Are you in the process of planning your wedding? Well, you need to know one thing – make your vendors, and suppliers in general, your best friends! Many might argue why is that the case yet they’re paying for the services offered but that’s a fact if you really are determined to have a flawless wedding day. The services, even when you visit our shop rentals, it can be so satisfying or otherwise depending on the relationship that you established with the vendor. Below is a guide on when to do and not do when dealing with vendors in planning your wedding.
- Keep constant communication with the vendors
Communication is everything and should be two-way. When dealing with vendors, broken or not-so-clear communication can really mess up your big day. That’s one of the biggest reasons why you should get regular updates on the services ordered. You should also keep them in the know in case anything comes up in your planning. That way, you will unlikely miss your target. With poor communication, even where to find a wedding arch might look like a whole mountain – something which shouldn’t.
You should, ideally, have a clear plan of communication with the vendors from the start. And, that should be clear to both parties.
- Set absolutely clear expectations and let the vendors know
There’s no two-way to do this. No. Let the vendors know what you expect of them from the word go. This is not having an attitude towards the vendors but is in the spirit of getting value for your money and clarity of mind. Some vendors can be very slippery and may also want to increase their profit margins even if it means compromising the services or items ordered. That’s why you need to be extra careful or at least have someone you trust to follow up with the vendors if your schedule is too tight to chase them up and down. If, for instance, you wanted to rent string lights from Ship Our Wedding in a certain shade of blue, make sure that is exactly what will be delivered. Don’t settle for less.
- Be clear on your part
It’s essential to keep in mind that as much as you expect to get regular updates from the vendors, you also have a huge role to play in coordinating the whole communication process between the various vendors.
Additionally, you should have your inquiries ready when contacting the vendors. The inquiries may include clear descriptions of what you want. Don’t wait to be spoon-fed by the vendor or supplier. Do your research first before reaching out. Knowing what you want will make the communication beneficial because you’ll not spend more time trying to figure out what a certain service or item entails.
- Respect the vendors’ time and know when to communicate
There’s nothing that is as important as being time conscious or a great time manager when dealing with vendors. It’s true that vendors would really like to have business from you, but that doesn’t mean that they have all the time for one client only. It also doesn’t mean you have to ring them like a million times a day.
Also, it shows a lot of respect when communicating with working hours. Don’t wake up someone with 6 calls or call them at 8 pm. Try to be professional as much as possible, especially if you’re working with the vendors for the first time.
- “Be quick, but never in a hurry”
John Wooden, a legendary basketball coach, once told his team to play fast but not out of control in what became a famous quote. This is also very applicable when dealing with vendors and suppliers in wedding planning. You should be quick to act but don’t really hurry up things in a manner that can mess up things. For instance, if you had made up your mind on the rentals and some small hiccups came up, don’t rush into canceling the order if the situation can still be handled.
- Don’t hesitate to make ‘harsh’ decisions, when need be
When planning any wedding, there comes a time when one needs to make quick decisions to save a situation. This may include switching vendors in the event that one starts to be hard dealing with. For example, if you had agreed that you will rent red lights from a certain vendor and the deadlines come and go with no clear communication, you, definitely, will need to handle that situation or else you will end up being disappointed big time.
The golden rule as far as vendor communication is concerned when planning a wedding, is you should be on top of things. Don’t allow a situation to go out of hand under your watch. On the flip side, don’t be a bother to your vendors. Strike a balance and create clear and great communication channels and you’ll have a smooth process of planning your wedding.