Experienced and integrity led wedding businesses need to talk more publicly about wedding planner commission.
By that we don’t mean the overall % of a budget charged as a fee to clients openly for full service planning and design. We are talking about hidden financial rewards from suppliers or vendors, given in return for referrals to couples planning their big day.
Over on instagram we decided to lift the veil on this in our industry and were astounded my the replies and direct messages from businesses and couples being hurt by this practice. We absolutely know that far too many planners are partaking in this practice behind closed doors, without their clients knowing, and holding small businesses to ransom by not putting forward those that won’t agree to it.
Why is it so much of a problem?
It isn’t always. If a planner charges a lower set fee and this is how they operate their business with full client disclosure, in our opinion it can objectively b considered ethical. Though the business model makes little sense to us as we prefer to be upfront with our fees and pass on accurate quotes from our supplier team so that clients have complete transparency, choice and trust in our recommendations
However the bigger issue is when suppliers are asked to hide referral fees within quotes, or when original quotes are being marked up by planners without consent so that often a couple will not only be paying a percentage of the overall event spend (typically 15-20%) for their planner fee, but then another similar % added without their knowledge or consent on each vendor quote. They are paying twice.
Sometimes the upfront planner fee being charged may seem lower than competitors, when in reality the amount they recieve and the total cost to client is as much as or more than other planners who have open fee structures. The reality is that they are often just as or more expensive than others who are open and transparent with charging their worth.
Trust us when we say this happens all the time.
The only option a supplier has in these circumstances is to turn down the job, or absorb the cost - which ultimately will impact their profits, or means they will be offering less value in products delivered at higher prices. They can always list a referral fee openly and honestly in their quote so a client will see it - but I have heard plenty tell me this will lose them the job, for obvious reasons.
It’s a shady practice and it’s something that’s been bothering many of us in the industry for a while now. We have never ever asked independent businesses to make hidden payments to us - since the day we launched in 2010.
At Studio Sorores we believe we should be recommending suppliers based on merit, talent, suitability, quality and experience. Our team would never dream of asking a small independent business to line our pockets at the expense of our clients. We have built this business on trust and loyalty for nearly 15 years - it’s absolutely at the heart of our company ethos.
So if you are a supplier/vendor please consider protecting your reputation by refusing to engage in this practice, and if you are a client then we would recommend asking about this during your selection process - check your contract and be alert to any unusually low upfront fees (which usually suggest inexperience or bad practice).
Or.... hire us. 🖤