Stick to Your Wedding Budget: Negotiating Tactics
From Inspire Me! on ColinCowieWeddings.com
There's nothing wrong with negotiating; it's all about how you do it. When negotiating with your vendors, try to look at the whole package.
If a vendor comes up with an initial budget that exceeds your limitations, attempting to break the costs down bit by bit will only alienate the vendor and frustrate you.
It's much more amicable to explain that the estimate is more than you can spend. Then, ask the vendor to offer suggestions on how to reduce the cost.
Vendors will often come up with creative solutions you may have never considered. Working together, you'll be able to trim the budget without cutting back on those items that are most important to you and your fiancé.
Maybe you'll serve only three appetizers instead of six during cocktail hour. Maybe your family and friends aren't interested in wine and would be perfectly happy with a classic cocktail like a martini, gimlet or mint julep.
If the vendor's estimate comes in slightly higher than the limit you specified, be gracious and explain that you have to stick to your budget.
However, if you've clearly communicated your budget's limit to the vendor and he or she still presents an estimate that exceeds your budget significantly, you should ask yourself:
Why is this vendor being so unresponsive to my directions?
Am I communicating my expectations and budget clearly?
Is this really the right vendor for me?
Finally, don't expect discounts, even if you have a friend in the wedding industry. People often think that because they know someone who works for a hotel or caterer, they are automatically entitled to receive major discounts or free services.
The fact is that if an hotelier, caterer or florist friend wants to give you a discount, they will probably offer you one without prompting. If they don't offer a discount, chances are they are either not authorized to cut prices or they just can't give you one for a myriad of reasons.
If you are working with a friend on your wedding and he or she doesn't offer you a discount, we think it's best not to ask for one. You will only put your friend on the spot by bringing up the subject, creating an awkward situation for both of you.
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