Hey! What were you thinking?
We two girls spend a lot of time talking with perspective brides and/or event hosts about their upcoming celebrations. For most people, planning, deciding on items and vendors and keeping track of everything is an overwhelming task. I’m sure there are times when one just want to run away and hide from everyone and everything!
So, why is making a decision SO hard??
A question we ask ourselves is, when a vendor is there, reaching out with the answers that you want, and with everything you have asked for, why then answer with a NO! or I don’t know! Or we cannot decide just yet! We two girls have personally planned a lot of events for our families and friends, from the very intimate and small, to what could basically populate a small third world country… and not for one second will we hesitate to say yes to a vendor if they show us the value of what we are getting and if they understand our needs and vision. Better still if they have a good reputation.
So here are my 3 rules to live by when making a decision for the ‘right’ vendor:
1. You have a connection with your vendor and you feel they really understand your needs and your vision.
You’ve met with one or two vendors and one of them really connects with you. They understand and come through with a quote in your budget comfort zone. Stop! Say yes, and move on to the next item on your list, or, you will make yourself CRAZY! Understand one thing, every vendor, no matter what they do, is going to give you something a little bit different. Some will listen better to your vision, some will try to convince you to change your ideas. Some will take your budget into consideration and some will not. We say, if you’ve met with a vendor that you connect with, who has a website that shows you the level of their work, has a good reputation with other vendors, and they understand YOU… then STOP looking further. Make the decision to say yes and have a little faith that they want your day to be a great as you do.
2. First is not necessarily Better:
You want to pick the perfect vendor, you want everything to go perfectly… so you gather information, go to the web and do a search. It’s natural to think that those first names listed are the ‘best’. Why wouldn’t they be?? They’re at the top of the page! They must have gotten there somehow?! Do not be fooled by internet placement. Best does not mean first. It could mean that the company pays alot of money for SEO or they have a savvy marketing strategy. It also does not mean they are the ‘best’ vendor for you. It’s been our experience that the littler guy, Maybe the one on page two or three is the one who will go the extra mile.
3. Everybody has an agenda:
As much as your special day or event is. for you, the most important and special day EVER… (and it should be!)… your friends and relatives might have an underlying motive for offering up the vendors they’ve used in the past. Those closest to us many times want their friends and family to use the same vendors they did. In doing so it becomes sort of an affirmation in their mind that they made a good choice. So if you go with their same choice, well then, they MUST have been right and it will be a good choice for you too! Be aware that just because one vendor was perfect for a friend or family member’s wedding/event, that does not mean they will automatically be a perfect choice for yours. Each event is different and the vendor you choose must really understand what is important to YOU first and foremost. Sometimes the vendors who you have already chosen will give you their vendor recommendations. It’s great to get those! However, it is always a good idea when getting a referral from a professional to ask them how they know this vendor and why they believe they are a good choice for you.
One last piece of advice. Don’t over think it. You meet and talk, you connect, you get a quote that works for you. Just say YES! and move on to the next item.
Now go out and have yourself a decisive, wholesale flower-filled day!