Hello All!
I recently saw a fellow wedding vendor post a facebook comment about this same subject, so i felt it necessary to share some insight as to why the industry works this way. As you know, full payment when you book with Branches is due 3 weeks prior to your wedding date. If you've ever had a consultation with us, then you know this is one of the last things we talked about so its fresh in your mind. Until we have received a full payment retainer, we are not able to order your florals. Here is why in way of a story-
Payment
A couple years back I had a client obtain our services for her June wedding. It was a small wedding order with only a bouquet and a few boutonnieres. No biggy right? Well ordinarily you are correct. Two months after the initial consult goes by and its now 2 weeks before wedding date. I call Sally (factitious name) to inform her full payment is due in a couple days. She notifies me her fiance doesn't get paid till next week and asks if she can bring me a check then. I hesitantly oblige and wait a week to receive payment. Now by this time its a couple days before her wedding and I need to pick up her order from the wholesaler so there is ample time for flowers to open. I make the decision to go ahead and retrieve the order without payment, with high hopes of receiving the money any day. The event day comes and no payment. Since the bride opted to not have on sight delivery, her father in law came to get the florals. Me, not wanted to be confrontational, decided not to ask her in laws for the cash and instead wait till after the event to collect. One week and many phone calls later, I finally reach the groom and let him know I needed payment right away. A few days later he shows and finally brings me a check. Once again fast forward a couple weeks and I get the check back in the mail -Returned for Insufficient Funds
Long story short I never received payment and the check was void. I was left to flip the bill for not only my time but her flowers!
Can you see where this is going? If not let me spell it out.......NO money, NO flowers. By requiring that we receive full payment 3 weeks before the wedding isn't so we can rip you off and run with your money. Its financial security for us business owners that we are going to get paid for our services.
We don't work for free!
Long story short I never received payment and the check was void. I was left to flip the bill for not only my time but her flowers!
Can you see where this is going? If not let me spell it out.......NO money, NO flowers. By requiring that we receive full payment 3 weeks before the wedding isn't so we can rip you off and run with your money. Its financial security for us business owners that we are going to get paid for our services.
We don't work for free!
Sounds like my job! People think you can just "bill" them at the dentist. Too bad we get burned all too often and end up eating their costs because after you have your dental work done, chances are you won't follow through on paying, sad as that is. I totally get why you expect payment up front,it makes perfect sense! We do too to cover out butts for all the idiots out there that make you chase them for payment or as in your case, send a bad check...I've seen it all too often in my line of work!
ReplyDeleteI did a wedding cake for a friend's daughter several years ago. Due to their financial circumstances I gave her a huge discount. She chose a 5 tier fondant covered creation. I told her less layers would be cheaper - hoping to help her out financially. Her mother, my friend, said no, she wanted the best. I asked if she would at least pay for the supplies in advance so I could get started. She kept putting me off and I just bought the supplies, thinking she was just busy. I delivered the cake and even stayed to help in the kitchen all night. I was still working in the kitchen when the reception was over when she came up to me and said, "we forgot to cut the cake, but it's starting to rain so you might want to go get your cake. I don't know what you want me to do with it. I'm going home - see ya." She never paid and never returned my repeated calls and I never saw her again. Moral of the story - even friends can burn you.
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