Almost a short vent. Vendors who don't return phone calls or emails?

I had that happen to me when I was trying to find a make-up artist. No one would contact me back! I was like don't they want my business!! I hope he comes through for you!

Ugh i am so sorry, that has happened to me too! hair and make up people took forever to get back with me. im STILL waiting on the DJ to finalize whether or not we can have sheers with our uplighting (2 weeks later). what part of arizona are u in? i grew up in chandler!

That is really frustrating, but I would almost consider myself fortunate to have the early warning sign--I definitely would NOT book someone who is so unresponsive this early in the process.

Have you used the vendor matching and searching on WW to look for alternatives?

Yep I agree with Cabell G. I wouldn't book anyone who is so unresponsive. They are showing you upfront how they conduct business. You dont' want to have to stress your wedding day.

It's very frustrating when vendors don't get back to you. In our case our florist and DJ are our cousins and they are married to each other, so my cousins the DJ married the florist...and the DJ works out of town as this is his P/T gig so it's hard to get ahold of him but the florist...she does such beautiful work that we are using her for sure...but oh my lord she is impossible to get ahold of and is so disorganized...she did the flowers for my brother's wedding and they were stunning....so I know she will do a good job, she is adding so many little things that I love...curly willow, peacock feathers, jewels, etc. and for a low low price I would have been stupid not to use her but oh sometimes the frustation of not hearing back!!!!

That is just dumb. Forget them and find someone that wants to work with you. I never understand this lack of communications issue. There are to many ways to send a simple message even if you are busy. Let the client know you will contact them later in the day. I just dont get it. Their loss not yours.

It also amazes me when I hear brides say that vendors do not respond in a timely manner. I am overly obsessive compulsive about communication, and feel that there is no excuse for not getting back to a bride. As long as you are giving a vendor enough time to get back with you (at least 24 hours), then anything beyond that is inexcusable.

Hmmm... I completely agree with Michell & Scott. I get back to EVERY request within 24 hours often within 1 hour unless its like Friday, Saturday or, Sunday. But I unless see what Tyler is saying ... It is wedding season and vendors are of course busy handling this seasons brides and if you are prepared to put down deposits and not just price shopping you should definitely let them know that. But regardless of whether or not you are just price shopping they should still get back to you within 2-3 days TOPS!!

Even if a vendor is busy s/he should return your emails and/or calls within two days. The only exception would be if the vendor was out of town or had some sort of emergency. Even then email can be set up to give an auotmatic response giving o a reason for any delay in personal response.

True, we are busy dealing with our current clients but this is a business where we as vendors have to continually be marketing our services for events that are 3-18 months in advance. There is to much competition to just ignore a potential client even if they are just price shopping 18 months in advance. This doesnt mean you have to drop everything to immediately respond but there should be some sort of communication within a reasonable time frame. Otherwise the bride will contact a competitor who is willing to take that time and win the job.

I agree with Scott. I understand vendors are busy. Most have gotten back to me fast. A quote I expected several days later was in my email inbox the next day. I do have a time limit before I decide the vendor isn't worth my time or money.

Good bye Truffle Trolley

I can understand the delay to some degree since wedding season has begun, however... in this day of quick & easy communication even a little... 'thanks for contacting me, at the moment I am busy with some of my clients who are getting married in the next couple of week but will have a chance to give you a call, full response, etc... within the next 1-2 day'...

Something is better than nothing!!

I understand where you are coming from Rhonda. I had found this amazing venue online, contacted them, and set up a time to go out and look at the place. I went out and looked at it and my fiance and I decided we wanted to book the place. I emailed the venue, waited 2 days (nothing), a week (nothing) 2 months (nothing). I even tried calling and emailing again and nothing. In the long run I am glad it happened b/c we ended up putting the wedding on hold. Needless to say now they have lowered their prices by a big chunk but I still wouldn't consider them after that happened.

I know how you feel. I've had HORRIBLE communication with this local bakery that's making my daughter's birthday cake this weekend. I figured if her birthday cake was good I would consider using them for the wedding cake. They wanted me to email the cake design and never replied. I called them a couple weeks later when I was told they'd call me back in a few minutes. Never called. I called them back 3 days later and said they got the email and everything was a go. I finally got an email the next day saying the picture didn't come through and to resend. I REALLY hope there's a cake waiting there for me Saturday morning or she's getting a couple plain cakes from the grocery store!

How long have you given them to respond? If you're my FIL (fathead in law) you have called five times in one day and not gotten a response or the response you want, so you're calling a sixth time in the last 4 hours.

In all honesty though, if it has been a short period, say less than a week, it is entirely possible that they are on vacation (even though their voice mail should say that). If you're going on a second week, I'd be concerned at that point.

You called - Kudos! Don't JUST rely on email people. Some emails end up in the Junk Mail fitlers, or never make it. So if you're emailing, repeatedly and not getting a response, pick up the phone. Do it how we had to do it before all these electronic means of communication! Or go to their place of business.

I'm with many of the others. I have had florists and MUAs that never return my cals so I went with someone esle. I can only imagine how unresponsive they would be later on in the process. Also, I agree with Matt~ definitely call; don't rely on email or other tech stuff.

Just one more thing to think about is that if you are trying to contact the vendor only through this site and they don't have enough credits, they have to buy credits to respond to you through this site.

I became skeptical of this site at first because I spent almost all my credits with almost no responses from brides. So, just to make sure this isn't happening with you, make sure you contact them outside of this site.

Rhonda ~ Who is truffle trolley??? You made me laugh and I don't know what I am laughing at? Sad but true

Rhonda, I agree that with your wedding date so far off, the vendor is probably dealing with more immediate clients. However, he should get back to you within a couple of days.

I ran into the coordinator for a venue today and she said I'm the only officiant who quickly responds to couples she is booking into her venue. So, now I'm at the top of her list!