It is NOT OKAY to Owe Your Weddding Vendors

I have decided to talk on the issue of owing vendors after their services have been delivered because I have personally been a victim of this.

It is sad to know that some clients feel owing vendors is the right way to go. Like I always advise, plan according to your budget. Don't plan your wedding thinking that one uncle or aunty somewhere will foot the bills or give you some money. 

There are disadvantages of owing vendors:

-  By owing vendors, you give them a reason not to deliver fully on your wedding day. For instance, you hire a decorator, she charges you N400,000 and you pay her N200,000. She will probably rent all that she needs, pay her workers and transport these items to the venue... Now, if she is supposed to rent stuffs worth of N250,000 to make your venue look extra nice and you have paid her only N200,000, what she is likely to do is rent stuffs worth of N100,000 and manage it. 

Now, this can only mean one thing, your venue won't look as fab as it should have and two, the decorator will still get her balance. But she is trying to play safe by not running into debt.

- The client also stands the chance of getting disappointed. I have worked with vendors who won't show up until their balances have been paid; can you blame them? The answer is NO. Some vendors won't even set up if they don't get their balances.

I, for one, have learnt to stop all activities once the client does not abide by the rules of my contract. Once bitten they say, twice shy.

It is wrong to owe vendors, and it is a struggle to get balances after the wedding; the couple most times, just go into hiding. They stop picking calls, stop liking or commenting on pictures on social media, even when you mention them. They stop reading your messages, both text and WhatsApp messages... The list is endless really.

And to crown it all, you won't even know how or when to call them. You call too much, you are pestering them. You don't call, then you are ready to forfeit your balance. 

It is just plain cruelty. If you cannot afford a particular vendor, there are many others who are equally good and are ready to work within your budget. 

Please and please always try to balance your vendors before the day. If you are using an event planner or a coordinator, always make sure that the vendors' balances have been handed over to the planner before the event and he or she can disburse after the event. We wouldn't like to start pestering you with calls after your wedding day to ask for balances.

Let's help our vendors grow by not owing them. Thank you.

Olamide~ The Heiress