Is this normal?? It sort of bothers me.

runtome

I want to introduce myself, I've been lurking a while but we just started looking for a site and I've noticed at many of the sites they have a recommended vendors list. I was asking a friends husband about some of the vendors on there since he used to work in the industry. He looked at the list and said that most halls charge a fee for the vendor to be on there list and most of these where not the best by far. This really, really bothers me since I would hope to think they are recommending the best people?? Is this the way it works??  I though something was screwy looking at some of their sites etc

akulaji

In some cases it is something similar to what he's saying.  They have a preferred list of vendors and the venue gets a cut or a fee from what they make because they have the 'privilege' of working their space.  It's not like that everywhere though.  Our venue (The Lounsbury House in Ridgefield) has a preferred list because it's a historical building and the list is the group of vendors that has a lot of experience working there and they know that customers have highly recommended them.  They have special rules there because it's a historical building and they want to make sure that nothing gets damaged and it's returned in tip top shape when the party is over.  If you come across a place that you like that has a preferred list, you should ask if they allow other vendors in addition to their preferred list because sometimes they really are just trying to be helpful and give you vendors that you might like.  The Lounsbury allows others.  The vendors (mainly caterers) that aren't on their list basically just have to come and do a walk through with the venue director and learn all the rules and expectations of the place and then they're okay'd to work there.

banana468

Ditto akulaji.  Sometimes its like that but at other times, it's because those particular vendors know the venue, the space, and how to deal.

If you've ever watched Whose Wedding Is It Anyway, there's an episode where a couple planned a $1 million wedding.  The ceremony was in Bryant Park in NYC and the reception was at the NY Public Library.  There were logistical issues for the ceremony and reception and the vendors were just not familiar in the space with the time it took to set things up, deal with traffic or get things started appropriately.

Consequently, when the couple arrived, items were not set up on time or to their liking.  Even lighting can go wrong when you're not aware of the space you're using.  The point person at the venue said, "We're working to resolve this however this is why we recommend that couples use the vendors on our preferred list."

If it helps, you can always post on here with where you're getting married and the preferred vendors.  The knotties may have some great suggestions one ones that they have used or seen at other weddings.

ajhornwedding

The only places we know they have a preffered vendor list that is strictly recommended vendors and that did not pay the venues to get onto that list are the Waterview, Fox Hill Inn, Candlewood, and Riverview (all owned by the same company).  Our wedding is at the Waterview.  The places we know have a paid preferred vendors list are Aquaturf, Woodwinds, Villa Bianca, Villa Rosa, and MAYBE Fantasia.. can't remember if they did or not.. and I think that was the only places we looked at that had those lists.

runtome

So far we are looking at Branford House, Water's Edge, St Clemente's Castle and Wadsworth Mansion & Cascades 

Vanessa630

I've heard the same thing- particularly from vendors who are not on the list and refuse to do so on principle.  I'm sure there are positives and negatives to those lists. One of the things I realized regarding photographers was that the venue's recommended photographers had been to that site so many times that all the pictures started looking the same. While it's nice to have a photographer familiar with the grounds, I didn't want to sacrifice the creativity. So far, we've researched all of our own vendors. 

Good Luck!

Whippet8

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_this-normal-sort-of-bothers?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:65Discussion:c5cd962c-8d92-422a-8a59-6b700cd8bb20Post:40122823-7b3b-4542-b9f2-d4af3a1f6995">Re: Is this normal?? It sort of bothers me.</a>:
[QUOTE]So far we are looking at Branford House, Water's Edge, St Clemente's Castle and Wadsworth Mansion & Cascades 
Posted by runtome[/QUOTE]

We just got married at Cascade, and a lot of the vendors on their prefered list we were planning on using anyways. We had an amazing experience with Gateway Limo, JCakes, Music in Motion and Zacciariello's Formal Wear.

We did find Gateway Limo and JCakes through the vendor fair at Cascade, but I could not have been happier with both.

The great thing about Music in Motion is that we used them for the architectural lighting, and they knew the space so well, I knew it would look beautiful. Which is definately a benefit to using someone off of that list.

Jaymarx

I know for a fact the vendors pay to be on them and they have these ads in their booklets I got also LOL I asked one of my vendors who has a ton of photos of  hers  on my venues website why they weren't on there list since they had a ton of samples from my venue in her sample books and that was her response was , she got an offer to be on there but thought it was bad business to have to pay them instead of having a genuine recommendation. 

SuMmErKuTiE

Congrats and welcome! I see that you're looking at Waters Edge. I'm a Waters Edge bride, and we didn't use any of the vendors on their recommended list. The only one we're using is the lady who does the chair covers and sashes for the venue. Other than that, we shopped around for our own florist, photographer, dj, etc...

As pp's mentioned, sometimes those recommended vendors are great to look into because they probably have a great history and relationship with working with that particular venue. But sometimes they are just vendors who pay to get their name out there and you don't really know how their work will turn out on your big day.

My advice is that you and your FI just make sure you shop around and book vendors that you both feel will make your day how you're envisioning whether or not they're recommended by your venue. Plus, if you ask questions on here the girls are great with recommendations. I booked my hair & make up, florist, and b-pics photographer because of rave reviews from other Connecticut Knotties. I think either Vikki2Pay and/or KLS (the board moderator) have a list of knottie recommended vendors that is very helpful when looking to set up appointments with possible vendors. HTH!

vanessaf1

This is so true.  To be on a "preferred vendors list", the vendor has to pay.  Harthorne Publications puts out a majority of these lists.  Let the venues know THIS IS BULL!   This is SO WRONG!!!!!!!

atc101

I am attending a free seminar that the Aqua Turf Club is having. It is free and they are giving free food and open bar. They say they are going to tell us what we need to know when we hire a venue, dj, or photographer. I am going it should be fun and maybe book them as well, at least I will give it a shot. I saw it in the Hartford Advocate. You need to pre register, knowing them they are booking up fast.

nyquinn134

I'm getting married at Water's Edge and the only vendor I'm using is from their preferred list is the DJ but all my other vendors have been to Water's Edge before and the wedding coordinator is familar with all of them.  If you're really not sure who to use, the vendor list is a good starting point.  But obviously you need to do your research.

On a side note, my fiancee works in the restuarant industry and said that aqua turf is the best caterer in CT and probably the most expensive.  I've been to party's that caterered and the food was REALLY good.  If you have the money to spend I would def book them.