Ask a decorator to show you their own recent work, then pin down what the quote includes item by item, how long set-up and take-down take, whether they know your venue's rules, and how they handle a changeover between events. Each question below comes with a line on why it matters.
Start here
Their work and style
- Can we see recent work that you designed and built yourselves? Ask the venue, date and event behind a few photos. Some pages share inspiration images that are not the business's own work.
- Have you worked at our venue before? A decorator who knows the room knows the ceiling height, the fixing points and the access door.
- Which ceremonies have you decorated? A mandap for the pheras, a stage for a walima, a mehndi seating area and a Sikh wedding reception all need different thinking.
- Can you work from our ideas, or do you prefer set packages? Some decorators design from scratch; others adapt a set range. Both can be good, as long as you know which.
What you are paying for
The quote
- Can we have an itemised quote? Stage, backdrop, mandap, entrance, aisle, table centres, lighting, flowers, chair covers and drapes should each be listed.
- Which items are fresh and which are artificial? Fresh flowers cost more and change with the season. Know which you are getting.
- What is hired and what do we keep? Most decor is hired and goes back after the event. Ask what happens if something is damaged or goes missing.
- Are delivery, set-up, take-down and VAT in the price? Ask for the total you will actually pay.
- What if our guest count or table count changes? Know the deadline for final numbers and the cost of changes.
Logistics
Set-up, safety and the day
- How long do you need to set up and take down? Compare it with the venue's access times. A large stage can take hours.
- Do you know the venue's rules on fixings, candles, confetti and drapes? Venues often have strict rules. Your decorator should check them, not you.
- Are your fabrics flame-retardant, and is your lighting safe? Venues often ask for proof. Ask what paperwork they can provide.
- Do you hold public liability insurance? Many venues ask to see it before a decorator can work there.
- Who from your team stays during the event? A named person on site can fix a fallen drape or a failed light.
- How do you handle a changeover between events? If the mehndi and the wedding are in one hall on consecutive days, ask how quickly they can turn the room.
Before you pay
Paperwork and payment
- How much is the deposit, and when is the balance due? Get both amounts and dates in writing.
- What happens if we cancel or change the design? Custom builds may mean real costs early on. What a business keeps should still reflect its actual loss. Our deposit and booking checklist explains this as general information.
- Will the final design be agreed in writing? A signed-off design with photos or sketches avoids "that is not what we agreed" on the day.
Booking on Nodus
Where Nodus fits
On Nodus you can message decorators and keep each conversation in one thread with your date and ceremony attached. Decorator packages and itemised quotes are coming to the app. When you book, you pay a deposit to confirm, then the balance before your event, each paid directly to your vendor through Stripe. Each decorator's own terms are shown alongside every quote.
Ask your venue the matching questions, since many decor rules are the venue's, and see well-known Asian wedding decorators in Manchester. The mehndi night guide covers decor for the smaller events.
Questions
Ask to see recent work that is their own, what the quote includes item by item, how long set-up and take-down take, whether they have worked at your venue, how they handle changeovers between events, and the deposit and cancellation terms.
Ask for the venue, date and event behind a few photos, and ask to see unedited phone photos from the same day. A decorator who did the work can tell you about it in detail.
Many can, and it can save on transport and set-up. Ask how they manage back-to-back events, especially if two are in the same hall on consecutive days.
Venues often ask decorators to show that drapes and fabrics are flame-retardant and that lighting is safe. Ask your decorator and your venue what they need, and get it confirmed before the day.
Yes. There is no exclusivity on Nodus, so you can book a decorator for the stage and a florist for the tables, or different decorators for different events.