I’ve heard the term “faking it” used a lot recently and it got me thinking that when it comes to wedding planning there are times when vendors decide to fake it–especially when a business is still finding an authentic identity (ie. what they really do well). My first few seasons were speckled with their fair share of faking it moments in an effort to never say “no” to anyone.
Can you decorate my tent poles? Absolutely! Have you ever done x, y, z before? No problemo. Is it possible for you to rent/build/invent something? You got it! I can learn how to solder by next June, can’t I?
While I can happily say that I have never promised something I couldn’t actually deliver (it’s not like I was just making things up as I went along after all!), I did fake it on occasion with the confidence that I could accomplish what was requested of me.
As my business has grown over the last 8 wedding seasons I have learned how not to fake it and experience has shown me the importance of being able to guide a couple in the right direction when design details become overwhelming, cost prohibitive, or out-of-line with the overall scope of the day.
Don’t get me wrong, I will still take on design elements that I haven’t done before–that’s half the fun of my job and part of what it means to create custom designs!–but I can approach them with an accurate understanding of the time considerations and costs required to complete them.
Moral of the story?…An experienced wedding vendor won’t need to fake it and can help guide you in your planning process to create a day that reflects your wedding style. Personal style (of both the vendor and you, the couple!), pricing variables and gut instincts will be your guides when selecting wedding vendors.
You should be comfortable and confident with your choices so you won’t feel compelled to micromanage the professionals you’ve hired. You have to trust your vendors, otherwise you should question why you hired them in the first place!
