Planning a wedding can be hugely exciting, but most couples will admit it can be challenging too. Fortunately, some wedding vendors may be open to negotiation if you have a clear vision, but not necessarily the budget to achieve it. Here are some tips for effectively negotiating with wedding vendors.
1. Begin with your research
Before contacting a potential wedding vendor to begin negotiations, research costs in your target area. These costs will vary widely by destination, local demand and other factors, including local competition. By understanding ballpark costs, you can far more easily allocate your budget. Once you understand costs, identify potential local suppliers, using reviews, recommendations, website content and any other sources of data you can find.
2. Get your budget in place
Know exactly what you have to play with for each element of your wedding. By pinpointing your total budget from the start you can allocate different costs to different key areas of the big day, such as venue hire, catering, flowers and photography. Add a 20% margin cost to be on the safe side. This will give you a good starting point for when you contact potential vendors. By knowing roughly what you can and want to spend on their service, you can begin a productive conversation with a clear figure in mind.
3. Make contact
Rather than contacting lots of vendors with cost queries, create a targeted list and spend a little time crafting a good email to each vendor. Send details of your wedding such as the date and location and ask for details of their packages. Explain that you are impressed with their work and be friendly and polite. Good manners can go a long way when it comes to negotiation!
4. Respect the cost of wedding services
When vendors price up services, they take into account their time, expertise, equipment, travel and other costs. Wedding suppliers are often small businesses and they do need to make a living. So although the costs of service may seem expensive at first, a lot will go into them. The more you can seek to understand the costs behind a wedding service, the more productive you can be about negotiating in a sensible and respectful way – recognising that these professionals can really provide a valuable service on your big day.
5. Be clear about your budget
If you can be honest about your budget, friendly and respectful, then you may be surprised at how many vendors will be prepared to offer services and packages that meet your needs. Many vendors will have different package levels and can often adjust what they offer to suit a certain budget. Be mindful though that wedding suppliers are often selective about who they work with. Avoid haggling as it can come across as aggressive and you may find yourself blacklisted with a supplier. If you are honest, respectful and polite, you may find that you enjoy far better results.
6. Be open to new ideas
If you can remain open to ideas and compromise, you can often find good ways to obtain the wedding services you want, but at a cost that meets your budget. For example, you could commission a photographer for half a day rather than a full day. You could ask a florist to use your ceremony flowers and repurpose them for your reception. You could choose a small and upcoming vendor to make your wedding cake in return for exposure. Think broadly and creatively to find the best solutions.
7. Read the small print
When you have found your wedding vendor and agreed to the service and price, do read the contract carefully before you sign it. Contracts are legally binding and you will be committed to the arrangements once you do sign on the dotted line!
With these steps in mind, you can get the best from your wedding planning and enjoy the process too!