How to Say “No” to Wedding Vendors | Oxford Wedding Photographer

Running a small business, I operate in the Vicksburg area but serve all the way out to Oxford for your wedding photographer needs. Being told “no” is much more common than being told “yes.” I know that by this point, you’ve probably talked to DOZENS of vendors and you can’t hire them all. And that’s okay! 

But just as it’s important to let a vendor know that you want to book them, it’s equally important to let the other vendors know you won’t be working with them. 

Why You Should Tell Your Wedding Vendors No

Wedding vendors get countless inquires over a variety of platforms everyday. But, they also do their best to respond to each and every single one in a timely manner so they can help you! Vendors spend countless hours responding to inquires, creating proposals and giving advice to brides who haven’t even booked yet. And it’s all because we truly want the best for every bride that comes our way. Even if that means they don’t book us!

Vendors know that you’re likely talking to multiple of the same type of vendor at the same time. So, you might think that if you stop responding, they’ll just get the hint. However, that’s not always true!

Vendors know that life can get crazy and emails can get lost. So often times, we won’t follow up for months at a time. This is because we know that there are different “stages” of wedding planning. And, usually, we don’t know which stage you’re in. As small business owners, we never want to assume that you already have what you need if you don’t. And there’s no way for us to know that you’ve been taken care of, unless you tell us!

How to Say No to Wedding Vendors:

If you tell a wedding vendor that you’re going a different way, they aren’t going to get offended. In all likeliness, they will just be grateful that you let them know! And all it takes is a quick follow up email. Here’s an example: 

“Hi photographer (planner/caterer/DJ/florist…) 
Thank you for getting back with us! We have decided to move forward with another photographer (planner/caterer/DJ/florist…) that better suited our style (budget/personality). 
Thanks again, Bride & Groom

That’s it! Wedding vendors realize that we are not the perfect fit for every bride, and that’s okay! 

Remember that at the heart of every wedding vendor you’re working with – they’re a small business owner who is likely just trying to put food on the table for their family. After you tell them you’re going a different way, they might ask if there was a specific reason you didn’t book with them. Don’t be afraid to tell them what the reason was! All we want is to be better for the next bride that comes our way. If it’s something as simple as style/budget, then we know that we won’t be a good fit for everyone and it’s no big deal. But if there was something about the way we treated you or something we did that was a turn-off, we just want to improve for the next bride! 

If you liked this blog post, check out:
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Castle Hill of Oxford – Wedding Editorial
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The AMP Wedding Experience
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