So, today, I wanna talk about due diligence. More
specifically, about how everyone should DO due diligence before
booking vendors. Let me explain: You know how before you go out on a date with
a guy, you Facebook stalk him for a bit first to find out if he’s a total
creeper? Well, now that you’re a soon-to-be-married lady, it’s time to put
those incredible internet sleuthing skills to work! On your vendors, that is.
This is going to sound super creepy for a
minute, but bear with me. Most businesses are legit. Most businesses are run by
honest, hard working people. But, in every area of business, there is the crème
de la crème, and the crap de la crap. You want to make sure that you’re
avoiding the latter like the plague. Run, bees, run!
Here are some things that
should tip you off that your vendor is maybe not as legit as they’re letting
on:
1. They’re
meeting you in their mother’s basement à la Will Ferrell in Wedding Crashers:
2. Their
email addresses are riddled with numbers and underscores (i.e. DJ_SexXxy_69@email.com).
3. They
want to be paid in cheese.
Ok, so those were pretty exaggerated scenarios, but still, you get the point. Most of the time, even
shady vendors can appear fairly normal…That is, until they disappear with your
cash the week before the
wedding and leave you in the lurch.
![]() |
Lurch fromThe Addams Family / image via talkceltic.net |
In all seriousness, this happens more often
than you think, and I’ve had to deal with many distraught clients whose florist
bailed, or who never got their wedding photos. Sure, you can always sue if
things go sour, but isn’t it better to prevent things like that from happening in
the first place? Here is what you can do:
1. Don’t bother with references. It's like asking a psycho murderer if they are a pyscho murderer! Of course they won't say yes! I mean, references are
nice, but vendors aren’t stupid, they only give references of people who were
happy with the service. You don’t wanna talk to those people! You wanna talk to the
bitter bride that got screwed over! And I bet that you sure as hell won’t
find her on the reference list. Where do you find her? Online! For some reason,
people tend to be a lot more honest when leaving reviews online. So, when you
think you’ve found a vendor you like, scour the Net for reviews, especially bad
ones. Hopefully you won’t find anything too bad. Use the same enthusiasm you
once used to Facebook-stalk your now fiancé! See? It pays off. Also, use your judgment.
Some people are just really hard to please. There is a difference between someone saying their florist never showed up AT
ALL and someone complaining that the flowers weren’t the exact shade of coral
they wanted.
2. Look up the company on the website of the
business registrar for your province or state. This is usually free and will
allow you to verify that a business is legit and allow you to see if they’ve filed for bankruptcy, how long they’ve been in
business, etc.
3. Look up the company with the better business
bureau or another consumer protection agency. This is also usually free and
allows you to verify if the business has had any complaints filed against them.
4. If you can, avoid paying in cash. I
understand a lot of people offer to pay in cash as a way to save money (I
myself have done this). But beware that the reason cash is popular is that it
doesn’t leave a trail. If/when sh*t hits the fan, you’ll have a hard time
proving how much you paid for the services, so keep that in mind. If you pay by
cheque, keep copies for the same
reason.
5. C-O-N-T-R-A-C-T. You don’t have to be a
lawyer for this one, trust me. Basically, get everything in writing. It doesn’t
have to be fancy, it could even be a simple, bullet-point, word document. All
that matters is that all essential information (coverage, price, etc.) is
clearly stated and that both parties sign. If your vendor doesn’t provide a
contract, ask for one. If they refuse, this is your cue that something shady
this way comes! Even if they do provide one, read
it before signing (I know this is painfully obvious, but so many people
skip this step). Don’t be afraid to add clauses if something is missing or if
you negotiated a different package, often times, the vendor contract is made to
protect the vendor, not you, so look out for numero uno!
6. Follow your gut. If prices are too good to be true, they probably are. Figure out what makes the price difference.
So, there you have it! I know these steps sound painfully tedious, but it’s very quick and easy (and free, what do you have to lose?). Better safe than sorry!
What do you normally look for before booking a vendor?