Last Friday night I went to meet a lovely couple, who’s wedding is nearly two years away. This isn’t unusual, in fact it seems people are allowing longer and longer these days (although I’ve not seen any proper research to back this up). Anyway, what got me thinking was how thorough they were. I was one of two suppliers they still had to decide between, from an original list of 60! As much of an ego massage as it was, it did get me thinking. How long do people take in deciding on who will be their photographer, caterer or venue, how long should they take and how much detail should they go into?
How long should you spend on researching car hire, wedding dresses, videographers? I guess it depends on what kind of person you are. I spent a huge amount of time planning my own wedding, this was despite having spent 5 years working in the industry (now 11 years) and all the insider knowledge that comes with that. When I started looking for a supplier, I often already of had a good idea who I wanted and started there. Then I would probably just go round and round in circles only to come back to the same supplier. I’m sure we have all done this looking for flights on the net? Does this mean the research was a waste of time? No way. It means I now know the market. I know what the competitors are producing, what they are offering and for what price. Most importantly I now have clear expectations of what I want.
Once you have made up your mind you should still meet people and discuss with them what it is you are looking for. You never know they may have two heads, or even worse one big one, swollen with ego! Have some questions ready but also listen. Go with your gut instinct, it’s rarely wrong.
As a supplier I’m obliviously delighted to be short listed from 60 to 2.
Whether they book us or not, I’m convinced the amount of research they have put in will ensure their big day is a massive success.