artisan wedding videos by studio msv: Vendor-Client Pledge

I was invited to guest blog for national superstar wedding coordinator, Sasha Souza's Sparkliati blog a few weeks ago and I wrote about something that is near and dear to me: the vendor/client relationship. As is true for all vendors in this business, sometimes a client clicks really well, sometimes we get along because we're professional. But the best is when your clients become your friends. I'm happy to say pretty much as often as I can recall, this is the case for my clients and me.

But in order to facilitate a good starting point - or foundation - for our relationship, I came up with this Vendor-Client Pledge. Here are some things that we can hopefully agree upon as we move forward in our journey to become friends!

Vendor: I pledge to recognize that you are planning your wedding and have never been under so much stress before now. I pledge to be sensitive to your vulnerability and will do all that I can to reassure you that hiring me is a wise choice. I pledge that this relationship will be more about you than about me.

Client: I pledge to internalize the fact that you are a professional with a lot of experience doing what you do. I pledge to allow you access to your creative vision and not interfere with the way you conduct your business nor interfere with your creative process.

Vendor: I pledge to acknowledge the creative freedom you are giving me by treating your movie as my own. I pledge to give you and your wedding movie all the attention it needs – no more, no less. I pledge to do everything I can to make your wedding movie a showcase for you AND for me.

Client: I pledge that details regarding the wedding day as well as priorities during the wedding day will be shared equally amongst all my vendors. I pledge that I will not give preferential treatment to one vendor over another and that your work environment will be safe and conducive to your creative vision. I pledge to seriously consider your suggestions and carefully integrate them into my wedding day wherever possible.

Vendor: I pledge to recognize your wedding day as a one-in-a-lifetime event even though I see weddings all the time. I pledge to conduct myself with the utmost professionalism and respect while maintaining a friendly demeanor. I pledge to work alongside all the other wedding vendors, as they are my colleagues. I pledge to work as hard as I can on your wedding day.

Client: I pledge to trust you when you quote me a delivery date or explain some of the difficulties that might arise during the creation of my wedding movie. I pledge to reserve judgment about you, your business, your business practices, or my wedding movie until I’ve received and reviewed the movie.

Vendor: I pledge to work as hard as I can to deliver your wedding movie in a timely fashion. I pledge to be truthful and open about my processes in order to give you realistic expectations about my workload and bandwidth. I pledge that I will hold you in high regard because you have trusted me with your wedding memories and will do my best to meet your expectations.

Client: I pledge to treat you with the same respect and enthusiastic endorsement as I do all my wedding vendors. I pledge to tell others about you if I am pleased with your work and with your level of service and professionalism.

Vendor: I pledge that you will not be “just another client” and that I will gladly be as involved with your life as you would like. I pledge that you will be my friend as much as my client and I will treat you as such.

Both: I pledge to treat you as if we were best friends, but maintain a professional relationship that is above reproach.