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View Full Version : Bridezillas (whats the best way to deal with them?)



I love music
03-01-2012, 12:26 PM
Or should we avoid them completely? :D

wilson
03-01-2012, 12:29 PM
Vodka



In all seriousness . . . if you can tell up front I put on my happy pants, suck it up, and charge what I feel is going to make it be okay with me. And, ...sometimes...I make sure it's high enough I don't have to deal with them.

DJ Scotch
03-01-2012, 12:59 PM
You will get a clear picture in 1st meeting, so either quote them slightly higher price or totally avoid them.

I love music
03-01-2012, 01:07 PM
yeah thats what i think too.

charge em more so you make it worth your time and play whatever they want so they dont bust your balls.

Take the money afterwards and say "see ya dont wanna be ya"

DJ Scotch
03-01-2012, 02:10 PM
yeah thats what i think too.

charge em more so you make it worth your time and play whatever they want so they dont bust your balls.

Take the money afterwards and say "see ya dont wanna be ya"

:lol:

jazzyj
03-01-2012, 02:22 PM
Honestly, I go higher...but havent ran into a real one yet.

DJ Scotch
03-01-2012, 02:37 PM
Honestly, I go higher...but havent ran into a real one yet.

Wait and watch, you will soon LOL!!

Sween
03-01-2012, 02:59 PM
Treat every bride like she could turn in to one. Even if she seems cool when you first meet.

What is a Bridezilla... It's a bride who has become so obsessed with planning and controlling the wedding that she loses focus.

If you are organized and a good planner yourself, you can nip some bridezilla issues in the bud during planning. Make sure she knows that every single detail that SHE wants to control needs to be clearly spelled out during your planning meeting. otherwise it does not get incorporated into the schedule. I am very clear with people, that I DO ALOT OF WEDDINGS. IF you want me to do something SPECIAL for YOU, it NEEDS to be clearly spelled out on my schedule. I have them proofread my schedule. Once she verifies that schedule IT IS GOSPEL. Period. I'm not a mind reader. And I can't be expected to remember something UNLESS IT IS ON THAT PIECE OF PAPER.

If she wants uplights in a certain color... I take a photo of the color a few weeks prior and email it to her for approval. I have even told them to send me photos of their flowers or dresses if they need a certain shade.

All the "must play" songs are on the schedule... if there is a song not listed, not my fault.

All the names for intros are on the schedule... with pho-net-tic spellings.

I'm very clear about where and how I'm going setup... I had one bride tell me after I set up "you can't put that there"... my response, "where else would you like me to put it?... it's the projector for your gobo... if I don't put it there, your monogram will not be on the dance floor, it will be on someone's table" I wanted to shove it up her ass!

Misunderstandings happen less if you prepare ahead of time accordingly for them.

wilson
03-01-2012, 03:10 PM
Treat every bride like she could turn in to one. Even if she seems cool when you first meet.

What is a Bridezilla... It's a bride who has become so obsessed with planning and controlling the wedding that she loses focus.

If you are organized and a good planner yourself, you can nip some bridezilla issues in the bud during planning. Make sure she knows that every single detail that SHE wants to control needs to be clearly spelled out during your planning meeting. otherwise it does not get incorporated into the schedule. I am very clear with people, that I DO ALOT OF WEDDINGS. IF you want me to do something SPECIAL for YOU, it NEEDS to be clearly spelled out on my schedule. I have them proofread my schedule. Once she verifies that schedule IT IS GOSPEL. Period. I'm not a mind reader. And I can't be expected to remember something UNLESS IT IS ON THAT PIECE OF PAPER.

If she wants uplights in a certain color... I take a photo of the color a few weeks prior and email it to her for approval. I have even told them to send me photos of their flowers or dresses if they need a certain shade.

All the "must play" songs are on the schedule... if there is a song not listed, not my fault.

All the names for intros are on the schedule... with pho-net-tic spellings.

I'm very clear about where and how I'm going setup... I had one bride tell me after I set up "you can't put that there"... my response, "where else would you like me to put it?... it's the projector for your gobo... if I don't put it there, your monogram will not be on the dance floor, it will be on someone's table" I wanted to shove it up her ass!

Misunderstandings happen less if you prepare ahead of time accordingly for them.

This. +REP

Sometimes they are still a PITA though...just because you tell them up front, doesn't mean they won't give you headaches. I'm also very up front, but when they want to nit pick everything - make it worth your while.

jazzyj
03-01-2012, 03:13 PM
If Sween & DJ Scotch/ASL ever formed a company, i would worship. :love:

DJMC
03-01-2012, 03:30 PM
Or should we avoid them completely? :D

I think OP answered his own question!

My whole marketing approach is to find a niche (non-cheesy brides) AND in doing so, you end up with a category of customers who are easy-going (as a whole) but they don't want cheesy songs played. I've found my clientele likes what I'm doing, they have complete confidence in my abilities and then I'm able to perform with excellent results.

From my experience -- the reason a Bride is breathing down the DJ's neck is because they didn't announce something. If you are on top of the schedule -- doing an emcee's job -- chances are, nobody's going to micromanage you!

That said, I get probably 1-2 real "Bridezilla's" per year, but that's out of 50+ weddings our company does.
Most of the real beotches are weeded out in the first contact.

Once I talk with a bride for 5 minutes, its easy to spot 'em -- I then throw up enough hoops to make them go elsewhere, but being cordial in the process.

RodneyL
03-01-2012, 03:38 PM
Or should we avoid them completely? :D

We had one that we could tell was going to be a Bridezilla. She actually met with my wife first about Photography and interrogated my wife for over an hour. My wife got back from this meeting in such a foul mood. She said she was waiting for the polygraph and rorschach tests to get pulled out. Lol.

The woman did not book her but wanted to "think about it". Over the next week or so she probably emailed my wife 3 or 4 times with chapter long questions and some odd requests for photography. My wife was so "over it". I finally told her, just tell her the next time she contacts you that you were just booked for that date and are now unavailable. Of course she had already told her that our service is "first come first serve" with a deposit during the consultation. And she never wanted to pay a deposit.

She did that a few days later and they lady went in to overdrive, all of a sudden wanting to pay a deposit and willing to pay more than the other "client" that booked us. My Wife had to be polite but stern that the date was no longer available and referred her to another photographer.

Two weeks later she emailed me to see if I was booked for DJ... and I promptly replied that I was. ;)

She could pay triple my normal amount and it wouldn't be worth the headache.

DJMC
03-01-2012, 03:51 PM
When I get a picky bride, I try to nip this in the bud by explaining the "Wedding Pyramid":

You draw a triangle, either in a drawing or have them imagine this image of a triangle/pyramid.

B/G (Bride & Groom) are at the Top of the Wedding Food Chain. They should be able to pick a substantial number of tunes, and eliminate all Cheese (the Prime Directive).

On the bottom of the Pyramid, or Triangle if you're drawing on Power Point -- is the Wedding Guests, who have the Power to Leave Your Event. They should have the ability to make SOME requests, but the cheesy tunes will be filtered by the DJ to ensure the other guests won't cringe!

On the other side of the bottom -- you have the Disc Jockey (DJ) -- his experience in picking the right songs at the right time should be considered for a successful event. Your DJ should have the latitude to pick songs that are not on the list-- but ones that will fit in with B/G's requests and likes.

Now, the Bridezilla will want to HOG the entire Triangle or Pyramid, which results in a likely scenario where the guests leave!

The most successful events, In my humble opinion -- are the ones where the B/G occupy their position at the Top, while allowing their loyal subjects (Guests & DJ) the ability to help shape the outcome.

Dix
03-01-2012, 04:49 PM
In short, I am a patient person... but I have no respect for those who have no respect for me. If she gets sassy, bossy or demanding with me... I will become booked very fast. It's fine for her to have suggestions/questions & lets discuss them, but for her to become a bridzilla on me... ain't gonna happen if I catch it before booking. For yall who know my postings, this is one reason I spend 15 - 20 minutes on the initial phone consultation.... before we even meet. It's not unusual for me to spend 1 1/2 hours + on the first meeting before the contract gets signed.

I love music
03-02-2012, 12:28 AM
bridezillas deserve the weddings they get.

and btw theres also groom-zillas. I had this beotch of a groom last summer. It was by far the worst wedding of the season. Guy was really a d*ck and refused to pay at the end of the night. Started this huge fight at 4am in the morning. Guess this was my lesson not to book bride-groom-zillas anymore.


Treat every bride like she could turn in to one. Even if she seems cool when you first meet.

What is a Bridezilla... It's a bride who has become so obsessed with planning and controlling the wedding that she loses focus.

If you are organized and a good planner yourself, you can nip some bridezilla issues in the bud during planning. Make sure she knows that every single detail that SHE wants to control needs to be clearly spelled out during your planning meeting. otherwise it does not get incorporated into the schedule. I am very clear with people, that I DO ALOT OF WEDDINGS. IF you want me to do something SPECIAL for YOU, it NEEDS to be clearly spelled out on my schedule. I have them proofread my schedule. Once she verifies that schedule IT IS GOSPEL. Period. I'm not a mind reader. And I can't be expected to remember something UNLESS IT IS ON THAT PIECE OF PAPER.

If she wants uplights in a certain color... I take a photo of the color a few weeks prior and email it to her for approval. I have even told them to send me photos of their flowers or dresses if they need a certain shade.

All the "must play" songs are on the schedule... if there is a song not listed, not my fault.

All the names for intros are on the schedule... with pho-net-tic spellings.

I'm very clear about where and how I'm going setup... I had one bride tell me after I set up "you can't put that there"... my response, "where else would you like me to put it?... it's the projector for your gobo... if I don't put it there, your monogram will not be on the dance floor, it will be on someone's table" I wanted to shove it up her ass!

Misunderstandings happen less if you prepare ahead of time accordingly for them.

this deserves REP^^^

DJ Scotch
03-02-2012, 08:15 AM
If Sween & DJ Scotch/ASL ever formed a company, i would worship. :love:

:worship:

Austin GoGreen
03-02-2012, 09:22 AM
I avoid them. If one transforms into a Bridezilla after the contract is signed then I simply tell her I am VERY good at what I do, you have nothing to worry about. I inform her that her direction for the event has been worked into my routine. BUT, i'm the producer, we're gonna do this my way. If you would like to seek another DJ we can void the contract now and go seperate ways.

Usually when you let her know who's boss in a professional way she will BTFU! Always get paid in advance. Always be polite and professional. I really never have to deal with bridezillas, my clients know what they're getting with me. Communication is key. You really only let her believe that she's the show but in reality, the DJ IS the show at a reception. My clients book me because they know I will rock the party. I only do 6-12 receptions a year and charge a premium. I enjoy clubs/bars a lot more. It's not about the money for me but weddings are so much work that I refuse to charge less than what they paid for a freakin cake.

I love music
03-02-2012, 11:21 AM
I avoid them. If one transforms into a Bridezilla after the contract is signed then I simply tell her I am VERY good at what I do, you have nothing to worry about. I inform her that her direction for the event has been worked into my routine. BUT, i'm the producer, we're gonna do this my way. If you would like to seek another DJ we can void the contract now and go seperate ways.

Usually when you let her know who's boss in a professional way she will BTFU! Always get paid in advance. Always be polite and professional. I really never have to deal with bridezillas, my clients know what they're getting with me. Communication is key. You really only let her believe that she's the show but in reality, the DJ IS the show at a reception. My clients book me because they know I will rock the party. I only do 6-12 receptions a year and charge a premium. I enjoy clubs/bars a lot more. It's not about the money for me but weddings are so much work that I refuse to charge less than what they paid for a freakin cake.

you gained my respect with the above statement