrival or latest departure
- Wet-weather or alternative space confirmation
- Restrictions: candles, confetti, noise limits, decorations, fixings
- On-site contact for the day and their mobile number
Caterer
- Final guest numbers, including supplier meals
- Dietary requirements and allergies, linked to the seating plan
- Menu, service style and timing of each course
- Bar package, drinks timings and any special drinks for toasts
- Cake cutting and dessert service
- Equipment and hire items they’re supplying
Photographer and videographer
- Arrival times and locations (preparation, ceremony, portraits, reception)
- Shot list, especially family group photos and names
- Portrait location and timing, plus a wet-weather alternative
- Any restrictions from the officiant or venue on photography
- Meal break timing and where they’ll eat
Florist and stylist
- Final design list and quantities
- Delivery times and setup locations
- Who places personal flowers (bouquets, buttonholes, corsages) and when
- Pack-down time and who collects hire items
- Any items being repurposed from ceremony to reception, and who moves them
Officiant or celebrant
- Ceremony start time and expected length
- Final ceremony script, readings and readers
- Legal paperwork, witnesses and identification requirements (confirm with the officiant and relevant authority)
- Rehearsal time and location
- Microphone and sound requirements
Music: band, DJ or musicians
- Arrival, sound check and performance times
- Ceremony music: processional, signing and recessional tracks
- First dance, special songs and do-not-play list
- Power, stage area and noise restrictions
- Who acts as MC, if anyone, and the running order for announcements
Hair and makeup
- Start time, location and schedule for each person
- Number of people and services
- Space requirements: tables, mirrors, natural light, power
- Touch-up services, if booked
Transport
- Pickup addresses, times and passenger lists
- Route and drop-off points, including parking and turning space
- Return trips and late-night transport
- Driver contact numbers
Cake and dessert supplier
- Delivery time and location
- Setup requirements: table, stand, refrigeration
- Who cuts and serves
- Collection of stands or hire items
Hire companies and rentals
- Itemised list and quantities
- Delivery and collection windows
- Who checks items on delivery and on return
- Damage or cleaning terms per their contract
Don’t forget to confirm with the couple, too
Before you send a single supplier email, sit down with the couple and lock in the final details you need from them. Vendor confirmations are only as accurate as the information behind them, and couples are often the source of last-minute changes. Confirm the final guest count and seating plan, dietary requirements, the family photo list, the ceremony script and readings, special songs, any items they’re bringing themselves (signage, guest book, keepsakes, favours) and who’s responsible for delivering those items to the venue.
Set a firm cut-off date for changes and explain why it matters: after that point, every change has to ripple through multiple suppliers, and the risk of something being missed goes up. Most couples are relieved to have a clear deadline — it gives them permission to stop tweaking.
The day-of supplier contact sheet
Once every confirmation is back, compile a one-page supplier contact sheet. List each supplier’s business name, day-of contact person, mobile number, arrival time and role. Print several copies: one for you, one for your assistant, one for the venue coordinator and one in your emergency kit. Phones die, signal drops and inboxes become impossible to search under pressure — paper never runs out of battery.
Add the venue’s emergency contacts and the couple’s nominated family contact too. If anything changes on the day, everyone knows who to call.
How to write a vendor confirmation email
Keep it clear, structured and easy to reply to. A strong confirmation email includes:
- A friendly opening and the wedding’s key details (couple’s names, date, venue)
- The specific details you’re confirming, set out in short bullet points
- Any changes since booking, highlighted
- A clear request: “Please reply to confirm these details or let me know of any changes by [date]”
- Your contact details and day-of contact number
Avoid one giant email to all suppliers. Each vendor needs to see their own details clearly — then send the full run sheet separately so everyone understands the wider picture.
The details most often missed
These are the gaps that catch planners out time and time again:
- Supplier meals. Forgetting to include them in catering numbers.
- Access restrictions. Narrow doors, no lift or limited parking for vans.
- Pack-down times. Venues often have strict exit times, and suppliers need to know them.
- Who moves what. Ceremony flowers or signage needing to move to the reception.
- Name pronunciations. For the officiant, MC and anyone making announcements.
- Updated guest numbers. Making sure every supplier has the latest count.
- Venue compliance paperwork. Some venues require supplier insurance documents in advance.
Build your confirmation system once, use it forever
The best planners don’t reinvent this process for every wedding. They build templates — a confirmation email for each supplier type, a tracking spreadsheet and a supplier contact sheet — and refine them after each event. A simple tracker with columns for supplier, date sent, date confirmed, changes and outstanding items shows you instantly who still needs chasing.
After every wedding, spend ten minutes reviewing what worked. Did a supplier ask a question your template didn’t cover? Was a detail missed that caused stress on the day? Add it to the checklist. Over a handful of weddings, your confirmation system becomes a genuine business asset — and a big part of why couples, venues and suppliers trust you.
Supplier management, contracts and wedding-day coordination are central to the Certificate in Wedding Planning, which you can study 100% online at your own pace. For planning checklists and practical tools, see The Wedding Planner’s Handbook by Jac Bowie, and browse our wedding planner templates if you’d like ready-made documents to adapt.
Frequently asked questions
When should a wedding planner confirm vendors?
Most planners send detailed confirmations two to three weeks before the wedding, chase replies about 10 to 14 days out, share the final run sheet a week before, and do a quick check-in a day or two before.
What should a vendor confirmation include?
Include the date, venue address, arrival and setup times, day-of contacts, access details, final deliverables and quantities, any changes since booking, and any outstanding balances due under the contract.
Should vendor confirmations be done by email or phone?
Email is best for the main confirmation because it creates a written record. A quick phone call or message in the final days is a useful extra check.
What if a vendor doesn’t reply to a confirmation?
Follow up promptly by phone. If you still can’t reach them, check your contract, contact any backup details you hold and start lining up an alternative.
Do suppliers need a copy of the full run sheet?
Yes. Each supplier should receive their own confirmation plus the final run sheet, so they understand how their role fits into the full day.
Ready to become the organised planner suppliers love working with? Learn supplier management, run sheets and wedding-day coordination with The Wedding Academy, online and at your own pace.
