When you first get engaged, the wedding excitement is all around you and you just can't help but submit an inquiry form to every single wedding business you come across. You ask for packages from 13 wedding coordinators, 17 photographers, 7 DJs, 10 videographers, 34 venues...and the list goes on. And then you put your name on the email list at the four bridal shows you attend so that adds a couple hundred more vendors right there.
If you've found the best wedding vendors, then you will receive a whole lot of very quick responses from all of them. And then it happens...
Wedding Overload.
As soon as the 50+ vendors reply to your email, you are overwhelmed to the max and don't know what to do with yourself. You get frustrated, annoyed, and ignore each and every one of them.
If you've done your research, you know your budget for each category. You can spend $10,000 on food and beverage and the catering quote comes back at $20,000 for your guest count and it's down to the bare minimum of what you want included.
So what would a typical bride do?
Delete. And the email is gone.
But what should you do?
Respond.
Whether or not you are going to book a vendor, it is IMPERATIVE that you respond to each and every inquiry you submit. Why? Because sending a simple email will save you a lot of time, headache, and frustration.
Theresa Bridget Photography
Any great vendor is going to follow up if they don't hear from you - They will check in to see if you received what they sent over (as sometimes it ends up in your Junk folder), they will see if you have any questions, they will ask to schedule a call or an in person meeting, and they will continue following up. No, they aren't trying to annoy you but they are just trying to help!
So save yourself that frustration, and reply to each and every email...
"Thank you for taking the time to respond to my inquiry. I have decided to go with another photographer."
And that is that! You are doing the vendor a favor and not wasting their time trying to get in touch with you. And you are doing yourself a favor by eliminating the endless inbox chimes you receive throughout the day. Because you are the one who asked for their email in the first place, right?
And no, it won't hurt our feelings. We know that couples inquire about hundreds of potential vendors so we actually appreciate it when you respond and just let us know that you no longer need our help. I promise!
