Wedding Wire and the Knot Website: Worth it? Maybe Not.

Hiring event vendors for a wedding or special event can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to event planning.

Whether you’re planning a wedding, a corporate event or a birthday party, entertainment can set the tone of the entire event.

Wedding directories and event directory sites such as the Knot website have become a popular way for individuals and planners to find and hire vendors. Some of the most popular sites are The Knot website, Wedding Wire, GigSalad, The Bash, Zola, and even Bark, Freelancer and Thumbtack.

These directories offer lots of options, but like everything, they have their pros and cons. Read on to see the advantages and disadvantages of using directory sites to hire entertainment.

Pros of finding event vendors on a directory site like the Knot Website

1. Wide selection of entertainment in one place

   Major directory sites display a huge variety of entertainers, from musicians to caricaturists to fire-breathing stiltwalkers. Because of the wide range of entertainment displayed, you’re sure to find something unique that fits your needs.

   
   

2. Convenience

   Event directory sites offer simple ways to search for vendors based on location as well as the style and budget you have in mind for your wedding or other special event.

   
   

3. Verified Reviews

   Directory sites claim that an advantage of using them is the availability of reviews from previous clients. Reviews are imperative to read to get a sense of a vendor's professionalism.

   Of course, these days, you can always Google a performer or group and see what their Google reviews say. And you should! Check them out on the Better Business Bureau too.

   
   

   And while you’re at it, check out the platform itself on the bbb. For instance here’s the actual bbb rating of the Knot website (Below)

   
   

   I personally was shocked 😮

The Knot's BBB profile

Thumbtack and Bark aren’t much better. Do your homework not just about the entertainer you’re looking for but also the platform you’re using. I personally do NOT use the Knot website. Google all the bad reviews from brides for the Knot Website and you'll see why I wrote this article in the first place. To help you avoid disaster.

4. Streamlined Booking Process

Directory sites often encourage planners to take care of the whole booking process right there on the site. This can include all communications with vendors, contracts, and payments. Doing everything within the site where you initially make contact with a performer can simplify the process. (But see the cons section below about contracts!)

5. Easily Comparable Profiles

Since entertainers on these platforms all have to complete the same information to be listed on the site, this makes it easy for event planners to easily compare the basics of each option all in one place. Many also include audio or video demos, giving you a better sense of what to expect.

Cons of finding vendors on a directory site

1. Higher Costs

   Directory sites do offer convenience for event planners, but this often comes at a cost. Entertainers often charge higher rates on event directory sites to cover the fees they have to pay to be listed on the site. Some directory sites charge service fees to event planners as well, (the bash is one of these and it's very unfair and should be illegal.)

   So be careful about booking fees from the site that might not be so obvious until after you’ve booked.

   
   

2. Quality

   It’s easy enough to get good reviews, even if they’re 'verified', but the quality of event vendors can still be inconsistent on directory sites, some of which are free for entertainers to post on.

   
   

   Experienced, dedicated entertainers who have invested time and money into their business and have their own websites are often a better bet than people who just throw up a free profile posting on a directory site just to see if they can get a gig.

   
   

   Additionally, the ones that DO charge, such as the Knot Website, are pay-to-play. They often take the vendor's money no matter what their rating is and will defend the VENDOR, not the bride, if there are issues. They also HIDE bad reviews! For example, Check reviews on sites that aren't affiliated with the knot website to see what a vendor's true reviews are!

   
   

3. Missing Vendors

   Plenty of great vendors don't advertise on these sites. And even vendors who do,

   might not be in a certain category but would be perfect for your event. This is one reason to use an old-fashioned event planner. Using a person rather than an automated system is still the best route in many cases. Even googlingwill turn up a lot of entertainers and vendors who arent on these liest. Just google "entertainers near me" or "best entertainer near me"

   
   

4. No Contracts

   Many of these sites offer no true contract. They even have you pay before you get any kind of a contract. This would be a big red flag under any other circumstances.

   A true professional will have a real contract that protects you and stipulates what will happen if there’s an emergency and either you or they have to cancel. What happens to your down payment? Can you use it towards another event in the future? What if they’re late? What if it rains? All important things that should be listed in the contract - not just a contact sheet with the name and email of your entertainer. And these are all things a professional enter should offer, and often these "boxed" entertainment sites don't even touch upon. That's because....

   
   

5. They dont know the business

   Once upon a time I worked for a woman who owned a gym. She had no interest in the gym itself - she just saw it as a means to an end - her making money. Not surprisingly, her business failed.

   This is very similar to how these big entertainment websites work. They did not start out either as entertainers or professionals in the wedding or events business. They did not pay their dues. They dont know or care how a traditional event coordinator works, which is the most fair way to do business by the way - where the agent asks the entertianer what they want to make per hour and then tacks on 15-25% foir their fee.

   
   

   Instead. many of these online marketplaces are unethically double or even triple dipping.

   This only benefits them. It hurts the consumer, and It hurts small busineses and also is akin to shopping on Amazon instead of buying locally.

   
   

6. Less Personal Contact

   If you’re keeping all of your communication and interactions through a directory site, it may be less convenient to correspond on details leading up to your event and on your event day. (Ask me how I know this) You certainly wouldn’t want a lack of communication with your event vendors to limit your ability to communicate your preferences and final details.

   
   

7. Directory Site’s Reliability As with any website, directory sites can go down for maintenance or from technical issues. With all the puzzle pieces of planning an event, the last thing you need is technical issues or poor customer service to interfere with the booking process or communication once you’ve booked your entertainment. Also if there’s no wifi where you are many of these sites won’t work.

   
   

8. Overwhelm

   While it’s great to have a lot of options for entertainment offered on a directory site, it can quickly become overwhelming. Even if you go to the site knowing what you think you want, seeing all the different choices may change your mind. If you need to make your decision quickly, this can actually make it harder to select entertainers.

So how can you make the most of a directory site?

Well, in my experience it’s best to use the site to find vendors. Then it’s up to you to dig deeper and vet your vendors, making sure they are as professional as they seem on that particular site and a good match for what you’re looking for.

Here’s a few tips on how to do that:

1. Read all the reviews. A lot of people forget to do this. Please don’t forget. It’s imperative that you do this. Google them and make sure the reviews are good EVERYWHERE.

   
   

2. Read the “unrecommend” reviews. Not all sites have this feature. But for instance Yelp does - and often the “unrecommended” reviews are the most telling.

3. Google them. See what their star rating is on Facebook, Yelp, the better business bureau, or wherever else they are listed. Some listing sites are known for listing unverified reviews. For instance on Facebook anyone can give a rating regardless of whether they’re a real customer or not. The opposite is also true and people can “stuff the ballot box” with fake reviews (though I’ve read the FTC does come down hard on businesses that do this ) So keep that in mind when you read reviews.

   
   

4. Ask for personal references from previous clients. Ask them questions about how their event went. Were the vendors on time? Did they hold to their contract? Did they go above and beyond? If so how? Were there any issues? Did the vendor do their best to fix them? Would you hire them or recommend them again?

   
   

5. Go see them live. Watch unobserved.

   
   

6. Look for red flags. They include

   -Unprofessional dress

   - smoking drinking or eating on the job (should be on breaks only)

   - too many breaks (VERY common with bands and live music, unfortunately)

   - being rude, unfriendly or brusque with clients

   - for musicians, being too personal with their stories or hawking their own wares when they talk between sets.

   
   

7. If they’re a musician or live artist, ask for music samples or portfolios. Make sure you LIKE their music or art. For live artists, ask their SPEED, which is the most important thing for a live artist. The faster they are the better so they can serve more of your guests. For example I’m one of the fastest live caricaturists in the world. This keeps lines down and your guests happy. See my website here

   
   

8. Ask to look over their contract FIRST. Make sure it benefits BOTH of you not only them

   
   

Conclusion

Hiring event vendors you discover on a directory site such as the Knot WEdding site is convenient and offers a variety of choices all in one place. But, that convenience can come at a cost. Literally. Costs will be higher due to extra fees tacked on by the site.

You may also run into folks who are not as established and experienced. They don’t always tell the truth either, and speaking as a vendor myself, I can tell you that these sites generally do not vet their vendors. They often just take their money and don't care if they're professional or not. The knot, for instance, is infamous for this. My bet is that eventually they will get shut down. OR someone better will come along and put them out of buisiness.

(Hm there's a business idea!)

When looking for entertainment for your event, I definitely recommend you consider the pros and cons of using directory event sites.

Once you understand the pros and cons, you’ll be able to decide for yourself what’s best for you and your event’s needs to ensure you have the best event possible.

———————-

a fun Western Themed Wedding at the Equestrian Center in Pensacola

If you want something fun and different that will get you rave reviews, tyr my Caricature entertainment! My name is Kathy Buskett and I'm one of the fastest caricaturists in the world, which keeps lines down and your guestsd Happy!

check out the rest of my site or Contact Me now!