Travel today is as easy as swiping a credit card and getting on a plane. Thus, brides are traveling all over the United States to say their "I dos."
However, traveling is the easy part.
Planning a wedding from a different city is hard enough, so how does a bride plan a wedding from a different state?
If a bride doesn't have the money for a wedding coordinator, she will have to fend for herself in the vendor world. She can search online and make phone calls, but she will still be racked with anxiety that the vendors she hires will not show up on the big day.
Las Vegas is the world capital of weddings, and because of this, some brides are taken advantage of and left without an important service on her wedding day. A bride shows up to the chapel but learns that the vendor she hired to make her cake simply doesn't exist, or the woman she hired to do her hair also hasn't shown up.
For wary brides trying to create order out of the chaos, here are some bad vendor signs to watch for:
Doesn't Supply a Clear Contract
The way a vendor handles the contract is the same way they will handle your wedding day. If a vendor doesn't provide a contract at all, gives you one that looks like a five-year-old wrote it, or says simply, "we don't need one," that should be a foreshadow of things to come. Anyone who has a legitimate wedding business should be able to provide a quality written, legible contract in a timely fashion.
Doesn't Answer Your Questions
If a wedding vendor seems more interested in getting paid than your wedding day, get out and get out now. Don't expect all wedding vendors to be sensitive and caring to the point of tears, that's what your parents are for, but do expect them to care about their service to you and your satisfaction. If they brush off your questions or make you feel belittled because you asked them, they will not care about your satisfaction on your wedding day.
Bad Communication
The way vendors answer their phones and return calls and e-mails immediately shows whether a vendor is a winner or not. If you have a hard time getting a hold of them, you don't seem to understand each other or they don't speak your same language, get someone else. Plenty of great wedding vendors want your business and you should be patient enough to find that perfect fit like you found your perfect mate.
Isn't Willing to Meet in Person
If a wedding vendor isn't willing to meet in person it can mean a few things. One, their business doesn't exist; two, they only want your money; three, they are so booked with weddings that they can't concentrate enough on any single one. Find a vendor who has time for you and understands the importance of meeting in person.
Too Inexpensive
A wedding vendor that is too inexpensive can be more poisonous to your wedding than if a wedding vendor doesn't show up at all. This is because, usually wedding vendors who charge little show up but perform poorly or get your instructions wrong. Look for the good deal, but be careful.
These bad vendor signs are just a few out of dozens to watch for. Other signs to look for include: The vendor won't give referrals, he or she treats you poorly, he or she has a shady location with a P.O. Box, or you start seeing hidden fees.