Keeping the Peace Amongst your Vendor Army

You’ve chosen your vendors and the day of your wedding is fast approaching; there are a lot of little kinks to be worked out and you want to keep the peace with your vendor team while also voicing your opinion. This can be tricky but we’re here to help! Don’t sacrifice your vision because you’re afraid to speak up. Your vendors are there to support you and make your dreams come to life. They are willing to stick with you through the thick and thin of the planning process. If this isn’t their philosophy, they shouldn’t be your vendor (of course, your demands should stay within reason—if your florist is unable to persuade live butterflies to sit delicately on your bouquet while you walk down the aisle, you need to rethink a few things)! In the following scenarios, please act accordingly.

Undesirable centerpiece floral arrangements. You want your centerpieces to be on point, but you also want your florist to want to help make this happen. You need to harvest good relationships with your vendors, so instead of panicking and getting angry, mention that you want to try something different. Ask to see the new arrangement and say “oh, I almost like that better, what do you think?” Ask for their opinion and work with them.

Food discrepancies. If you go to a tasting and the food is not up-to-par, don’t criticize outright. Help your caterer help you! They want to make your day special with the right food. Let them know that you enjoy their food and gently nudge them in the right direction. For example; “this filet mignon is great, but I’m concerned some of our guests will want something a little more well-done. What do you think? Can we try that?”

Makeup preferences. There’s nothing worse than being self-conscious at a gathering because you don’t feel confident in your outfit, hair or makeup choices. When you go for a trial run of your hair and makeup (which we highly recommend you do), always start the conversation with, “yes, I really like the direction you’re going! Can we do (insert preference here) instead? I want (insert the look you’re going for here). I’m really loving the (insert what you like most here).” Keep the peace and let them work their magic honing in on your preferences.

Ceremony/reception changes. As with all your other vendors, if you’ve hired a wedding planner, communication is key to success. As a wedding planner, we want you to have the most beautiful, wonderful and flawless event that we can make happen. Therefore, we need to know what you like and what you don’t like. All of our ladies at Elegant Affairs know that when you voice your opinion, it’s our responsibility to listen and offer guidance, structure and deliver a flawless execution. Be straightforward with your planner; explain your vision in detail and quickly let her know what you do and don’t like. We will be there to correct and fulfill your needs!

Don’t sit quietly if you have differing opinions with a vendor. This is your big day, and therefore it should be tailored to your taste. There are good ways and poor ways of going about building a relationship with your vendor team. Remember to stay positive and highlight everything you like before letting them know what you want to change; work with them, not against them, and let it flow. Now, at ease soldiers, and keep those relationships healthy! 

Recruiting your Vendor Army

Choosing the people that are going to help make your day the best day of your life is very important. Who will arrange the flowers? Who will take the photos? Who will serve food and drinks to you and your guests? With so many options—and so many of these being quality options—available on the wedding scene nowadays, it’s almost impossible to make decisions about vendors. Here are a few tips and hints we have for you to help lessen the burden and make it a fun experience.

Scope out what you already know you love. If you fell in love with the flowers and décor at your best friend’s wedding, be sure to collect details about the vendors she worked with to make it all happen. Don’t make any big decisions right away, but have these businesses on your preferred list if you loved their work.

Begin researching early. The earlier you begin looking at different vendors and what they offer, the sooner you can start the process of choosing one. Look at their websites, blogs, and anything else they use to promote their business. Make sure to take time to also consider the vendors you loved so much from a previous wedding you attended. Often, many people refer you to different vendors also. Don’t blow them off completely; take these options into consideration while you’re conducting your research. The best fit is found through connections through friends and family most of the time!

Look at specific samples of their work. If this vendor is new to you and you haven’t seen any of their work in person, try to work out a way to do so. For example, if a caterer is going to be working a friend or family member’s event, try to sneak in so you can critique their performance. Pay attention to how the photographers interact with the couple and guests at a friend’s wedding, and notice where they stand during the ceremony and reception. They shouldn’t just deliver high quality work, but you should also have good chemistry with them as well. This will lead to good communication, and ultimately, a flawless event!

Have a trial run. After you see their work live, narrow down the group to your top 2 or 3 choices. Then, schedule a trial run. For example; set up a cake tasting, food tasting, have a bouquet arranged, etc. After you do this, you’ll be able to see if the vendor fits your specific tastes.

Double check your budget. After you have seen what you like and what you don’t like, make sure to keep your budget bright in the back of your mind. You want to stick to the numbers without sacrificing quality. So, if you have two top florists you’re considering, go with the company that will fit your budget best.

It can be overwhelming to make vendor decisions, but if you follow these steps, you’ll not only realize and pinpoint your style, but you’ll find the right fit to make that style come to life. Keep calm and plan on soldiers! 

Who Pays for the Wedding?

Budgeting is one of the most important and most dreaded part of planning a wedding. And figuring out who pays for each part can be tricky and potentially awkward. Here is a very traditional and very basic breakdown of who is expected to pay for what:

The Couple: the rings, all gifts for family and bridal party, the marriage license and their share of the bachelorette/bachelor party.

The Wedding Party: Their outfits for the wedding and their share of the bachelorette/bachelor party.

The Groom’s Family: The rehearsal dinner and a shower, if they choose to throw one.

The Bride’s Family: The wedding and reception.

However, nothing is traditional these days, especially when it comes to weddings. Couples themselves are often paying for a lot more of their big day, leaving their families with less of the financial burden. Or some couples opt for more simple and inexpensive weddings, such as backyard ceremony or reception to save money. But no matter how you break down your budget or how much you plan on spending consider everyone who is helping you pay for your big day when making decisions so no one ends up breaking the bank. It is also important to keep in mind how much you are expecting each person or family to pay. Don’t expect too much or push too hard because money is one of the trickiest topics to talk about and to decide upon. So be smart and save when you can to ensure your big day goes off without a hitch!