Something needs to be said here: small events are just as important as big ones! Getting married with 20 guests is no less special than having 200 guests. And vendors need to understand this.
If you don’t want it, don’t take it
First, like so many others, I am an expat. Which means no matter what I do, my guest list will always be limited. Family here, childhood friends there, mainly surrounded by “new” people, when it comes to organizing an event half of my loved ones are thousands of miles away.
Most vendors who do weddings, baptisms, anniversaries and other important parties, usually work with big crowds, which is perfectably understandable -we all need to pay our bills, right?
I’m not criticizing people who reject small events. I’m going to critizice those who do accept them -when they, in fact, don’t want them.
Because once you book an event, once you hire your vendors, there is a compromise and you expect them to keep their word and do their part.
I’ve had photographers (yes, in plural!) accepting to cover my humble event, I accepted their price without protest and had everything settled, only to have them cancel on me a week before the event because a bigger one came along, and, of course, that meant more money. But what about the word given? Isn’t it unprofessional to accept a job on a day that you already had promised to someone else?
Why
A small wedding may be a waste of time for you, the vendor, but for the person getting married, it is a big deal. And just because they have 20 guests, because they honestly have nobody else to invite, that doesn’t mean that they did not put effort and dedication to plan it.
Choosing a photographer takes careful consideration. They probably reviewed many portfolios before they picked that one. And they picked that one because they liked the work, the style.
Sending a friend of yours, not even an official member of your team (which you are taking with you to the big event) but a beginner that doesn’t get picked, but whom you want to help by handing down the clients you don’t want, is downright disrespectful for your client. Because that client didn’t pick that friend of yours, didn’t get to see their portfolio, didn’t get to say if they liked the style or not -and only accepted the deal because it’s too late to get anybody else.
Sending a replacement is not the answer
It’s annoying, to say the least, to spend days or weeks choosing the perfect photographer only to end up with amateur pictures that your uncle might have done with his phone. And not even get a discount for your troubles.
This goes for photographers, venues, catering, stylists, florists, everyone involved. We vendors all want a big commission, but the client, be it big or small, expects to be treated properly.
ArteKys will never let you down
To me every customer is VIP.
It doesn’t matter if you order 1000 invitations or 1. If I promise, I deliver, -or be honest from the start and say I’m not interested, so I don’t waste your time.
Because respect is the most important part of the service.