With the economy showing signs of stabilizing if not improving, there’s no better time than now for couples looking to get a deal on a wedding vendor. I have noticed an increasing number of brides and grooms waiting until the last minute to book their vendors. The reason for this seems to be that they think they will get a better deal if they wait, that prices will continue to drop or that wedding vendors will be so desperate for work that they will agree to whatever price the couple suggests. Whether your wedding is six months or two years from now, my suggestion is to book now! And here are reasons why:
1. Most vendors have already cut their prices.
In an effort to keep up, most wedding businesses have cut their prices or are offering specials so you are likely to be able to get a very good deal. But for how long? The reason vendors are able to give discounts is because some of their overhead costs (supplies, equipment, travel, etc.) have been reduced as well by the economic downturn. If prices go up, so does the cost of running the business and they will be less apt to give you a discount. So get the price set in writing in your contract now while they are willing and able to give it to you.
2. Spread out your payments
If you wait until just before your wedding to book your vendors, you are putting a significantly higher strain on yourself financially because you have to pay for everything in a short period of time. If you book further out you can spread out the payments. Talk to a potential vendor about a payment plan to make it easier. Perhaps ask if they would accept a lower deposit if you agreed to make more payments throughout the time before the wedding. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
3. If you wait, they may not be available.
So it’s a year before your wedding and you do your research and find a list of vendors you want to use. You contact all of them and they are all available for the date of your wedding. You go in to meet with them and narrow down your list but you decide to wait to see if you can get a better deal closer to the wedding. Three months out you start calling and no one is available – why? Because they have booked other weddings or maybe they just decided to go on a vacation because they didn’t have a wedding to work at. Hopefully you have several choices and maybe one of them will be available but do you really want to go with your second choice? I didn’t think so.
So get out there and get everything squared away now, before the hustle and bustle of the wedding is upon you. Take advantage of the current economic climate to get yourself a deal because there are many to be had out there. But get it now…and get it in writing!
