Has anyone fired a vendor?

[Sare79]

I'm looking for a little advice as to how to fire my florist.

I went to a florist near my home mostly because it was a school and I expected it to be more reasonable. I began planning with this florist early this year with flowers. She gave me a quote at that time, and I agreed. So I gave her a $100 deposit.
We have been in contact about a few things over the months and then on Friday I got an email from her saying that those flowers were no longer available and my "alternates" were going to cost me an additional $300. I do not want this to happen. So I went to another florist nearby and asked for a quote on the same flowers, and they can do it for $100 less than the original quote.
The flowers I want now are simple and inexpensive, as far as flowers go. When I found out about my centerpiece flowers being 1/4 of what the original florist was going to charge me, I knew I had to look into the prices of all my flowers, not just the centerpieces.
I really like the new florist and want to have all my flowers done by them.

But how do I tell the other florist I don't want to deal with her anymore, and quite possibly try to recover my deposit?

There was no official contract signed, but I do have a receipt that I paid a deposit for the flowers. If I cannot get my deposit back, I am okay with that, but I want to try at least.

Thanks!!!

[HeatherFL]

I fired a photographer. She didn't deliver my engagement photos when promised and when I did receive them I was NOT impressed. We parted ways and she was nice about it.

I would tell the original florist you found someone else who will give you what you want and for less and that you feel more comfortable working with them. Since there is no contract there isn't anything stating what the original florist's policy is. All you can do is request the deposit back and hope they'll give it to you. GOOD LUCK! And I am really glad you found a florist who can do what you really want! :)

~H.

[Atlanta_eBride]

I'd tell the florist that since she could not provide the requested flowers, and you have found someone who can, you will not be utilizing her services. I agree with Heather, all you can do is ask for your deposit back - worst case it's lost but a better florist found. :)

[tenofcups]

I had to get rid of our original florist. We hadn't signed a contract or given a deposit, but he was holding the date and arranged a sample centerpiece for me. When I saw it, it was the exact opposite of everything I'd said I wanted! I was willing to think that maybe there had been a misunderstanding-- although I'd sat with him for close to an hour while we discussed it AND he took notes. I thought maybe somehow he got the do NOT wants mixed up with the do wants. :rolleyes:

So, I came back again a few weeks later to look at another sample and it was still nothing like what I'd wanted. He wanted to do it AGAIN and try to get it right.

Well, I was living in NY and my wedding and the florist were in Philly so it was a 2-hour trip each time to see these samples, although I was able to gang it with other things that I had to do.

At that point, I wrote him a letter and told him that while I really appreciated all his efforts, it had become clear that we really had a different vision and I was going to have to go with someone else. I don't remember the exact words--I did my best to be very polite, to thank him for the time and effort he'd put into it, but to make it clear that I was disappointed that he had not been able to deliver what he'd promised.

I did it as a letter rather than a phone call for 2 reasons--I wanted it to be clear and in writing AND it was the chicken's way out, I know. I just didn't want to have to talk to him.

Anyway...to YOUR problem... :) I'd send a letter and explain that because she is not honoring the terms of your agreement, you choose not to continue the agreement. Ask for your deposit back, but I'm not sure that will really happen...

[wander_woman]

I had to fire a hair/make-up person when she turned out to be flaky. I would call your florist and explain that you found someone else who can provide the same flowers for less. Give her specifics, i.e. they will provide flowers x, y & z for less than the (new) price you quoted me. Make sure she knows it's not personal, just a price issue. When you ask for your deposit back, I would suggest saying something like "I'd be happy to recommend you to my friends that are getting married and to the online wedding communities I am a part of. I think you do good work, I've just decided that the new quote you gave me is outside of my budget. Since it is still [... amount of time] before my wedding, I hope I can get my deposit back."

Good luck!

[ManteoChik]

I would suggest letting the florest know that you have found someone who can provide you with the flowers that you want for your wedding and you will no longer be needing her services. You can ask for the deposit back since you didn't sign a contract but chances are you probably won't get any money back.

**I did the photography for a family friend's wedding...we fired her officiant the day before the wedding. She wanted someone non-denominational and found a man she thought she liked. They were in contact with each other and everything seemed well. The wedding was an outside garden wedding and we had been watching the weather all week. The morning of the rehearsal she called him to let him know that because it was raining we wouldn't have a rehearsal and that there was no need for him to travel the 45 min. to the site. She tried several times that day to reach him and left messages but he never returned her call. He ended up showing up and was irate. I have never seen "a man of god" yell like that. He was so pissed and demanded to get paid even though she had called him all day long. He threatened to not show up to preform the ceremony. The bride was so upset that she didn't want to take the chance that he wouldn't show up. While she went to cry we went into overdirve to find a new officiant. We ended up doing some serious calling and got a minester. The wedding went off without a hitch.

You seem lucky because you have some time before your wedding. Good Luck!

[lawyerlee]

I fired my wedding coordinator because she was just this side of all around useless and more trouble than help. :( It was a terrible experience, and I didn't ask for any money back because she did hook me up with great vendors and I just wanted her out of my life. But your situation is much different, and I certainly think you are entitled to ask for your deposit back. Since you didn't have a contract in writing, she certainly can't point to that as a reason not to refund your money.

[Vorian's_Leronica]

I fired 2 vendors 2 weeks before my wedding.
first was my photographer:
she never answered my calls, asked for all the $$ and then when i asked her about meeting for must take pics she told me not to worry about it, she already knew what pics she planned on taking and basically hung up on me.
I was NOT happy about this, i posted about the situation on my local board on the knot and she was lurking ,she printed my post talking about her and my other vendors and sent it to all my other vendors, then she called me and yelled at me, blaming me for brides who supposedly read my post and decided not to use her.
SO i told her to give me back my $$ and i'll go somewhere else.
I ended up with a wonderful photographer a much better deal and wonderful pics.

the second vendor was my DJ:
When i hired them i told them i wanted specific songs, particularly some hard to find old spanish songs ,they told me no problem. after paying them in full they tell me they cant find my song list. then they tell me they cant find any of the songs i want. they ask me if i could burn all the songs on cd for them!! WTH?? thats what i'm paying for, so i canned them. got a better dj who got all my songs for half the price.

[trefoil]

I decided not to go with my original cake person. I had heard one too many horror stories and just decided that it wasn't worth the risk. I didn't get the deposit back, but I didn't expect to since I was "reserving" her for that time.

I just sent her an e-mail and lied to her. :o I said that MIL had arranged something else. Since she hadn't done anything wrong in her dealings with me, I didn't have any complaints about "differences of vision" or anything of that nature.

Two weeks before my wedding, she e-mailed me asking me where her final payment was and warning me that she wouldn't be able to do a cake without being paid and if she wasn't paid soon, she would book someone else for my date. I forwarded her our previous conversations and she apologized. I'm glad I didn't go with her. She clearly didn't have her stuff together.