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additional % service charge and coordinators - common?

brianatappinbrianatappin
10 Comments
in Hawaii
Am I weird for thinking that adding a % service charge to any additional vendors your coordinator helps you book is a little ridiculous?  Shouldn't that "coordination service" already be included in their overall costs, and not be relative to what you are spending on other vendors??

Or am I just completely out of the loop and this is super common for coordinators to do?  Seems like all of the coordinators I've looked into do this.  idk...just kind of annoys me.
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Re: additional % service charge and coordinators - common?

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I agree with you. I think it is wierd. I saw 1 that priced their services that way and it was a little bit of a turn off. It just felt like they would want you to pick the more expensive items so that they get a larger service charge. I don't know if this is common though.
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  • kaeshakaesha
    Eighth Anniversary 2500 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I didn't have a coordinator but in my exploration of that option, that is pretty common. There are really two types of coordinators: those who charge a % on top of a base fee and those who charge a flat rate. If you really need one you've got to pick whichever works better for you.
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  • Tanq&TonicTanq&Tonic
    1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Ditto Kaesha, but one more model - some don't charge any base but take a larger % on the wedding.  In any of the models where they charge per vendor, be sure to check your contract so you're not charged the uplift for vendors you book and bring in on your own.

    Also, even for those that charge a flat rate, they're still making money on the additional items.  Our coordinator offered the same price for chairs as Island Rents (where she got the chairs), but they give her a coordination discount, so she basically pocketed the difference as an uplift.
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  • tiggy5555tiggy5555 member
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_hawaii_additional-service-charge-coordinators-common?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:73Discussion:181c2083-3bdd-4250-9929-d1d8a10a50d4Post:854afe65-5c81-4abb-8264-f3eb29a36ad8">Re: additional % service charge and coordinators - common?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Ditto Kaesha, but one more model - some don't charge any base but take a larger % on the wedding.  In any of the models where they charge per vendor, be sure to check your contract so you're not charged the uplift for vendors you book and bring in on your own. Also, even for those that charge a flat rate, they're still making money on the additional items.  <strong>Our coordinator offered the same price for chairs as Island Rents (where she got the chairs), but they give her a coordination discount, so she basically pocketed the difference as an uplift.
    </strong>Posted by Tanq&Tonic[/QUOTE]

    This. I was frank with my coordinator prior to hiring her and I specifically asked how she does business. Basically she gets a discount from certain vendors and I get charged the retail rate. She pockets the discount and I pay the exact same amount as if I found it myself. To me this is the best way BUT there are many coordinators who get their discount and then mark your price up a bit more. NOT COOL!
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  • brianatappinbrianatappin
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    ok, glad I'm not alone on this.  One cooridnator explained it to me as it's a fee to put the "risk" on them if something were to go wrong.  So if the hair/makeup artist gets stuck in traffic or the minister has a heart attack (her example), they make other arrangements for me so I don't have to worry about it.  I can see how that could be really attractive to some (or even most) people, but my wedding is going to be so low-key that I would rather save the money and take my chances.  :)
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  • destiny1108destiny1108 member
    Sixth Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    we didn't pay any % on vendors that our WC arranged. She helped usfind vendors and they sent us contracts directly.
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  • bellathebridebellathebride
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    There is a % service fee and I'm not too familiar with how this works but I know here in CA, most places charge a higher percentage than in Hawaii. You can even ask if they can discount the % as a courtesy. It works ;)
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