ideal commision for the wedding planner?

I'm trying to gather information on ideal commision for the wedding planner.

How much percentage or $ should I give them for each time they bring me a contract? How do you guys manage it?

I'm curious...

10% is a good starting point I think. That's what I get when I bring clients to the guy I 2nd shoot with.

Personally I give nothing if I am referred.

0%

They are paid by the bride to secure good and trustworthy vendors. A good coordinator won't accept or ask for a commission. Paying them is bad business and in my opinion unethical.

Offering may get you put on a "do not refer" list.

...not a cent. However I do work closely with a number of vendors not because we pay each other money: but because we trust each other.

Same as the others. No money. At Christmas I may send a small gift. Share photos with them for the website, etc...but that is because of our relationship, not a commission.

Really? I'm surprised... However, If I send out emails to bunch of vendors....

How can I attract them?

enuff4life wrote in post #16781082
Really? I'm surprised... However, If I send out emails to bunch of vendors....

How can I attract them?

...what will you do for their clients? Can you actually deliver what you promise? If I chose to recommend you what are the chances you will let me down and make me look stupid?

That last one is the one that always weighs on my mind. My reputation is everything to my business and I have on occasion over the last fifteen years recommended someone who turned out to be a dud. There is a sickening, horrible feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when that happens and its something I am always looking to avoid.

So "attracting vendors" is something that can literally take time. They need to trust you. They need to know you. No amount of money you can pay me would ever compensate for a lost client.

My formula is to be a genuine nice guy who delivers what I promise to my clients and goes out of my way to build solid working relationships with other vendors. Your formula will be a little different. But it won't be an overnight thing: and if that is what you are counting on then you need to rethink your business strategy. Trust takes time.

enuff4life wrote in post #16781082
Really? I'm surprised... However, If I send out emails to bunch of vendors

I don't actively seek out other vendors. I only want organic recommendations based on my performance and ability to deliver and not because I'm best buds with a vendor.

I bin every business card I am given by a vendor. If they are worth remembering I'll remember who they are. Any recommendation I make about another business puts my business and personal reputation on the line. As a result over the years there are still only a handful of vendors I'd recommend to anyone.

With venues I don't want to become too closely associated with one or another as I like having variety in where I get to shoot. I try to avoid shooting in the same place too often each year.

As I've mentioned before, mom was a wedding planner back in the day. She used exactly one florist, one bakery, one dress shop. She built her business over 30 years and nothing was as important as her reputation. She was often booked out a year or two but on one occasion put together an entire wedding in one week calling in favors.