Selecting Wedding Vendors/Venues for Success! Be Smart!
Wedding Vendors/Venues Make OR Break the Wedding!
Let me start with a true story. I was once speaking to a bride-to-be and her mother in my bridal salon. They were telling me about this amazing florist they hired. It seems this guy was going to decorate their wedding and reception, something like out of the movie, Father of the Bride, for very little money. I was thrilled by what they were telling me because I thought that this vendor might offer me a great resource for my clients... and then....
They told me his name. I blanched because I knew of three brides who had sued the guy! He was a scam!
This bride-to-be and her mother were hosting an expensive wedding but as with any client, I told them what I knew. They made the decision to cancel their contract with this vendor, even though they lost their deposit.
Moral of the Story: Wedding vendors/venues will make or break your party! Selecting the wrong one--or two--can be disastrous!
Weddings: Not a Time to Let "Your fingers do the walking..."
The only way to reserve wedding vendors/venues for your big event is through referral. That means that you will consider no one who has not been referred to you by recently married friends, business associates, or family.
You will soon find that the same names, for better or worse, keep popping up. If they're good, you'll know about it--and if they're bad--you'll know it also.
Don't ever rely on The Yellow Pages or ads on websites, etc. The only person who can tell you how good a vendor or venue is, or isn't, is a recently married bride and groom.
Ask for Referrals from Wedding Vendors/Venues!
Don't be afraid to ask your perspective wedding vendors/venues for referrals!
Ask for referrals from the three most recent weddings they've serviced and then call these brides and grooms to ask for their opinion of these vendors/venues. And take this into consideration: Most brides and grooms think their wedding was the best ever so to get to the nitty-gritty, ask this important question:
If you had it to do over again (with this particular vendor/venue), what would you do differently---or have them do differently?
That will get them thinking and to be constructively critical. Learn from what they tell you!
In summary: Take the time to thoroughly research the wedding vendors/venues you intend to hire before you sign on the dotted line. And don't consider anyone who isn't referred to you!
P.S. Visit Deborah McCoy, AAWP: www.aa-wp.com
