As a new wedding planner you may feel like you have to work for any and every bride who wants to hire you. Not true! There are instances in which I would recommend you walk away.
Here are 5 reasons why you should not take a bride as a client:
1) She has an unrealistic budget
A bride may not be aware of the cost of weddings and the value of your services as a wedding planner. This will come through when she tries negotiate a very low rate with you. Be polite, but firm and let her know the value of the services you are giving her for the money that you charge. If she thinks you are too expensive and you lower your rates, which I don’t recommend, you will be forever lowing your rates and offering more than you are being paid to prove to her you were worth what she was willing to pay you.
2) She complains and speaks ill of others
If a bride complains and speaks unfavorably of other wedding vendors, family members, and people in general, or wants to gossip about others, walk away. She will find fault with your work and will complain about you to others.
3) She is dishonest and wants you to be also
Never take on a bride who wants you to lie for her, especially one who wants you to lie to her groom and members of her or his family.
4) She can’t pay the deposit on time
This is a red flag that you will aways have trouble collecting money from this bride. State the deadline by which the deposit must be paid in your contract, and don’t begin work without it. Walk away if she begs for more time and make a lot of excuses for why she hasn’t paid you yet.
5) You have a bad feeling about her
Maybe the bride is saying all the right things to you but somehow you don’t trust her or have a bad feeling and don’t want her as a client. Go with your intuition, it usually doesn’t steer you wrong.
When you walk away from a bride who isn’t right for you, you give yourself more opportunity to find one who is.
If you are currently not in a financial position to turn down any work and must accept brides who aren’t right for you, negotiate for the best rate you can get, do your best, as you would for any client, don’t complain, and use it as a learning experience.
