Vendor Tips: Helpful Hints To Keeping A Bride Happy

The bridal industry is big business and can bring in lots of money to a great vendor. It’s also a small industry, with a lot of competition and a small window of opportunity to gain someone’s business.

Here are a few of my tips to help these vendors help themselves.

Answer your damn phone. Or find someone to do it for you. I should not get a machine every time I call. I hate machines. If I do actually find it in my heart to leave you a message, call me back in a reasonable amount of time.

It’s 2011, people. Time to embrace electronic mail. I’m a busy girl who loves to fire off quick emails to get things done.  I have an iPhone which allows me to check email anywhere, anytime. They are quite affordable and fantastic. As are all the myriad of smart phones out there. You have absolutely no excuse for not replying to an email I send you.

Get a functional and up-to-date website. Again, hello? It’s 2011. This is your easiest form of branding. People can go there and get any info they could possibly need or want from you without having to BOTHER you. They already have a good chunk of knowledge about you before contacting you, so no wasting your time with mundane questions that could have been answered from a damn website. This is just common sense and blows my mind when I see the craptastic websites people have out there loaded with thumbnail-size fuzzy pictures and stupid music and awful fonts. Or, ya know, just don’t have one.

If you have a contact form on the website, MAKE SURE IT ACTUALLY WORKS. I like those, because it’s easy and doesn’t waste my time. That is, unless it doesn’t work. And I have to call you anyway, explain what my request was that I already typed and then possibly send it to you again. Eff that.

Have set prices. Don’t try to tailor your pricing for each particular bride that walks in. If you want to give me a good deal, sweet! But don’t size me up and then inflate your prices because you think I may have money. People hear my venue and see dollar signs. In reality, the venue is quite reasonable but no one knows that based on its location and cost to dine there regularly. If I feel you blew up your pricing or can’t send me some sort of standardized pricing list, I won’t work with you.

Be nice. I will readily admit I can be difficult and demanding, however, I’m the customer. And usually that’s only set off by how you, the vendor, are treating me. If I think you’re screwing me around, I will not be nice. If I think I paid for something I’m not getting, I will not be nice. If I think you’re being rude and not giving me the treatment I deserve, I will not be nice. It’s really simple, golden-rule type shit, folks.  Do unto me as I shall do unto you, or else you will bear the wrath of Ali and no one wants that. Trust.

Be available to meet on the weekends or after hours. Hello? I work. My fiancé works. I shouldn’t have to use vacation time to get this party planned.

Don’t have a stupid, cheesy name. When I was still looking for a DJ, I talked to someone from a local company who was listed on The Knot. He seemed fine, gave me a decent price, then emailed me to confirm. His name was Forrest. Forrest CRUMP. Um, no. Forrest Crump will not be “in da house”, doing the chicken dance or any other wedding cheesiness. Not that this is some refined, uptight event. This is a Lastrapes party. We will be throwing down. However, it will be cool and fun and not painfully dumb. No idiot DJ trying to be funny. No bouquet or garter toss. No cheesy songs like the Chicken Dance or Macarana.  Only Lastrapes/Rastiello-approved, bitchin’ fun.

That’s it. I think it’s simple! I don’t know why people find these things so hard to do.

Here’s to a bitchin’, cheese-free wedding!

-Ali