Feeding your Wedding Vendors

Okay, so the picture really isn't what I am talking about... but that is what happens when I am starving after a

21 hour day. Before we crack open the wine.

This question has come up quite a bit about feeding your vendors, do you, should you, why? And I am here to answer the questions you have.

Firstly, one of the main reasons I bring this up, is that recently a Mother of the Bride called me to ask me which meal I'd prefer - because she wanted to make sure I ate. But she wasn't planning on feeding any of the other vendors.

Here were my concerns. The photographer and videographer would be working a 10 hour day. The DJ would be working a 5 hour day, for this event we were working with the bride for a 21 hour stint of time. And please know, I am not complaining, I love my job! But here's my point.

We pack with us protein bars, snacks, water, etc. But when the reception comes around, we have a teensy bit of down, the photographer can only take so many pictures of people shoveling food and drinks in their faces, and drinking. Plus, you probably wouldn't want pictures of that anyway - and while working a 10 hour day you probably want to feed your photographer so they stay upright. Keeping in mind, what their contract states, they may request a hot meal. And usually the venue or catering staff, have a vendor meal selections - chicken fingers and french fries work too.

The same goes for us, we aren't picky, but it is nice to sit down for 3 minutes (literally 3 minutes) and eat something once we know that you (the bride, groom, parents of the bride and groom) are being attended to. Our team usually eats in shifts, so I know someone from my team always has eyes on the bride and groom to know they are taken care of.

Our rule is that anyone working more than 4 or 5 hours in a row, should have the ability to eat something if at all possible. I'm not saying go crazy, but if you were working 5 hours or more, you'd want to eat, right?

What are you thinking, when it comes to feeding your vendors?

Vendorzilla: Photographer

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Photographerzilla... do you realize that after the wedding, you are what the bride and groom have. Your work. Your albums (hopefully!) Your referrals... not if you are a Photographerzilla! Please, don't zilla'ize yourself!

Photographerzilla, if you want to be at the rehearsal, that'd be great! If you ask to chat with the bridal party for a minute or two, that's great too... but don't turn that 2 minutes into a 30 minute speech about how you'd like things to run tomorrow... uh, not your day.

Photographerzilla, I sent you the timeline in advance we talked about it... you discussed it, we adjusted it to suit your needs... so on the wedding day, if you say you need another 20 minutes, it's really not a big deal, until it starts messing with the other vendors... like, dinner.

Photographerzilla, sounds obviously...but be on time... show up.

Photographerzilla, don't delete the bride and grooms wedding pictures from your memory cards until they are uploaded to your computer in at least duplicate... cuz I've seen photographers loose entire weddings. Literally.

Photographerzilla, meet your deadlines for albums. If you promise an album in 6-8 months after the wedding and a year goes by and the bride and groom still don't have an album (and they met your deadlines) they are gonna be mad.

Photographerzilla, don't scream to your staff at the wedding in the middle of the ceremony. HEY OVER THERE! Everyone can hear you... unprofessional!

Photographerzilla, don't cut the Father of the Bride in the buffet line! I promise you'll get to eat...

Photographerzilla, don't scream curse words at your staff. Everyone can hear you. And it's really bad form if your staff is your wife.

What are your fears for a photographerzilla?

Vendorzilla: Florist

{Photo}

Dear Floristzilla, a bride usually has some very specific ideas for her flowers, or her colors, or her look. And she really puts a lot of stock in you to help her make her vision come true. You can quickly go from being her best friend to her floristzilla...

Floristzilla, if a bride shows you a picture of a bouquet and says she wants it to look exactly like that, make sure that the bride in the picture isn't a size 2 and this your client is a size 14, that will make a difference in the size of the bouquet. And you don't want her to ultimately be disappointed.

Floristzilla, please realize how important colors are to brides. If her colors are Burgandy and Rose, and the blooms show up to you and they are hot pink... please know that isn't going to be acceptable. Fix it before you deliver the bouquets.

Floristzilla, if there is a problem, address it, you ignoring the situation doesn't make things any better. It does in fact, make it worse.

Floristzilla, communication is K-E-Y! Please communicate, don't wait 3 weeks to return a call, don't answer other calls in a meeting with your clients, don't be late to meetings, don't not meet the contract obligations.

Floristzilla, if the bride tells you she has $10,000 to spend and your initial proposal comes back $30,000 that is going to scare her off. Don't do that. And then, don't come back and ask me what happened...

Floristzilla, don't get on your high horse during a meeting, there is already a lot of emotions going on when a wedding is being planned. And additional drama queen (or king) is not necessary.

Wow! There are so many more... what would make your florist a "zilla"?

Vendorzilla: DJ

{Source}

DJzilla... WOW! Don't be this guy....

Djzilla, we love you, and we want you to make this party awesometastic! So, really... help me out!

Djzilla, just because you are a rockstar DJ on Rock The Buzz 101.1 and your morning show listeners love to hear your voice, doesn't mean you should talk through the whole reception.

Djzilla, there is a timeline for a reason. We developed the order of events with the bride and groom. Please don't willy-nilly change it. It really confuses everything.

Djzilla, don't sing over the music... someone sings that song, and was paid really good money to make that music, you are ruining it.

Djzilla, you are an Mceeing the event, you actually need to let people know when things are going to happen. Speak english into the microphone... don't mumble... please!

Djzilla, uncomfortable silences are uncomfortable for a reason... please play music constantly... otherwize it sounds like a cafeteria!

Djzilla, if you cannot speak English well, scratch that... if you cannot speak English... and your words all sound slurred together, practice your words.

Djzilla, please don't get trashed at the wedding. You are there to work, not get so drunk that we need to call you a cab.

This goes back to using professionals! Please use professionals and you won't have this problem. Get references. If you are working with a Professional Wedding Planner, you'll be able to get professional recommendations from us, about who to use...and who not to.

Vendorzilla: Caterer

Caterzilla... oh how we love your food, but your 'tude is killing us!

This post is not about one particular caterer, but about all of the things that caterers can do that make them a 'zilla.

Caterzilla, it would be nice to see an estimate within a few week of meeting with a client. Waiting 9 weeks and then wondering why the client didn't choose you... hmmm.

Caterzilla, if my client wants to know what ingredients are in something you make, it's probably because there is a food allergy, please don't lie. No one is trying to steal your recipes, we just want to make sure that no one dies.

Caterzilla, if my client has menu questions and they email you.... and you don't email them back - EVER. They are bound to be ticked off.

Caterzilla, if someone asks you if you have a set menu to choose from and you don't... and you only do custom menu's for clients, that's okay, but let them know. Don't hang up on them.

Caterzilla, sometimes taking the high road is better than sabatoging an event... oh and doing that, would be just wrong. The high road is always better.

Caterzilla, if you staff is rude - please handle the situation.

Caterzilla, don't blame the bride and groom for your wrong doings... that just upsets everyone.

Again, these are not examples of just my events, they are from my friends who are wedding planners too. From all over... these are all situations that were handled, alot behind the scenes and can all be avoided.

Moral of the story: Hire professionals.

Vendorzilla: Make Up

{Photographer: Powers Photography}

I love this picture! Brittany was just such a beautiful bride! And a joy to work with! {PSA - She didn't have a make-upzilla... I just liked the picture}

This week I am going to talk a little bit about 'zilla's. Everyone has heard of the term Bridezilla and frankly... I am not a fan. Honestly, we are blessed, we have amazing brides! I love our brides! If I could collect them all and put them in a little box and keep them with me all of the time I would!

But sometimes you have a vendor that you are working with that forgets, it's the bride's day. And there are 30 other vendors that you are working with that day to make sure that HER day is perfect.

This week is dedicated to that vendor... the its-all-about-me-vendor-who-runs-on-their-own-time-schedule-and-doesn't-care-about-anyone-else-but-them vendor.

Vendorzilla! {insert the dum, dum-dummmmmmmmm music}

Make-upzilla, please return calls that are made to you. If a bride or a wedding planner call you, actually if anyone calls, it's always poliet to return our calls.

Make-upzilla, if you wouldn't mind writing our bride's schedule in our planner so that on the wedding day, when you have 5 girls to do, you don't leave after doing just one...

Make-upzilla, it would be nice if you remembered to write our brides wedding date and trial in your book so that when we call to confirm you know what we are talking about.

Make-upzilla, we create a timeline and give you an hour per face, if you need more time, please let us know. And don't tell us you need 15 minutes per person, when really you need more. That doesn't help anyone.

Make-upzilla, it would also be nice if you remembered the price quoted so that when we call to confirm you are coming, you don't just pull a number out of your your-you-know-what.

Make-upzilla, if you have it noted to come to the brides location where she is getting ready, don't all of a sudden force her to come to the salon... and add a $350 travel fee to the bill.

Keep in mind these are all situation that we've had to work through, through the years. Most, if not all of them were resolved, without the bride knowing!

That is the beauty of having a wedding planner! Allow your wedding planner to handle the details, you just relax and remember it's YOUR day! Your dream day should be perfect!