When I was planning my own wedding, I hired two wedding photographers.
Not at the same time. I had to walk away from my relationship with the first photographer.
I wasn’t angry with him – I just realized two weeks into our relationship that he and I were not a good fit. I don’t leave bad relationships easily (yes, I’m one of those girls), so this took some internal coaching. When I made the call to the photographer, I got a strong feeling that he was just as relieved as I was.
Whew!
Walking away from a challenging vendor relationship can be an uncomfortable task to complete, so here are five steps you can take to walk away –
1. Be okay with your decision. There is a chance that your wedding vendor is not going to like your decision and you may feel uncomfortable with his or her displeasure. It’s okay. It’s life. And, it’s only temporary.
2. Review your vendor agreement before your conversation. You want to know your rights beforehand. Talk to your vendor about the payment requirements. Depending on the timing, your vendor may allow you to walk away without making additional payments. But, understand that they are well within their right to stand by the agreement.
3. Determine your script. Severing ties is not easy, so I recommend knowing what you are going to say before the conversation takes place. Explain why you no longer want to work with your vendor (without the emotion). And do your best to start and end the conversation on a positive note.
4. Contact the wedding vendor. Once you have made your decision and determined what you are going to say, you should contact your wedding vendor immediately. It doesn’t matter if you have exchanged money or not, let them know your decision so that the both of you can move forward and move on. (One more thing: Leave social media out of this)
5. Move on. After you part ways with your wedding vendor, move on. Time is of the essence and you want to ensure that you find a vendor who is a good fit for you and your wedding.
Love & Soul Always, Kawania
(Photo: Shutterstock)