Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life, and building strong, positive relationships with your vendors is key to making the planning process as smooth as possible. We get it – planning a wedding can be stressful, and sometimes, that pressure can lead to unintentional slip-ups. But don’t worry, your vendors are here to help! In this guide, we’re sharing 10 common ways you might be crossing boundaries with your wedding vendors, along with simple tips on how to avoid them. Keep reading to learn how to keep things running smoothly and stress-free!
1. Expecting immediate replies to emails or phone calls.
“While some of your wedding vendors may be super fast to reply to your emails or voicemails, others may take a few days to reply. There is an acceptable amount of time that should be allotted when awaiting a vendor reply. Don’t ever feel bad about sending them a reminder email if you think your email may have gotten lost in the shuffle, but unless it’s a true wedding emergency, give your vendors some time to craft a thorough response to your outreach.” – Mandy Connor, Owner, Hummingbird Events & Design
2. Instagram.
“With some vendors, work is work and personal is personal, so unless you feel you have crossed that bridge with your wedding vendor from business to friendship, it is not necessary to request to follow your vendor’s personal Instagram account. They may not want you to see how they had to throw their child’s birthday party the night before your wedding!” – Jamie, Cape Cod Celebrations
3. Requesting meetings at unreasonable times.
“While I understand that client work schedules can be tough, requesting very late night meetings is not ideal. Vendors are often not at their best late at night after a long work day and may not be able to give you their best.” – Mandy Connor, Owner, Hummingbird Events & Design
4. Inappropriate or aggressive communication from you (or your SO or family members).
“Letting yourself, your SO, or your family members yell at us is never okay. Weddings are one of the biggest and most emotional parties you’ll ever throw. Your entire vendor team understands this and are here to help facilitate what will (hopefully!) be one of the best days of your life. That said, delivery is ALWAYS key when you’re communicating an ask or need to someone on your vendor team. Shouting/yelling, being passive aggressive, or generally just conducting yourself in an unkind manner is really inappropriate.” – Ashley Lachney, Owner, Alston Mayger Events
5. Putting your vendors in the middle of family disagreements.
“One of your goals in wedding planning after curating your perfect vendor team is to keep them happy. Emotions tend to run high during wedding planning and time-to-time we see family squabbles arise. Don’t put your planner or your pros in the middle if the family isn’t getting together! If mom wants one thing and you want another, don’t go behind each other’s backs talking to the vendor directly and asking to keep it hush-hush. It’s such a bad position to put your pro in and can end up exploding in everyone’s face.” – Nora Sheils, Founder, Bridal Bliss and Co-Founder, Rock Paper Coin
6. Micromanaging your vendors.
“Trust your photo and video team’s expertise allows them to capture the essence of your special day. Giving them creative freedom results in stunning and authentic visuals that truly reflect your wedding.” – Anastasia Shevchenko, Sheff Production Photography & Videography
7. Missing payment due dates.
“One way to really upset your vendors is to miss payment due dates! Set up a calendar or sign up for a free platform like Rock Paper Coin that will automate your payment, ensure nothing is missed, and keep your vendors happy and working hard for you.” – Nora Sheils, Founder, Bridal Bliss and Co-Founder, Rock Paper Coin
8. Making last-minute changes.
“Making major changes close to the wedding can disrupt the carefully planned workflow of your photo and video team. Communicating any modifications in advance helps ensure a smooth and stress-free experience for everyone involved.” – Anastasia Shevchenko, Sheff Production Photography & Videography
9. Attempting to change or devalue a contract.
“Most vendors have spent ample time perfecting their contracts, so requesting unreasonable modifications or additional services is definitely taboo. This includes not adhering to the agreed upon contract by demanding extras or additions to the agreed upon contract, attempting to negotiate prices well below industry standards or asking for excessive discounts, or pressuring vendors to provide services or products outside of their agreed scope of work.” – Misty Damico, Luxe Event Productions
10. Crossing Communication Boundaries.
“Your vendors are your dream team – showing up in the last inning (and often all the innings before that) to help you hit the wedding home run! As a wedding vendor, I can tell you that for most of us – the top priority is for our clients to feel like our number one from start to finish. This is quite a feat as very rarely are your vendors working with you as their sole client. In order to ensure we can provide service that exceeds our standards, many of us set communication guidelines to ensure that we feel accessible to you whilst maintaining healthy boundaries. This looks different for every vendor, however it may be spelled out for you verbally during the interview/contracting process – or even outlined clearly in their contract. No matter how it is communicated, please pay attention to it! Unless it is something urgent to text your vendors or call them after normal business hours if it is not outlined within their communications guidelines. If a vendor does not provide you with any guidelines, do not assume they don’t exist! Be proactive and respectful by asking your vendors the way they are most comfortable communicating so you can abide by that and maintain harmony throughout your working relationship!” – Alexandra Denniston, Owner & Lead Planner, Eventlightenment Planning
Now, if you found this article extremely helpful, we know you will love this article, 10 Tips For The Morning Of Your Wedding, for even more advice!