For those of you who saw our segment on WBRE Consumer reports, you may have noticed Jeff Chirco mention vendor referrals and asking the person referring if they accept kickbacks. (For those of you who missed it, please check out WBRE Consumer Reports page).
I wanted to clarify what he meant by this, as well as explain our vendor referral policy. Firstly, anyone planning a wedding or event will save themselves money and heartache by doing a little research into different vendors. Not everyone feels comfortable calling or hiring a wedding planner to do this for them. The next best thing would be going to a different vendor that you feel comfortable with, say a DJ, photographer, or catering hall. Ask this vendor if they can recommend someone within the wedding industry that they PERSONALLY worked with and that they would recommend you hire. Sometimes, you will hear more about who NOT to hire, but it still helps you find the right vendor for you.
Regarding asking about kickbacks- don’t feel shy asking if someone is paying them to make the referral. Some companies call them finder-fees, and others, like catering halls, have advertising connections and other incentives to refer a specific vendor, regardless if they live up to their standards or not.
A wedding planner should never take money from a vendor as a kickback, nor should they charge you for their vendor referral list.
Once you decide to call upon a new vendor, ask them for references. If they cannot provide at least 2 different people to call, do not consider them a reputable vendor, and move on. There are plenty more fish in the sea!
Finally, I would like to take a moment to discuss our policy (Attention 2 Perfection) on vendor referrals. We would be glad to suggest a vendor free of charge. However, we do not give out our entire vendor ‘list.’ We base our referrals on what your particular needs are. For example, you are looking for a florist. We work with many florists that all have different attributes and niches. After learning what your needs are, we then advise you to call one or two that will fit your personal demands. Voila! We just saved you tons of time, and was able to give you a referral right from the get-go.
As long as we are not making the phone calls, setting up, or going on appointments, our vendor referrals are free of charge.
Hope this gave you a little more insight into standard practices and our policies. If you have any questions regarding this matter, do not hesitate to contact us!
Striving 4 Perfection 