What I learned from a vendor when I was a wedding guest…
About a year ago, I had the distinct honor to stand beside my best friend as she married the man of her dreams. And oh my, what a BEAUTIFUL wedding! For those of you who don’t know me yet, I normally will try and put on this “have-it-together” front, when really I am a wealth of emotions inside. This particular day, from waking up until the send-off I was doing my best to “keep it together”, but when she walked down that aisle… Niagara Falls.
ANYWAYS
Being so close to the couple, I felt 150% invested in making sure the day went just the way they wanted & BETTER. I wanted the plans to run smoothly, the vendors to be early and professional, everyone to feel relaxed and love… and well shoot, if I could control the weather, I would’ve made it 75 and sunny with a light breeze. (luckily, that was the case!) Basically, I just wanted for her to feel comfortable, relaxed and overall filled with joy. She was. She was RADIANT! I mean seriously… look at her!!!
Photo: Adams Photography
Well, I had my disaster radar on and was ready to spring into action if anything went wrong. While in this pseudo-007 mentality, I observed the vendors as they interacted with the couple & environment. What I saw at the reception SHOCKED me.
Obviously I am in the photography/videography line of work, so naturally I was more inclined to watch and interact with those vendors. But while I sat at the head table with the bridal party and the couple, I witnessed some incredible vendor service. My best friend & her new husband had just sat down from greeting every. single. guest (wow). Now that they could relax, I was so ready to serve them. Before I could even ask them what they needed, the DJ approached them with water and offered to make them plates and bring them food. This was BEFORE he had even eaten.
Of course one would hope that all of their vendors would do their job to their best ability, but I am SURE that no where in that guy’s contract did it say that he was expected to serve the couple like that.
Now, to be brutally honest, sometimes in the wedding industry, you often see veteran vendors become almost robotic and callused to this kind of experience. They get in, get the job done like they’ve done it for years, and get out. I even asked my best friend, “Is he new? Is this his first wedding?”. It wasn’t. This guy had done this for a while. He was extremely professional & was honestly one of the best DJs I had experienced as a guest – perfectly timed playlist, was set up & ready to go early, super engaging, but respectful – overall one of the best. What made me so, so grateful as the best friend, was seeing how he looked to serve the couple in any way and was willing/did go out of his way to make sure that they were taken care of. WOW.
This taught me one incredibly valuable lesson:
IT’S ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE.
The bride and groom obviously want the best work for one of the most important days of their lives. But more than that, they want a positive and memorable experience. I am currently a bride-to-be, and that is exactly what I am looking for in vendors. I want a RELATIONSHIP with the vendors that will be at the wedding. Not just a great deal, or a good product. And honestly, I am willing to spend more if I feel like I know and trust the person we are bringing along for the big day.
So brides – here is some advice based on what I gleaned from this experience. You are ultimately inviting your vendors to your wedding. You carefully crafted your guest list, spent hours trying to make this day you’ve dreamed of come true… take the time and care to find the vendor that values and understands that. Find the one that gets to know you and serve you! I can promise that the product being delivered will be extra sweet when you felt like you were a friend and not a paycheck.
