Beware: One unprofessional vendor can potentially ruin your wedding!

I don't want to sound rude and mean, but it's true! Putting a wedding together is team work, collaborative team work between the vendors based on the bride & groom's vision. If you get the vibe that the vendor doesn't listen to you OR is inconsistent with his/her words, you MUST trust your instinct and walk out before you sign the contract.
While I love working and finding new vendors, when a bride or groom hires a vendor whom I haven't heard before in the wedding industry, it gets me nervous. First, I worry if they will come on time. 2nd, I worry that they might not 'deliver'. 3rd, I worry that they might not be a team player.

I look at the OVERALL picture, so the vendor who says he/she is the best at what they do and ignores the timeline that's given, he/she is not a team player.
So what makes a professional vendor? It's sometimes hard to indicate and weed out the good ones from the bad and I really think naive brides who have recently started planning their weddings can potentially be in danger and I want to help those brides make good decisions. After all, it's not like wedding vendors are FDA approved, and so we can only rely on referrals and their recent works.

What makes a professional vendor besides their talent and skills? (Please note that this is coming from my personal experience)
1) Someone who is reliable & trustworthy.

2) Someone who is consistent with their words. For example if he/she says something over the phone and says something else the next day. I might seriously reconsider.

3) Someone who has been in the wedding industry for at least 2-3 years. Make sure they have extensive backgrounds on weddings.

4) Someone who isn't difficult to get along with. Think twice because personality does matter!!!

5) Someone who is not just a lone ranger... but has staff on board.
6) Someone who can deliver on time!! I think I mentioned this several times on my blog, but if you missed it, please click here.
7) Someone who is willing listen to other people's ideas and be flexible to work with others.

8) Someone who does this FULL time... It's very important that your vendor does not do this out of hobby i.e. photographers, florist, wedding coordinators, DJs normally fall into this category.

It's just too risky to trust someone based on their words. You need to see their portfolio, ask them lots of questions, get referrals from RECENT clients and meet with them to see if you personally click with them.
Bottom line: Don't get sold only because they meet your budget. Integrity, honesty, being a team player and service oriented is just as important as their talents.

Have you also come across some not-so-great vendors while researching for the perfect one? Please share with us your experience!

BTW, please check back in a couple of days for some delicious details we will put together for this past wedding. You're gonna drool over all the details!! I promise!