The Art of Negotiating Weddings

As I am in the midst of negotiating hotel and venue contracts for several of my destination wedding clients, it occurs to me that negotiations really are an art form, and that they must have structure.  Yes, it can stressful, frustrating, and upsetting at times, especially if you feel like you are doing all of the compromising.  I underline "feel" because the way that you negotiate is determined by the way that you "feel" about the process.

At the core of any and everything in life is a feeling!  Yes?  And the thing with feelings is that you can get caught up in them and veer off track.  To remain grounded and on the right path for you, here are some tips that I use and always suggest to my clients:

1. Make a list of your priorities (Needs) - what do you know that you need and are not willing to compromise
1. Please write it down. It sounds silly, but written on paper makes your thoughts tangible, a goal that you can work towards.
2. What are you willing to compromise on?  And to what degree?  
3. Budget, Budget, Budget - now that you have your Needs, what will it cost?  And is it in your budget?
4. If, not, make a back up plan - what other options are available to you? 
5. And always, Keep your cool!  If during the negotiations, the tone of the conversation is getting too intense, stop.  Take a minute or two to calm yourself down, and then re-approach the conversation.  Again, your feelings will dictate your tone and the tone of the conversation.

Using these tips and a few others, I have had very successful negotiations for my clients, taking care of their needs and sometimes their wants.  Their wants being the additional items that would be a nice addition, but not a necessity for them.  I hope these tips are as useful to you as they have been to us!  We would love to hear your thoughts, please comment below!

If you would like more advice or feel like you just want some one else to handle your wedding negotiation and planning for you, please give Diamond Events a call at 619-96-8380.  We are here to create memories as unique as you, so let us help!

Chaitali Desai

www.diamondeventsinc.com

619-916-8380