supplier hunt

I try not to be an impulsive shopper (although I fail more often than not.)

Over the past couple of years, I have curtailed my spending habits (mostly due to a debt to my mom for bailing me out on the credit card monster that's been with me since I started working.) Glad that I did, else I wouldn't be able to get my guy and get to this point of saying our "I do's".

For this momentous occasion, my future husband and I agreed on a wedding budget that will satisfy us both -- for me to have a wedding that he - ahem! - we can afford. Most people don't think we could make it at the original budget we set. To their credit, we have re-calibrated our budget... twice!

It's still half as what my friend's would have spent on their weddings. But we both agreed that our wedding is just the start of the rest of our lives together... So we need money in the days after.

I am now faced with greatest challenge in my life. How do I get the wedding of my dreams with limited funds?

Actually, I know that all women go through that challenge as our nature seems to never have enough. Unless you're in Forbes Top 100 riches folks.

So when it came down to shopping for my wedding suppliers, I use my bargaining chips well.

Firstly, I pretty much know what I want. I'm a bit stubborn when it comes to how I want my wedding. Primarily, it's because I spent 20+ years dreaming of a fairy tale wedding (minus a fairy godmother!)

Secondly, I scout for suppliers and I try to talk to them. If I don't like how they talk to me, rest assured, there's no call back.

Thirdly, I browse through magazines to get the effect that I want. If I can contact the supplier, and I feel that we "click", the next question is can I afford them? Else, I'd hear the perpetual "Where are you going to get it from our budget?" That meant, I had to give up something one way or the other.

Lastly, I bargain. Given that when I started looking for suppliers, we were a year away from the wedding. I know I have the luxury of asking for things, booking real earlier. I have to say that I always try to book when there's a bridal fair. They are generally more generous when they're trying to outbid each other.

Quite frankly, I surprise, amuse, and embarrass my fiancee with how I bargain. Primarily, it's cause we get better deals than anyone else and Ivan is empathizing with the supplier. At my end, I'm just trying to get the best value for my money.

One thing, though, that I instinctively learned, is to never book a supplier on the spot. Whenever I go to bridal fairs, I look at what they are offering and see their portfolio. Then I meet them elsewhere and check out their work. I would also need to talk to the point person and hope that I feel comfortable enough to entrust them with the most important day of my life (to date.)

There are actually occasions that I felt ok with them at the fair, but meeting up with them on another time, it's not the same. There's a lack of chemistry or understanding. Or maybe they have a tendency to prioritize someone else while they are talking to you. Small (and big) things that just turn me off -- well, they're impressions that last.

That's one supplier out of the window.