What Brides Need to Consider When Working with Vendors

A couple months back, I wrote a post entitled "A Bride's Bill of Rights." I outlined various aspects brides need to consider to better care for themselves and happily plan their wedding. But as with any relationship, there are two sides to the story. Wedding professionals, like brides, are entitled to their rights too. And only when both needs are being met, do you have great working relationships.

So here are the top rights for wedding professionals and how it affects you:

The right to select brides they want to work with: this is pretty straight forward. Not all vendors will be a match for you for one reason or other. So don't be offended if you are turned down. Continue searching for the best fit for your personality, requirements, and needs.

The right to set boundaries: we know you're excited about planning your wedding, but popping in on your event planner after hours or "bumping" into your caterer at another event is not okay. Unless you agreed on it ahead of time, stick to your scheduled meetings.

The right to work-life balance: the people you hire to help you are just like you. They need breaks and down time too. That means they are entitled to time off. So don't become upset if your messages aren't returned on weekends or holidays. The better balanced your wedding vendors, the likelier they are to have more energy and drive when it comes to working for you.

The right to be treated with respect and professionalism: always treat the people you are working with the way you expect to be treated. No matter what incident or problem comes up, try to respond in a calm and rational manner. Use appropriate channels (e.g., poor reviews, reporting to BBB) to vent your frustration.

The right to set guidelines ahead of time for what brides can expect: good vendors will let you know what and when to expect certain things to get done. This way you both feel like you're on the same page. Calling or emailing wedding professionals constantly makes it hard for them to do their work, without becoming frustrated. Of course, if something doesn't make sense or seems to be running behind, definitely follow up. Simply use your judgment as to how often is too often.

The right to honesty: be honest with your vendors about what you expect from them, what you can afford, and any issues that might get in the way of a happy working relationship (e.g., a meddlesome mother). The more open and truthful you are, the better job they can do for you with your wedding day details.

The right to set reasonable fees given their experience and expertise: All wedding professionals are different and will charge differently. Don't string along wedding vendors if you know you can't afford their services. Ask about alternatives or other options, but if none fit the bill, continue searching for something within your budget.

The right to feel good about the work  they do and to ask for testimonials: ultimately wedding professionals want to do a good job for you because their reputation is on the line. If everything is running smoothly and seems to be falling into place as you imagined, let go of worrying and trust the people you hired. Once the big day has come and gone, consider writing a testimonial for them. Testimonials are a great way for you to thank the people who made your wedding so special and helps future brides in their selection process.