ASK THE EXPERT: What If I Don’t Like My Vendor’s Custom Work For My Wedding?


Ingram Publishing

Q: What do I do if I’ve hired a vendor to do custom work for my wedding, they have my deposit—but then I don’t like any of the options they give me? Is it better to work with them to get it to something that I love, or turn elsewhere?

A: With so many details to consider when piecing together your Big Day, it’s important not to give up if one element is not coming together exactly how you imagined. Stylist and wedding guru Kimberly Fink of Philadelphia’s Styled Creative knows how tricky this situation can be, but she says that honesty is key when it comes to communicating with the vendor. “It’s much less likely to head south if you let them know you appreciate their hard work, but don’t feel like the design is ‘you’—just not that you hate it!.”

Fink suggests revisiting examples that inspired your vision and being very specific about the components that appeal to you and those that don’t, whether it’s about your decor, cake or invitations. Even the slightest modification, such as swapping colors, can change the entire look of a design into something that better suits you.

So just don’t hesitate to be vocal, Fink says. “The more information they have, the more likely you are to walk away with a design you love.”

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