Your Bridezillas Make You Better… Not Bitter, Part II

In Part I, we examined who has the potential to be a bridezilla and why they are the way they are. This week, we’ll look into the red flags that help you identify them.

Some clients will arrive to you as bridezillas. Some clients evolve into this persona.  There will be several red flags that will increase your awareness (your spidey-senses will tingle, honey!).  The more you grow to recognize them, you can avoid this type of client dead on or put out the spark that is going to engulf the wedding process in flames.

Red Flags:

1. She is not excited. If she’s acting like ISIS has arranged her marriage, then look deeply into this.  I have noticed that there are some underlying issues and these type of brides seem to project their anger at anyone that comes their way.

2. She’s cheap. Before anyone thinks I’m being Petty Crocker baking in the kitchen, I’m not!  There is a difference between being frugal or cost conscious and cheap.  This bride wants something for nothing.  She doesn’t want to pay for anything, but wants it all.  These are the types who feel when they DO pay your OUTRAGEOUS (read: normal) fees, they should also get a side of heaven and a slice of earth with it too.

3. She has unrealistic expectations. This piggy backs on the above, but takes it a bit further, because that’s what a bridezilla does.  She wants large blush-champagne colored peonies in October.  She wants sequin and embroidered linens everywhere, for all 200 guests for the same price as polys.  She has 599 DIY projects and expects you to do all of them. She wants you to be her everything and forgets that she purchased a service…not a person.
   
4. She chooses to work with crazy people. I’m sorry… we all know there are some crazy, dramatic and ridiculous people in our industry. And normally, we avoid them like a plague.  I do. I don’t care who doesn’t like it. Some vendors don’t fit my brand or my process, so I don’t work with them. When Brides tell me they have hired them, I wish them well.  

When you come across these red flags, it is best that you have a method of action in place for you to default. This may very well mean passing the client off to another associate in your company or to even another colleague.  No matter what, don’t ever leave a lead hanging without an alternative.  Your prospective client should still receive client level service; they will remember how you treated them!

In Part III of dealing with Bridezillas, we’ll go over reactive and proactive steps you can take to calm the storm and avoid these types in the future.