There are so many pieces when it comes to planning a wedding. Once you have your venue, the next big step is to find the rest of your vendors. With thousands of photographers, caterers, florists, decorators and DJs, out there, how do you even begin to choose the right ones?
That’s where Lavender on the Lake comes in.
Jason has seen hundreds of wedding celebrations, whereas I am newer to weddings. However, over the last year, we’ve carefully built a network of trusted vendors who consistently deliver beautiful results and stress-free experiences. Did you hear the words stress-free? To me, this is everything when it comes to planning a wedding.
We are constantly changing our recommendations because we have high standards; if we are sending our couples to these vendors for business, we expect high quality treatment with follow through for a flawless event. These aren’t just names on a list or friends of ours—these are vendors we know, trust, and recommend for a reason. The behind the scenes of wedding prep can be very chaotic without strong key players. And let me just tell you, we’ve seen A LOT.
Here’s why choosing our recommended vendors could be one of the best decisions you make for your wedding.
1. Proven Excellent Track Record
We don’t just recommend vendors because we’ve heard of them or because they are friends—we recommend them because we’ve worked with them at least more than once. We know that they are professionals who show up on time- I know. You may be wondering why this is even mentioned. If you want me to go into more details I can. The simplest things to say here is that there have been some moments where we are freaking out because the vendor is not here and things are underway. When I say “things” I mean, a wedding. The vendors that we recommend go the extra mile and have consistently showed up on time which in turn results with exceptional service.
When you choose from our curated list, you’re not just reading reviews, looking through their socials and taking a chance—you’re hiring someone with a proven track record with us. If you have selected LOTL for your wedding, you already know that we are a family owned business with strong and faithful values. We have built this space to create moments and experiences for our couples and their families that truly do matter to us. The vendors on our list must align with our own values.
2. Seamless Collaboration = A Smooth Wedding Day
Did you play a sport in high school? I did. I played field hockey in Ohio. I will forever remember the days walking the high school halls and someone from our team would pass and say something like-“ I heard Coach Kolada is making us do the long run today. 7 miles.” The rest of my day would be spent worrying about practice and complaining and sharing the news to teammates I passed. But when we got there, we didn’t have to run 7 miles. Ok so 1.5 miles isn’t nothing, but we ran and then we ran drills ending with a scrimmage. It was a total blast.
There’s a reason sports teams practice together: chemistry. When we were in a game, we had bonded over the rumors and then practiced together. Our recommended vendors are similar to how a team is. They are familiar with how we operate and how each other works. (They don’t drive on the ceremony space and cause Jason to grow more gray hairs.)The fact that they know our procedures makes everything more fluid, coordinated, and efficient on the wedding day.
Coordinators who know us and know how we expect the flow to go for our couples—(ceremony should start on time and don’t miss sunset)—photographers who know the venue lighting, florists who’ve designed for our space before, DJs who understand the timeline—we’re all on the same page, working in harmony to make your day seamless.
3. Saving Time and Less Stress
Vendor interviews can be draining. With our trusted list, you can skip the guesswork and fast-track the decision-making process. We’ve already done the vetting for you, so you can focus on what really matters—enjoying the planning process, focusing on your love and the true reason for having your wedding, and looking forward to your big day.
4. Accountability and Peace of Mind
If something ever goes off track (it happens!), we know exactly who to call and how to handle it. When you hire our recommended vendors, you’re not hiring strangers—you’re bringing in professionals who are just as committed to making your day perfect as we are. We already have a relationship with them so we can go to them to find a solution.
And because they’re part of our network, there’s a natural level of accountability and mutual respect that makes communication smooth with clear expectations.
5. They Care About Your Wedding Just As Much As We Do
The vendors we recommend aren’t just good at what they do—they’re genuinely passionate about weddings and about making people happy. We choose to work with professionals who care. When your team is built with that kind of energy, your day feels even more special.
Your Wedding Team Should Feel Like a Dream Team
Your wedding day is one of the most meaningful and special days of your life. If you have chosen Lavender on the Lake, we are so thankful. We are honored that you have selected us to be a part of this time; trusting us to also point you in vendor directions setts you up for a celebration that’s not just beautiful—but also smooth, joyful, and exactly what you have dreamed of. If you are finding yourself super stressed out, read here for ideas on how to find joy throughout the planning process.
Let’s build your dream team—one that already knows how to work together to make your vision a reality!
Side note: perhaps you went to a wedding recently and they had someone making signature coffee drinks and you love that idea but you have no idea where to start? Well, let me make a little suggestion if that is the case. for you. We LOVE Kineo Coffee. AND I just talked with Brandon-the owner-and he informed me that he is now offering Espresso Martinis. I know. Feels like a mic drop to me so I will leave it there. Below is the coffee Brandon made for me during a February wedding. It was every sip delicious as it was beautiful.
Thank you so much for popping into my blog! If you have been following along with our story, thank you so much for doing so! If you are new here, you will see that as a small, family owned business, we support other locally owned businesses whole-heartedly. You can look here at this map to see more!
The Venue at Springfield Estates
XO
Shelley