Vendors- advice?

Re: Vendors- advice?

• noodle_oo member

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  I personally wouldn't lie when booking a vendor.  So if they ask if it is for a wedding, I would just tell the truth. They'll find out when you have the event, and i feel it is wrong to deceive them.  To get the best price, I would just shop around and go with the vendor that gives you the best deal.  If they are inflating prices for a wedding, you'll know it and just go with a different vendor.  I guess I believe in karma, what goes around comes around.
  
  As for negotiating, you just need to ask politely.  If they give you a price, you can say "well, I was hoping to spend XX" and see what they say.  Or you can ask them to throw in some extra stuff for free (like extra appetizers or something).  It never hurts to ask, but don't be greedy/outrageous with your requests or you risk offending them.
  

  
  

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• MeaghanandMichael

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  I don't think your wedding is the place to lie to people. Why not just be frank with them and ask for the quotes they would give for a non wedding event like a prom? Often times rates are higher for wedding limos because they use the nicest ones, the limos have to wait during the ceremony, or there are more limos needed because of big wedding dresses/bm dresses fitting.
  
  I would also be frank about your budget. Many vendors are willing to work with you within reason. For example, if your dream photgrapher is 6k but you have a 1k budget - yeah, not going to happen. But if you are off by a couple of hundred dollars, why not work out something with time frame, take out the parents albums, not have a dvd made right away... kwim?
  

  
  RAWR!
  
  

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• tecah123

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  All of these suggestions are great. A few more to add. Have a budget in mind and tell the people you only have 10,000 for the venue but you really have 12,000 to spend always have the buffer zone. I waited for them to tell me the price and then if was interested in their place I negotiated with them. Pretty much two against eachother. I liked two places and seeing if one will match the other. Kind of like shopping around for a car. Also, ask if they can take the appetizer out and get better chairs for the price. Most people don't need a four course meal.  Also, most places will waive the ceremony fee tell them other places have waived it and that will be a bonuse so you can use that money you saved from the ceremony fee somewhere else.  I think honest is good but like I said say your budget is really less then what you can afford so you have a buffer . Good luck. One last thing is someone is not willing to negotiate then I wouldn't bother with them. Thats not a good sign already.

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• airhostess86

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  I think lying is wrong no matter what it is about. I disagree with tecah123. Certain things I could say are negotiable but I think it would be a blatant insult to negotiate with someone who is say a ceremony musician. You don't want to blatantly devalue their talent. I don't negotiate when I get a haircut, see a price on a menu for a meal at a restauran, or for a pair of shoes at the mall. Unless I am completely blind, I didn't think our country was home to a haggling culture.

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• Krystalynne21

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  Ya, they are going to find out about it regardless.  Do you know anyone else that has used these vendors? If you really really wanted to find out whether they jack the prices up, you could call and ask what they charge for say, a bday party, then call back and ask for a wedding quote.  I think its sleazy to jack the prices up fwhen places hear "wedding", but I kind of understand the logic behind it. 

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• Pesapenny

  

  December 2010 edited December 2011

  Don't lie- won't they figure out it's a wedding when they show up...to a wedding?!- negotiate! It's not a "blatant" disregard of talent or whatever nonsense that means -is the limo driver going to get insulted? Is the car going to be upset? This whole industry is ridicuously overpriced and the vendors know they can get away with it.

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• RoyalOrient member

  

  December 2010 edited December 2011

  I agree with Pesapenny. Don't lie, be frank and don't be afraid to shop around and negotiate with vendors that are in your price range. And yes, the word wedding does increase the cost of service, sometimes for good reasons but mostly because vendors see dollar signs - for instance I inquired about the rental of padded white garden chairs and the price suddenly increased by $2 because I said it would be for a wedding. Needless to say I was put off by that vendor. I don't think the chairs would be any different for any other event.

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