9 Ways to Thank Your Wedding Vendors

Let’s face it: wedding vendors can make or break your day.

Wedding blogs help you find inspiration; handmade vendors create one-of-a-kind pieces, decor, and must-have items; wedding planners turn inspiration into fruition (and work tirelessly to coordinate every single detail), and wedding photographers capture it all for years to come.

Hair stylists and makeup artists help you look your best, while seamstresses ensure your dress fits like a glove. Officiants make your ceremony memorable (and meaningful).

Wedding videographers turn your memories into a full-length film to relive over and over again.

Disc jockeys and bands entertain guests, serve as the Master of Ceremonies, and provide the perfect ambiance during dinner. They also need to make sure speakers are working effectively, music is flowing, and the day runs on schedule.

The venue staff coordinate proper seating, lighting, and food service, while the caterer (and baker!) will be the difference between guests being satisfied (or wishing the food was better).

These are just a few of the wedding vendors that make a wedding oh-so-memorable — and it takes hard work to do it.

We’ve talked before about how important it is to thank your parents, how to do random acts of wedding kindness, and 10 rules to keep your bridesmaids happy. And while tipping is the first thing couples think about when thanking their vendors, there are a few other ways you can thank wedding vendors and show your appreciation.

Tipping is important, but it’s also essential to thank your wedding vendors by showing them your appreciation. Today, we’re showing you how to thank your wedding vendors right from the start.

Thank Your Wedding Vendors

1. Don’t compare one vendor to another.

I see this happen so often: someone wants a particular handmade product and they ask another artist to make it for cheaper, essentially ripping off the design. Not only is it unfair to the originator, but it’s rude to look at someone’s work and then say, ‘Hmm, your work is nice but I’d really rather pay you to do THEIR work, and much cheaper”. If you really want something, pay for it. The applies to wedding photographers: don’t contact one photographer and ask him or her to copy another photographer’s style for a lower price.

2. Only hire them if you can afford their services plus a tip.

Once a particular vendor gives you a price, that’s pretty much the price (and don’t forget to tip – see #6).

There are some opportunities for negotiation, but only under very specific circumstances. It doesn’t hurt to ask, but most venues or vendors have a set price based on the amount of work (and staff) it takes to do an exceptional job. Don’t try to knock it down by saying, “Well, so-and-so charges less” — then hire so-and-so!

Hard work = proper compensation.

3. Be honest.

There’s this new trend where some engaged couples are booking venues, hair appointments, or ordering cakes (just to name a few) and saying it’s just for a ‘party’ to get a better rate than the ‘wedding’ price. Don’t do that.

4. Treat them with kindness.

Be kind, just as they ought to be to you.

5. Be specific with what you want.

Wedding pros are not mind-readers. It helps to be very specific with what you want (or don’t want) right off the bat. For instance, don’t assume the D.J. knows not to play a certain song during the reception (unless you tell him/her) or freak out when the photographer didn’t get a picture of you with a particular family member.

If you want your eye makeup subtle, tell your makeup artist. And it always helps to do a trial run on hair and makeup first!

And for those reception tables, go over the final look before the wedding with your coordinator and see if there is anything else you need. Be very specific. Most wedding vendors are more than happy to work with you to accomplish your dream vision, but they need to know what that is. :)

6. Tip them appropriately.

The #1 way to thank your wedding vendors? By tipping them for a job well done. Here’s a tipping cheat sheet to get you started.

7. Be flexible.

Be flexible when something does not go as planned. If something happens that is unexpected — i.e. your cake is not delivered on time, the venue has a heating issue, the disc jockey forgot to bring a particular track — it is unfortunate. However, most vendors are just as bummed as you. They’ll most likely try their best to make the most out of the circumstances, so try to be as flexible as possible.

8. Don’t leave a negative review, unless…

Don’t leave a negative review for a vendor unless you have a) let them know you were not happy with a particular service AND b) they did not work with you to correct it, during or after the wedding.

Reviews are so important to wedding vendors and help them to have new clients in the future.

You should, however, leave a less-than-happy review if a vendor was exceptionally poor and offered no communication or did not try to make it better. And if he or she never showed, or disappeared after being paid, never to be heard from again. That’s awful. It helps to look out for other couples by leaving an accurate review.

9. Say thank you.

Those P’s and Q’s really do go a long way. :)

What would you add to the list?

This all goes without saying that your vendors should treat you with the utmost respect, too. It is a 2-way street!

Happy Planning!

xo
Emma

Updated content, 2021; giveaway previously posted has ended.