Vendor red flags?

3-5 days response time is normal and completely reasonable, especially with it being wedding season AND your wedding being over a year away. The way you operate is not the way the rest of us operate.

If you want peace of mind, you could just ask her what her business's response time for emails is. Maybe tell her you're making a spreadsheet of vendors and want to write down the average response time is so your expectations are set.

Your reminder about business hours was so helpful for me to keep a good perspective! thank you

It is important for me to remember that the way I operate is not the way other do, and that is okay! Thank you for the reminder

Thank you for your perspective. Some vendors have been getting back to me from their website inquiry forms and direct emails in less than 12 - 24 hours, other a few days. It is all so different and it is hard to determine what the norm is. I have a vendor I inquired with via their website this morning and by this afternoon he is already asking me if I'm ready to go ahead and book. Ah! Thank you also for the affirmation that it is OK to be shopping for vendors this early. I like to do a lot of research and comparisons, and my FH and parents don't realize the current booking/scheduling landscape.

You are correct in that busy season is getting underway. If this photographer is particularly popular, 3-5 days isn't totally unreasonable given your wedding is over a year away. You can always try to set up a meeting to discuss your wants with them! But i don't think its unreasonable no. I think red flags would be more like, no response for over 2 weeks, asking for money off the books, no written contract, things of that nature are red flags. I think you're okay!

Do you have a contract yet? What are these back and forth questions, that cannot be answered by the website? So this may not be you, but my husband likes to have multiple conversations, but he is a more response person. I try to remind him that others are busy and there are no emergency phone calls needed (even 2 months out). On the flip side, I have a more prevention approach and would rather compile all my questions for 1 phone call then be on our merry way until confirmations and payment. I don't like building anxiety. I would suggest a phone call to go over your contract if you have not yet signed, otherwise you are demanding a lot of attention from someone is not yet legally contracted to provide services. And just keep in mind, professionals are still working while you're planning.