A wedding vendor checklist should show which suppliers are required, what each has agreed to deliver, who manages them, payment status and arrival times. For a planner coordinating a traditional wedding and reception, keep the scope for each event clear. One vendor name on a list does not prove that both dates, both venues and all the expected services are covered.
Copy the tracker below and remove categories the client does not need. This is a coordination worksheet, not a requirement to hire every supplier listed.
Start with the services the event actually needs
| Category | Questions to resolve |
|---|---|
| Venue | Which spaces, access hours, furniture and venue staff are included? |
| Catering | Which meals, guest count, service team and setup are covered? |
| Drinks | Who supplies, stores, serves and accounts for the drinks? |
| Decor | What is supplied, when is installation allowed and who removes it? |
| Photography and video | Which events, hours, key moments and deliverables are agreed? |
| MC, DJ or band | Which programme, equipment and performance periods are covered? |
| Cake | Delivery, setup, presentation and collection requirements |
| Ushers and door staff | Roles, hours, supervision and access-check process |
| Transport | Routes, pickup times, passenger assumptions and day contact |
| Printing or access materials | Names, quantities, approval deadline and delivery |
Ask the client which vendors they have already engaged and which you are responsible for sourcing. Do not assume that being given a supplier's phone number makes you responsible for the supplier's price or contract.
Copy this vendor tracker
| Field | Information to keep |
|---|---|
| Vendor and service | Business name and exact workstream |
| Event covered | Date, venue and part of the programme |
| Main and day contact | Who answers before the event and during delivery |
| Agreed scope | Current quote or agreement reference |
| Client owner | Who chose the vendor and approves changes |
| Payment status | Due, paid or unresolved, with evidence reference |
| Arrival and setup | Agreed access time and readiness deadline |
| Requirements | Power, space, access or another confirmed dependency |
| Collection | What leaves, when and who signs the handover |
| Open action | Question, owner and next deadline |
Keep personal contacts and commercial documents with the team who need them. A guest-facing programme does not need the vendor ledger attached.
Confirm scope before the final week
Ask each vendor to acknowledge the current date, venue, timings and deliverables. Identify anything dependent on a final guest count or another supplier's work.
For example, the decorator's installation time may depend on venue access, while the photographer needs the MC's current programme. Record the dependency and connect the owners before it becomes a delivery-day argument.
If the client adds another location or service period, get the revised scope and cost clarified. Use the quotation template to keep your own additional planning work visible too.
Keep payment information precise
Write what is due, what has been paid and which evidence supports it. Do not write “sorted” where the client has promised a transfer but no payment is confirmed.
Assign the person responsible for each payment and any disputed amount. The planner's coordination role should not silently become a promise to fund somebody else's vendor balance. See getting paid like a professional for keeping your own invoicing clear.
Turn the tracker into a day brief
Before the event, issue the relevant arrival and contact information to each workstream lead. Use the event-day checklist to check readiness, then keep one route for changes.
At close-out, record collection, outstanding delivery items and unresolved payments. Keep the record until the job has been handed back under the client's agreed process.
Comtev's Nigerian planner workflow covers guest collection, invitations, QR check-in, team permissions and client invoicing. This vendor worksheet is a manual planning resource; it does not claim that the Nigerian product sources, books or pays wedding vendors for you. See how the planner product works.
FAQs
What vendors do you need for a wedding?
The services depend on the event. Common categories include venue, catering, drinks, decor, photography, entertainment, cake, guest reception and transport. Confirm what the venue or client already provides before hiring separately.
What should a wedding vendor checklist track?
Track the event covered, scope, contacts, client owner, payment status, arrival, setup requirements, collection and open actions. Keep the current agreement reference with each vendor.
Should traditional and reception vendors share one tracker?
They can share a master tracker, but distinguish the scope for each date and venue. A supplier covering one event should not appear confirmed for another without agreement.