This past weekend, I had the privilege of taking a full service client on an array of vendor meetings, and I thought this would be a great opportunity (while it's still fresh in my mind) to talk about this part of my planning services. It's PERFECT for destination wedding clients, and even some of my local clients prefer for me to set up their vendor meetings for maximum efficiency, and because of my relationships with the vendors!
In this instance, both the bride and groom were from out of state, and so this weekend was the only time they'd be in Montana before the week of the wedding. So it was vital over this 4 day period to introduce them to as many options as possible, but also give them time to explore, relax, and enjoy their time in Montana. (We want our clients to still love Montana when they come back for their wedding!)
Over a 4 day time period, we managed to meet multiple caterers, florists, cake bakers, rental companies, and a photographer, DJ, hair dresser, and makeup artist. We even found time to do site tours of hotels for room blocks, and managed to hit a few breweries to "sample" the potential wedding beverages! My thoughts were that face to face interactions with these vendors would make the bride and groom much more comfortable with their decisions on whom to hire.
Every hour of every day was filled with activities and meetings, but the couple was relaxed and just enjoyed the days. It wasn't stressful, because no decisions needed to be made on the spot. I just want to make this very clear: PLANNERS DO NOT MAKE DECISIONS FOR YOU. They merely offer suggestions as to who might be able to provide the best services for what you want! At one point in time, I was referred to as a "new member of the family" and that's the kind of relationship I hope for - that my clients trust me, can communicate with me freely, and never be fearful of giving me an honest opinion. That's how the best weddings become the best!
I gave the Bride & Groom the itinerary a week before the trip, so they were able to plan lunches with friends, and take evenings off to explore or unwind. We started at a reasonable time in the morning, so they could sleep in, eat a big breakfast, and treat their time as a vacation (which is what it was!)
Keep in mind, all of my vendors are on speed dial, and it allows for the meeting schedule to be flexible if necessary. Therefore, I was able to make quick adjustments - we even planned a menu tasting with a caterer 3 hours before it happened. I think the bride & groom would agree with me, that the meetings ran seamlessly, and the vendors I chose to introduce them to were ideal for their style and budget.
The key to success (I believe), was that prior to the meetings, I had worked with the couple on diagrams for the event space as well as some design boards. Once I knew what look we were trying to achieve, we had a focused, common idea in mind for all of the meetings.
Setting up vendor meetings is included with my full-service planning packages, and I encourage brides to take me up on it. Having diagrams and idea boards are great, but bringing your planner along to give suggestions, and ask questions makes your meetings very productive.
Happy planning!
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| Rental company meeting was a success! We found this cool bar. |
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| Sight seeing at St. Mary's Mission in Stevensville! |
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| Tasting cake is one of my favorite things! |
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