Ah, vendor meetings. You have to go to them when planning a wedding, there’s just no way around it (unless you’re from out of town and can get away with phone and Skype meetings). Here are a few tips to help you out for when you go to vendor meetings…
– Bring stuff. Stuff? Yes, stuff- photos, magazines, swatches, things that you’ve bought (even though I told you not to ;) ), etc etc. It will help the vendor know what kind of wedding you want. It’s hard to convey things in terms of words, especially when that thing is a vision that is in your head. It ALWAYS helps the vendor to be able to see what you like!
– Don’t bring a posse. You and your fiance or you and your mom (or whoever is helping you with decisions and/or paying) would be suggested. And if the person paying isn’t you and they’re always cutting down things that you want, don’t bring them to initial meetings.
– Schedule. Most all vendors keep schedules, and if they give you an available time it’s because that’s what they have available. I personally ask brides what days are better for them, and then find a time in my schedule to accommodate them, but some may have a set day and/or time when they schedule meetings. And keep in mind that if it’s wedding season, weekends are going to most likely be out of the question for a meting.
– Know what you want (as best you can). This ties in with the photos, but know why you are meeting with that vendor. And if you have no idea about what you might want, tell them truthfully so they can allow for their creative juices to flow and create something for you.
A few extra sidenotes: If you don’t hear back from a vendor less than 12 hours after you’ve emailed them, don’t email again. We got it, but we do have to try to sleep and/or get work done. | If you call or email Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, please wait patiently for a response. We are working through the weekend and often only get Mondays as days “off”, which are usually spent catching up from the weekend.
All of these tips should help you be prepared for meeting with your vendors. It’s better to know than not to know, right? I know I had no clue about vendor meetings, and often times didn’t have what I needed. Totally understandable though- not all of us plan weddings for a living! :)
Lauren
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One last piece of advice is to know your budget, and your vendors general price range.
Great tips! I will be passing this along :)
Your “side note” tips are probably my favorite. Brides are a bit more antsy these days, and the reminder to them that we have a crazy work schedule is always nice. Great post Lauren!