“The Business Resource For Wedding Entrepreneurs”

Our 2017 wedding trend reports that are released at the beginning of this shows many of the most popular wedding trends among engaged couples. Insights given vary from the most favourite wedding venues to the exciting wedding color choices and shockingly, a bride's biggest regrets. Yes, their regrets!

From all the responses gathered, we found that one of a bride's biggest wedding regret comes from the 'lack of coordination with wedding vendors'. What could have can possibly gone wrong? Some of the issues could be: a) Miscommunication, b) Overpromising, and c) Disputes. Looking at the degree of these issues, the question is can you prevent them and form a heartfelt relationship with your clients? Take a look below for a few tips from us:

1. Have a clear agreement
Before you start working on a wedding, make sure you have prepared an agreement or contract for your client to sign. Make sure the both of you run through it together to have an understanding of what products or services will be covered and not. This is a good precaution in case a client demands for services that are not part of the agreement and claim you to not be 'well-coordinated' or lack preparation thereof.

2. Value their inputs
During meeting, there will be times when clients act as a know-it-all. However as an expert, you are in the position to give feedbacks and suggestions to make their ideas much better. If they decided to forgo your opinions, don't lose your steam. Instead, value their ideas because this is going to be their wedding after all. In everything, remain professional and communicate your ideas clearly.

3. Don't overpromise
Overpromising is not the way to sell. If you fail to deliver, both you and your clients will be hurt - they are disappointed and in turn, you also get bad reviews. You can make an attempt to try doing certain things out of norm when asked, but do not make a promise upfront because you there is always a chance the result is not satisfying (even if you are a veteran vendor who has been in the industry for decades). If you will be doing something new, create a backup plan in case it doesn't go the way the client wants.

4. Transparency is key
Should you encounter any problems that involve you client's wedding, share it with them. For instance, if you are a florist and a certain flower is suddenly not available due to logistics issues, be sure to relay it to your client immediately to find an alternative. Sure, you might be adding to their stress but it's not going to be more stressful than delivering the news last minute and see your client throw tantrum. If your client has appointed a wedding planner, relay this situation the team so they can help you figure out a solution and manage impending panic attack.

5. A well-scheduled plan goes a long way
This tip is specially dedicated to wedding planners and organizers out there. As the D-day approaches, a detailed timeline is very important. A wedding is not only your client's event, but it is also a family affair. The family members will be partaking in the wedding procession so it's critical for you to coordinate with them so they do not come late or worse, go missing. Do not forget that you must keep track of the bridesmaid and groomsmen whereabouts too! For this reason, we recommend holding a rehearsal several days before the big day to make sure everything is smooth sailing.

6. Get friendly
It's okay to be friendly, this way you will seem to be approachable and the clients will not have a problem conversing with you. While it's good to establish a friendship with them, try to put a little distance by drawing the professional line. Because chances are, the client might get too comfortable with you and might ask for extra favours.

7. Share updates regularly
Last but not least, give your clients a peace of mind by updating them on your own progress. It can be as simple as sharing a test copy of your client's wedding invitation before printing all 200 of them. By doing this, you give your clients an assurance and give yourself time to make amendments. Simply remember to set a deadline for when everything needs to be finalized.

As you see, these tips are really not that hard to follow. If you are not doing these already, then you need to set a new routine. At the end of the day, these are supposed to help you coordinate better with your clients to create their dream wedding. What do you do to maintain good coordination with your clients? Share your experience below!