I’ve read elsewhere that some vendors do their preferred/recommended vendor lists by offering discounts or kick-backs to other vendors in exchange for guaranteed business.  I was pretty appalled and didn’t believe it actually happened – until I got solicited for such an exchange.  I cannot imagine agreeing to recommend a vendor you’ve never worked with to collect on a kick-back discount that really should be passed onto your clients.  How can you really recommend someone you’ve never worked with or had other friends work with?!  Trust that I will not partner with other vendors that operate in such a fashion.

As a planner, it’s my job to align the best vendors to match my client’s styles AND budgets.  Each couple has a unique set of needs and any combination of Minnesota wedding vendors can be made to make their vision come to life.  Not every vendor I work with fits the right categories for each couple, so I can’t say that I have a set preferred vendor list nor will I ever post one (and understand why other vendors don’t as well).  I can honestly say I’ve only had one bad – scratch that – TERRIBLE experience with a vendor when they failed to show up to the wedding.  Needless to say, for professional differences, I cannot work with them ever again (but then again, they’re not ‘doing weddings’ anymore… thank goodness!).  I have worked with dozens and dozens of great vendors over the last couple of years and look forward to meeting new artists that I can collaborate with to create an incredible day for my clients.

With that said, I have to give a huge THANK YOU to the vendors that I’ve worked with that have been so kind to add me to their list of recommended vendors.  Each of them were kind enough to add me to lists on their sites or blogs, and it means so much to me that these professionals want to work with me again.  It helps that working with all of them was a pleasure because of our common link:  the fabulous clients that chose us!

Here is my shout out to some fab vendors for their support.  Check all of them out!

Julie and the ladies at  Smart and Chic Bride

Justin and Chrissy the adorable husband and wife duo of Graddy Photography

413 Wacouta

Alissa of I Do Flowers

Gina Zeidler of Zeidler Photography

Jenny Semans of I Do Wedding Details

Emma Freeman of Emma Freeman Photography

and a shout out to James Ramsay of James Ramsay Photography

for inviting me to tag along and showing me the ropes at a recent networking event.