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By Nichole Richardson

   Planning a wedding isn’t for the faint of heart. Often what starts off as a fun and relaxing experience quickly turns into a rabbit-hole of choices, commitments, and compromise. It’s so important to keep an open and flexible mindset during the initial stages to avoid the frustration and disappointment of an ideal not reached.

Ashley Petersen, of Florissant, will be an October 2017 bride and has already experienced many of the stressors that come with the Big Day, but she hasn’t let them discourage her or take away from her goal.

“I honestly never knew how many little details it took to pull a wedding together.  But you keep pushing on because you will find that things happen for a reason and all the details you have been dreaming of will come together to make your dream wedding a reality,” said Petersen.

There are so many different vendors involved in making a wedding day come alive that it is hard to know what to expect from each one and what’s a good deal vs. what is not.

The Better Business Bureau encourages couples to use their resources to scout out vendors before agreeing on using them. It is important to know if a company has any complaints against it, and what letter grade it has for a rating. They also warn against one-day deals or discounts for advance payment and forewarn brides to ask about refund policies for deposits or prepayments.

Here is a list compiled by the BBB to help unsure couples stay on the right track while still managing to get what they want:

• Unexpected fees. Some caterers, hotels, or reception venues try to charge extra for “plate splitting,” “cake-cutting” or “corkage” fees, especially if you bring in a cake or liquor purchased from another source. Ask whether any fees apply beyond the cost per person, gratuities or room rental, if applicable.
• Dresses that don’t measure up. Brides have complained to BBB about bridal shops ordering the wrong sizes and colors of gowns as well as dresses that arrive too late for timely alterations. Make sure your order specifies new merchandise, sized to fit you and your bridesmaids. Remind the shop of your schedule in advance.

• Wedding transportation problems.

Complaints about limousine service include poor customer service and rigid cancellation policies. Get details in writing. Ask how the company handles problems if you aren’t satisfied and what they will charge if you need the vehicle longer on your wedding night. Don’t pay the entire amount in advance.

• Musician switch. Couples shouldn’t rely on a website, demo tape or phone conversation when hiring a band or other music service. Find out where you can hear the musicians play before you hire them. Ask who will actually perform at the reception and get a written commitment from the band or musician, including the amount of time they will play and costs to extend the time the night of the event.
• Photographer issues. A common complaint is that the photographer a couple hired doesn’t show up for the wedding or fails to deliver pictures until months after the wedding. Find out when and how pictures will be delivered, whether you will have the option of getting all the images on a DVD or CD, how much time you will have to choose the pictures and whether other members of your family or wedding party will have access to the pictures.
• Floral changes. Fresh flowers are a perishable commodity, and the final bouquet or arrangements may need to change depending on what’s available on the wedding day. Make sure you spell out a minimum size or number of stems in each bouquet or arrangement. Ask how the florist will handle any last-minute substitutions and charges, especially if the value of the flowers actually used is markedly different from what you had agreed upon.

• Bridal gown preservation. Some bridal shops or other businesses sell bridal gown preservation packages, including cleaning and a box, for $250 or more. Many of these packages are no more than regular dry-cleaning and a cardboard box, which may not be acid-free. Check with a reputable cleaner on the cost of cleaning your gown after the wedding. The cleaner or another supplier may be able to sell you an acid-free box and tissue at a more reasonable price.

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