Have you planned a wedding where the vendors were challenging to work with? It might have been their attitudes, their perceived role as the “director” of the wedding, ” or simply not fulfilling their contractual obligations. What can you do if you find yourself with post-wedding feelings about what happened with difficult vendors at the wedding? Here are some tips on how to handle these unfortunate situations. 

Vendor Attitudes

If the issue is their behavior toward you and your team, decide if it is worth addressing. If you will be working together at events in the future, it is probably a good idea to face the problem and have a conversation. If you have no events together in the future and know that you will never refer them again, you can decide if it is worth a discussion. Remember that if you choose to move on without addressing the situation, you may still work together if a client chooses to hire them. The wedding industry is small, so there is always a chance of crossing paths again, so addressing issues head-on is a good practice. 

 In either case, come to these conversations with examples and an open mind. You will get much farther

by approaching the meeting with grace rather than accusations. 

When a Vendor Thinks They Are the Planner

Many vendors on a wedding team are often the default planner if a  couple does not hire a proper planner or coordinator. Usually, the DJ, caterer, and even the photographer can fall into the planner role if no one else can do it. Since this is common, some vendors will take on this role even when a planner is in place. To establish your role as the director of your client’s wedding day: 

• Reach out to the vendor team as early as possible to open the lines of communication and establish expectations of working together. 
• Share your process of incorporating them into creating the master timeline. Remember that every vendor has a job, so consider their needs as much as possible. 
• Find out in advance if the vendor has any special needs. For example, does the DJ need a space to put all his equipment storage? Knowing these things in advance will allow you to mitigate any potential bumps on the wedding day. 

Client Unhappy with a Vendor

Finally, if your client is unhappy with a vendor after the wedding, determine what level of involvement you will have in their interaction. Most wedding planners do not have contracts with the vendors, so while you can support your clients, you are not the one who was legally contracted with them. Ensure that your contract with your clients states that you are not responsible for vendor performance. You do not want to be held accountable for another vendor’s services in any way. 

Most vendors are amazing and dedicated to their craft and their clients. In the rare situation where things go poorly, it is important to plan how to move forward. 

Here are some more helpful articles about vendor relationships:

How to Effectively Source Wedding Vendors

Building Your Vendor Network

How to Handle Vendor Contracts

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