My wedding is in exactly 30 days. It is being held on Grayton Beach with the reception at a beach house on Defuniak Street. I am not from the area; I am planning this wedding from thousands of miles away in Phoenix. My parents retired down there a few years ago and warned me that everything there happens verrrrrrrrrry sloooooooooooowly. (I.e. it took five years to get their house built.)
Getting vendors to respond to me is like pulling teeth. I have been trying to work with A Classic Affair for a couple of months now to get a contract together to rent basically everything - tent, lighting, dinner ware, chairs, linens, etc. I still don't have a contract in hand. Getting Bella Flora to respond in a timely manner was the same way - it took several days just to get a yes or no answer.
Should I be freaking out here? I grew up in NY so I am used to a higher sense of urgency about things. I recognize that different areas move at a different pace, but at 30 days out I should not have to hound people to respond to me when all I am trying to do is pay them a significant amount of money. It's as if I have to beg them to take my money! And it isn't a matter of changing vendors; everyone is the same way.
Any advice on how to deal with this? At this point I am having nightmares about my guests huddled in my parents' living room eating ham sandwiches.
slow like molasses honey... especially now that it's hurricane season. though it's out of the line of fire right now, the panhandle is still on alert with Ike, and probably with whatever else storm is happening too.
i can tell you right now that one of the reasons (besides costs) of not having my wedding back in the Destin/Seaside/Grayton area is because it's just too damn slow. New Orleans isn't that much better but it's different enough that I feel less crazy. Even though I live on the west coast now, I still operate on New York time... I get way too impatient to deal with that kind of slowness tactfully.
That being said, youre very close to your wedding date so get those rentals down in writing! Are you calling them? It's usually a lot more efficient than emailing, unfortunately.
Sorry Idon't have better advice for you .. best of luck!!!
YES - YOu should be worried !!! 30 days is really pushing it ! I too am from the south and this is UNACCEPTABLE !!!!! No matter where you are from or where you work Being Prompt is important !
Southern time is one thing. (And frankly I grew up in Panama City, Fl and while I might be more relaxed than a New Yorker, I still expect things to get done in a timely manner.) The only times I've really seen an honest-to-God society slow down is in the Fl Keys and in Hawaii. In the south its not as mucha slow time thing, its a things work slower because not everyone is running on internet speed. (Ie instead of phone binging to show email - they have to get home and listen to a phone message and then call you back the next day if they have time/remember.)
Push comes to shove babe, you are paying them - they will listen and respond or they wont get paid. If you need someone HERE to do something for you, let me know. I am in Pcola and travel to Panama City regularly for family, friends, and wedding planning. I'm heading through that area this weekend if you need something specific. (Btw - EMAIL ME if you are going to take me up on this.)
Thanks guys! I basically flat out said if these things weren't taken care of by Friday I would be going elsewhere -- and surprise, surprise, everything I needed was waiting for me.
Now, 2-1/2 weeks before the wedding, everything seems to be swimming along... I even got a call from my brother today with a great surprise. He has arranged for Dikki Du & the Zydeco Krewe to play the reception! As he put it, "They owe me a favor."
Now let's see if any of these vendors show up on time.
My wedding is in exactly 30 days. It is being held on Grayton Beach with the reception at a beach house on Defuniak Street. I am not from the area; I am planning this wedding from thousands of miles away in Phoenix. My parents retired down there a few years ago and warned me that everything there happens verrrrrrrrrry sloooooooooooowly. (I.e. it took five years to get their house built.)
Getting vendors to respond to me is like pulling teeth. I have been trying to work with A Classic Affair for a couple of months now to get a contract together to rent basically everything - tent, lighting, dinner ware, chairs, linens, etc. I still don't have a contract in hand. Getting Bella Flora to respond in a timely manner was the same way - it took several days just to get a yes or no answer.
Should I be freaking out here? I grew up in NY so I am used to a higher sense of urgency about things. I recognize that different areas move at a different pace, but at 30 days out I should not have to hound people to respond to me when all I am trying to do is pay them a significant amount of money. It's as if I have to beg them to take my money! And it isn't a matter of changing vendors; everyone is the same way.
Any advice on how to deal with this? At this point I am having nightmares about my guests huddled in my parents' living room eating ham sandwiches.
posted by CarolineG 284 posts 2 months agoslow like molasses honey... especially now that it's hurricane season. though it's out of the line of fire right now, the panhandle is still on alert with Ike, and probably with whatever else storm is happening too.
i can tell you right now that one of the reasons (besides costs) of not having my wedding back in the Destin/Seaside/Grayton area is because it's just too damn slow. New Orleans isn't that much better but it's different enough that I feel less crazy. Even though I live on the west coast now, I still operate on New York time... I get way too impatient to deal with that kind of slowness tactfully.
That being said, youre very close to your wedding date so get those rentals down in writing! Are you calling them? It's usually a lot more efficient than emailing, unfortunately.
Sorry Idon't have better advice for you .. best of luck!!!
posted by mssweettea 72 posts 2 months agoYES - YOu should be worried !!! 30 days is really pushing it ! I too am from the south and this is UNACCEPTABLE !!!!! No matter where you are from or where you work Being Prompt is important !
Jen - BarefootSnapshots.com
posted by barefootsnapshots 4 posts 2 months agoSouthern time is one thing. (And frankly I grew up in Panama City, Fl and while I might be more relaxed than a New Yorker, I still expect things to get done in a timely manner.) The only times I've really seen an honest-to-God society slow down is in the Fl Keys and in Hawaii. In the south its not as mucha slow time thing, its a things work slower because not everyone is running on internet speed. (Ie instead of phone binging to show email - they have to get home and listen to a phone message and then call you back the next day if they have time/remember.)
Push comes to shove babe, you are paying them - they will listen and respond or they wont get paid. If you need someone HERE to do something for you, let me know. I am in Pcola and travel to Panama City regularly for family, friends, and wedding planning. I'm heading through that area this weekend if you need something specific. (Btw - EMAIL ME if you are going to take me up on this.)
posted by mdarrah 40 posts 2 months ago: )
Thanks guys! I basically flat out said if these things weren't taken care of by Friday I would be going elsewhere -- and surprise, surprise, everything I needed was waiting for me.
posted by CarolineG 284 posts 2 months agoNow, 2-1/2 weeks before the wedding, everything seems to be swimming along... I even got a call from my brother today with a great surprise. He has arranged for Dikki Du & the Zydeco Krewe to play the reception! As he put it, "They owe me a favor."
Now let's see if any of these vendors show up on time.
posted by CarolineG 284 posts 1 month ago
I'm glad to hear things are working out for you! Good luck with the wedding!
posted by LittleBear 77 posts 1 month agoGood Luck. I know living here in P'cola (orginally from the Midwest) they don't move fast at all.
posted by HeatherB 20 posts 1 month ago