When it comes to determining who is responsible for covering the various costs associated with a wedding, it can get quite confusing and may even create some pretty nasty bumps in the wedding-planning road.
Who pays for the invitations? The marriage license? The rehearsal dinner? The reception expenses? There is a long list of expenses to be covered, and it can be overwhelming to say the least.
Your role is to be a professional leader providing advice when it is asked for and when it is appropriate, without sounding like you are the final authority in what is right or what is wrong when it comes to who pays for what.
Following are some Action Steps to help you in your professional role relating to wedding expense assignment.
ACTION STEPS:
- Keep an open mind and respect the wishes of the customers you are assisting. While it’s completely fine to offer guidance, the actual assignment of expense responsibilities is ultimately up to those planning the wedding.
- Maintain your business professionalism if things should get heated up when working with customers planning a wedding. By speaking in a calm voice you help rather than hinder the situation. Never take a sides in a disagreement, just offer your professional knowledge and experience.
- Visit the Emily Post website for a list of traditional expense responsibilities. As is mentioned on the site, the guidelines provided “are variable – depending on the particular circumstances of the wedding.”
- Be familiar with your product lines, so when expense assignments are made and budgets come into play, you know what direction to steer your customers.
- Share this information with your employees and/or coworkers, so they, too, can provide professional guidance related to this topic.
