Wedding Savings Tip: Ask for Price Breaks

August 17, 2021 by 1 Comment

Mother of the Bride, did you know that savvy MOBs ask for price breaks?

You may be familiar with the verse of scripture that says “. . . ye have not because ye ask not.” (James 4:2 KJV) Yes, this verse is about asking things of God, but I think the principle holds true in other situations as well—wedding planning included. If we don’t ask for price breaks, we may not get them.

Every little bit saved helps when putting on the event of a lifetime so be bold when asking for discounts, MOB. Mention to vendors or shop owners/managers you’re speaking with that you’re trying to keep expenses down and are looking for the best deals you can find. Ask them what kind of discounts or price breaks they offer. If they don’t have any standard discounts, you can suggest one that might be appropriate to the situation.

Here are some examples of price breaks that might be offered or that you might be able to negotiate:

1) A percentage discount if paying in full or paying early.

2) Matching a competitor’s price.

3) Discount if giving a vendor business in two or more areas—renting tuxes from the shop where you buy the bridal gown or bridesmaids dresses, ordering the wedding cakes from the caterer in addition to the food for the reception, ordering bridesmaids dresses from the same shop where you buy the bridal gown, etc.

4) Discount for floor model or last item in stock.

5) Discount if wedding is being held in off-season.

6) Ask what they can do for the price you have in mind. They might give you a better deal to get your business.

7) If an item is not currently on sale, ask when it will go on sale—then grab it as soon as it goes on sale.

Good luck, MOB, as you ask for these and other price breaks. Remember, we have not because we ask not. So go out there and ask away!

*You might also like to read A Simple Wedding Expense Tip, Quick Tip: Getting the Most Bang for Your MOB Buck, and Wedding Savings Tip: Borrow!

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.) *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by 401(K) 2012, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: advice, help, money, Mother of the Bride, preparation, wedding, wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Time-Saving Wedding Planning Tip: Insider Info from Vendors

February 19, 2019 by 1 Comment

Mother of the Bride, selecting vendors for the various aspects of a wedding is a huge job. Whether the bride and groom make the decisions or it’s a joint effort including you, hours and hours of work can go into narrowing down the best choices.

Try this time-saving tip, MOB: Once you get one or two vendors secured, ask them for their recommendations in other areas. For example, if you’ve found the perfect florist, ask which caterer he would recommend or vice versa. The vendors in any given region work the same weddings at some point and become very familiar with each other’s work. They know who excels—and more importantly, who doesn’t. Ask them to give you their best recommendations.

Asking vendors for insider info can come in especially handy if you’re planning an out-of-town wedding. When you’re unfamiliar with the vendors you need to book and you feel like you’re starting from scratch, asking reliable vendors for their advice can save you tons of time. Both of our daughters had out-of-town weddings, and I wish I had learned this tip early-on.

One word of caution, though, MOB. Make sure the vendor you ask is not getting any kind of kick-back from the recommendations he makes. How do you do this? Come right out and ask. But instead of using the term kick-back, ask “Do you receive any commission from services you recommend?” You employ tact, MOB, but you also get the info you need!

*You might also like to read “Time Management: Give Yourself a Break, MOB”.

*I hope this slightly revised encore post from April 2014 helped you today!

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out Feb. 1st. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*Flickr photo by abnormalbeauty, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: advice, bride, challenge, help, Mother of the Bride, preparation, search, simplify, time Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,