Tips for Booking Your Vendors Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

We had a lovely time chatting with the extraordinary Lisa Staff (over the phone, as per social distancing guidelines of course!) to talk about booking and rebooking weddings during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Click below to read her amazing tips!
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​Endless thanks to Lisa Staff Photography , JLK Events, and Magnolia Affairs

Be honest with your vendors about both your expectations and your budget. We have a saying at Jardiniere: “Pinterest doesn’t show pricing.” Brides should have no reason to feel uncomfortable sharing their ideas, and I feel a strong obligation to give them realistic feedback. I’m not interested in “upselling” our Brides, and I choose to prioritize the budget I’m given. If you are upfront about what you are comfortable spending, I can better bridge the gap between your wildest dreams and budget parameters. The opposite is also true, and equally as important — if you have more room in your budget than what you’ve shared with me, I might not suggest specialty blooms or other other upgrades that you would’ve liked to have. It’s my goal that each Bride feels comfortable with what she’s spending, but also feels she’s received the maximum value in her flowers and experience with Jardiniere.

Choose vendors based on your instincts and trust. It sounds so simple, but it’s so important. There are many wonderful vendors to choose from, and I can assure you that each one of us will do our best to make your day special. Aside from personality, we often have different approaches, design preferences, policies, and pricing. Gather all the information you can, review quotes and contracts, and ask every question you can think of. I like when a Bride has a list of questions, because it gives me the opportunity to build a trusting relationship as we work through the specifics of the design beyond a single phone call or in-person consultation. And, if an unforeseen obstacle occurs (looking at you, COVID-19!), the trust carries through and we can work together to find solutions.

Have fun! It goes without saying that this is a very stressful time for everyone. It’s truly wonderful to take time out of the day and focus on (1) something resembling normalcy, (2) the undeniable certainty that we will come through this pandemic and life will go on and (3) how lucky I am to do what I love most: design beautiful weddings with the amazing  women who have chosen the Lowcountry  for one of the most important moments in their lives.

xo Dakotah