The “W” Word

As we all know there is a lot that goes into planning a wedding. From the florist, bakery, venue, caterer and so much more, it’s easy to get confused with the pricing that each business provides. One easy way that those vendors pull the wool over newly engaged couples is marking up the price of their services just for weddings. There are many reasons this is done, partly because of the added pressure and preparation that goes into servicing a wedding but also just because they can. They know couples will pay extra to have their favorite band play, or have their reception at their dream location. This is known in the Wedding Industry as the “Wedding Tax”.

This is a way to avoid being overcharged for your special day. When calling a venues, florists, or bakeries try avoiding the “w-word” (wedding), that way you will get straightforward quotes on the services you’ll need without the price hike. For instance, when calling a caterer, ask for a dinner catered for 100 guests. It could be for a family reunion or an anniversary party, but I guarantee it’ll be less expensive than if you asked for a catered wedding.

At some point you will need to come clean before signing the contract. If you can get a rough estimate for the services before revealing what it’s actually for, you might be able to negotiate prices when they suddenly hike up the price 25%-50%. This strategy allows you leverage to negotiate the price discussed previously or even a happy medium.

Don’t let the rug get pulled out from underneath you by vendors hiking up their prices!