So What are outside vendor fees?

These are fees that a resort or hotel charges you when you work with vendors that are not associated with that particular venue. These fees can range anywhere from $0-$1000 depending on the actual resort, so it’s important to do some research before choosing your wedding location in order to be sure that it’s a venue that you can afford.

Do vendors give discounts as a result of the outside vendor fee?

It all depends on the vendor. If you ask, some may be able to give you a discount. Keep in mind, however, that this may be difficult for them since they may be incurring some costs as well. Since it’s very case-sensitive, don’t assume that all companies will be able to absorb this fee.

Where does the money go?

Generally speaking, the money goes directly to the resort or its onsite vendors. Let’s take photography as an example. If you bring in your own photographer to shoot your wedding (many couples will prefer to use a specific photographer they select, especially if they like their work and artistic style), then the wedding coordinator may say that the fee is going to the onsite photography company – that is, the company that is associated with the resort.

This is due to the fact that some resorts charge their onsite vendors such high fees for rent, that there will be an agreement that all couples who book that resort for their wedding will either have to use that particular company, or pay them a fee.

Do I have to pay this fee, even if I wasn’t aware of it when I signed the resort contract?

Most likely. This is why it’s critical to ask these types of questions beforehand. While it’s unfair to have to pay an outside vendor fee if you weren’t aware of it upon signing, it’s incredibly difficult to convince the resort to have that fee waived if you’ve already signed the contract.

In our opinion, this should ultimately be the responsibility of the person who assisted you with the booking and walked you through the contract in the first place. Let’s say, for instance, that you’re working with a destination wedding consultant, and you mention that it’s important to have a great DJ for your reception. If they book you into a resort and you’re forced to use their onsite DJ, who has horrible reviews, then that wedding consultant is not doing their job properly. So be choosy in deciding who you work with, and make sure to go over the details of the contract in depth before signing. And check the reviews of the person you are choosing to work with, including your destination wedding coordinator.

How can I get away without paying outside vendor fees?

The easy way to avoid outside vendor fees is to simply have your wedding off the resort. We suggest contacting a destination wedding planner and finding out what they can have set up at a local beach club, as well as transportation for you and your guests. As we mentioned, you can also try to negotiate having these fees waived (or at least discounted) before booking. Or even better, use our guide to find a resort you love that has reasonable outside vendor fees and will allow you to have the wedding of your dreams.

This is NOT the full article, to read more hints and tips about Vendor Fee's please click on the link below...

http://barefootweddingguide.com/outside-vendor-fees-explained/