Vendor turn offs

LGM22

What are your turn offs when dealing with potential vendors?

Mine are the 'sell sell sell' pushiness and touting your creds to me.  What awards you've won or how many weddings/events you've done don't really mean anything to me and citing them off like you're a commercial just turns me off to you.  I want someone who is personable and down to earth, not some robot regurgitating their business cards or website. 

Also, if you want me to put down a deposit for your services (and I don't care how refundable you say it is) but you're not willing to meet with me first I'm not really sure I want to deal with you.  A phone consult just isn't the same as a face to face meeting and with the amount of money we're talking about (prettimuch with any wedding vendor) my comfort level in your services really needs to be considered.

sarah260

I couldn't agree more.  

For example, I'm working with one DJ... I emailed him to inquire about his pricing, he gives me prices which are about twice what I want to pay.  I tell him thanks but no thanks.  He responds asking what my price range is, so I tell him, and lo and behold, that's EXACTLY the low range of the DJ working in his business - convenient!  So I agree to meet with him and fellow DJ and suggest a date... He tells me that date won't work, and "he feels bad" this is so inconvenient for me, so he'll just DJ it for me for the low price.  I'm completely turned off, not interested.  Sounds far too shady for my liking.  

I haven't really had anyone spouting credentials at me, but I would be equally annoyed with that...

Hopefully you're finding some good vendors in all the mess!  

LGM22

We found our photographer through a coworker and she's been a dream - totally laid back and awesome.  she brought wedding books so we could see her work and she told us her history/how she got into shooting weddings (which I thought was nice.) 

But we did find out DJ through local Knot vendor reviews.  We met with 2, who actually happened to work as a pair at one point.  The first one is the one we went with.  Totally laid back, awesome guy and great to joke around with.  But the second one came right out with what awards he's won and told us what awesome (by the way he was 'selling it') equipment he had that would make our wedding that much better (because he had it.)  Frankly, I don't know jack all about stereo equipment, and I don't need sub-woofers at my reception.  I also don't care how many years in a row you've been voted this or that.  Don't used car sales me and we'll get along just fine.

I just had a hair and make up person do the same thing to me.  They want a deposit to book "their last slot for my day" and it's 100% refundable up to 90 days before (something she keeps boasting about being the only people to do that.) They won't meet but will do a phone consult, and if I want to meet in person it's almost 200 dollars.  They're touting out how many weddings a year they do and what they've been voted best on ect.  Sorry, don't care.  What I care about is compromising or working with me as a potential client, like the other H/MU artist did who normally doesn't meet but is willing to because she recognized how important a decision this is. 

  I don't expect people to fall to my every whim, but man - I'm not going to spend the same amount it might cost me for one of these other H/MU artists for their services on the day of just to meet with you!  I'm happy to compromise like I did with the other nice lady.  Yeesh.

[Deleted User]

It really gets me when people are rude or have an attitude when you meet with them. There are so many vendors that have great attitudes and are kind and at least act genuinely interested and helpful. The ones who can't do that aren't worth the hassle to work with. (I'm thinking of one baker in particular, luckily that's the only one who has been that way).

KTina&BJ

My biggest thing is when you send them an email, after you wait 2 weeks for a response they cant even spell the words correctly. It took you 2 weeks to respond and you cant even hit the spell check button?! 

JoshLovesJekka

My biggest complaint is when you email them and they get back to you a month or later and your like "sorry, I already booked someone" and they're like "oh, well good luck! Hope they can give you the service like MY clients get". Snark much?! Really, if they'd responded in a timely manor they might have gotten it!

bridejl

I totally agree with all the PPs! A huge part of my venue choice was due to personality of the person in charge. At the one we didn't choose, the manager was selling himself as a person who is a straight-shooter and gets things done on a strict schedule and in a specific way. I was turned off by his egotisticness and inflexibility. If he was that inflexible during the initial meeting then I didn't want to know what he would be like when the time came to plan the details!

jesslimax

I agree with all PP's. Flexibility is definitely key for me. Also, I hate the whole "sell sell sell" thing too. If you are going to be too pushy with me, then SEE YA!!! A great personality that doesn't clash with me also works because I know that the person is on the same page as me and can understand what I'm looking for.

LibraShawn

Please be on time! If our appointment is at 11am why are you showing up at noon?? Sooooo you think I am going to book you for my wedding??!! NOT!

i2012do

It gets to me when they are acting liek they are doing you a huge favor to do your wedding. Like "well i have a bunch of others, but luckily. I have room for you"

Honestly, i have had bad experiences with almost every vendor I met, including some we chose. Except for our caterer.

The woman at our venue, didn't show up for our appointment. she was overly apologetic and had her son come over to show us around... but it was still rude. She also is tough to track down.

but other places were even worse, one person even went so far as to tell me that my engagement was too long and that was "strange"

I love love love our DJ  he is super amazing, imean really sooo amazing and i love him. But when we asked his cancellation policy, if fiance was to get deployed he said he coulnd't make an exception for us and that unless he could rebook- we'd lose our deposiit. A photographer said the same thing. I feel like orders to go over seas should trump a business policy when military is involved- after all its not his choice- its the governments. So that kind of rubbed me the wrong way.
but then i did see that my dj just posed on FB that one of his brides had to rebook her date to a later date due to medical reasons- and he was posting that he had an opening that he hoped someone would take so she wouldn't lose her deposit- which was nice.

also the florist that kept tellingme he "got" me then we he sent me a proposal sent something complelely different than i asked for!

jesslimax

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_august-2012-weddings_vendor-turn-offs?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:1fb748ee-7a4e-40eb-b4b4-e553486f4cacDiscussion:160ae03c-bb80-4472-9b02-f213a69f85e7Post:f333398f-620c-4c8b-8a2c-25ae4f9f4e12">Re: Vendor turn offs</a>:
[QUOTE]Please be on time! If our appointment is at 11am why are you showing up at noon?? Sooooo you think I am going to book you for my wedding??!! NOT!
Posted by LibraShawn[/QUOTE]



UGH this bothers me too!!! We had a meeting with a cake lady and she showed up 30 minutes late to our appointment. No call, no apology. If you are 30 minutes late to an appointment, it basically shows me you are probably gonna be late to my wedding!

LGM22

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_august-2012-weddings_vendor-turn-offs?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:1fb748ee-7a4e-40eb-b4b4-e553486f4cacDiscussion:160ae03c-bb80-4472-9b02-f213a69f85e7Post:142e47e6-6d4b-4304-8b37-6f3df3b524d5">Re: Vendor turn offs</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Vendor turn offs : UGH this bothers me too!!! We had a meeting with a cake lady and she showed up 30 minutes late to our appointment. No call, no apology. If you are 30 minutes late to an appointment, it basically shows me you are probably gonna be late to my wedding!
Posted by jesslimax[/QUOTE]

Our DJ was calling us to confirm right before he arrived.  I don't recall that he was late, if he was it was only by a few minutes and nothing that raised red flags.  We had, however, called him because he had said meet at the Tully's - which is another coffee chain - and the coffee place where he described was actually a SBux.  When he called back he confirmed the shopping center and said that we were in the right place so no worries.  He was so laid back that when FI razzed him about the mix up on the coffee place he rolled with it and it became a joke throughout our meeting.  We still laugh about it and plan on giving him a giftcard to Tully's as a little thank you (in addition to his tip.) 

teralicious

Are you talking about a particular company with the initials SM? If it is, I had the same thing happen to me, although all of my friends who have gotten married swear they are THE BEST!

mercy4

I hate when I ask them for pricing information through e-mail and they want to call me on the phone or meet with me in person.  Give me a range and if it's good we can work on it, if it's not I'll move on.  Waste of time.

Also, pushy vendors that you aren't going to book but still bother you.  I told you I don't want video, leave me alone.  Stop e-mailing me and calling me on my lunch break!