3 Tips for Dealing with Bridezilla

By Ellenor Day-Lutz

A wedding is one of the most important days in a woman’s life, as we all know.  It’s a special day where even the most relaxed of brides can get a little bit stressed.
Will the dress I ordered 12 months ago fit me?  Will the cake make it to the reception venue safely? Will it rain and ruin my hair?

A bride has a lot on her mind, and understandably sometimes she feels the pressure, but about 1 in 50 bride-to-be’s undertake a miraculous transformation into a monster-like animal called Bridezilla.

Bridezilla is obsessive compulsive about every element of the wedding.  She doesn’t listen, she’s bossy, she has high expectations and, often, a low budget.  She’s difficult to deal with as a client and we often wonder how she convinced her poor unsuspecting groom to propose to her in the first place.

But Bridezillas are a reality that wedding professionals and wedding businesses occasionally need to deal with.  So how do you provide great customer service, maintain your cool and get a glowing review from your Bridezilla?

1. Establish your boundaries early.

Really get to know your Bridezilla early on and find out exactly what her expectations are.  Make sure she has the budget to match her dream wedding and, if she doesn’t, tell her.  Set realistic boundaries and make sure these are clearly understood.
It’s much better to deal with these issues early on than to have an angry, high-strung bride disappointed that her dream day didn’t turn out the way she planned.  The last thing you want for your wedding business is a negative review.

If your bride is showing Bridezilla tendencies early on and you don’t think she’s a good fit for your wedding business you can break off the relationship before it ends in divorce.

But if you do go ahead with a contract, make sure it’s crystal clear for both you.

2. Keep the channels of communication well and truly open.

No doubt she’s calling you twice a day anyway, but if she isn’t, don’t leave anything to chance.
Keep in contact with your Bridezilla, respond to her inquiries swiftly and let her know every single detail about the work that you’re doing to make her wedding fabulous.

3. Smile and be nice, even if it kills you.

Life wasn’t meant to be easy, and neither was customer service.  So, as much as it pains you, you need to remember that Bridezilla is your customer and it is she that currently stands between you and a good review.

As a wedding professional, you need to keep calm, listen to your Bridezilla, and put yourself into a customer service mindset.  Sure, she may be crazy, but you need to set aside whatever it is you’re feeling in order to be the best wedding pro you can be.

Show empathy and if Bridezilla thinks you’ve done something wrong, apologize.  Most importantly, be creative and offer solutions to her problems (of which there are many!), and keep your eye on the prize – which is, at the very least, avoiding a complaint or bad review.

And remember, it could always be worse – at least you don’t have to spend the rest of your life with her like her husband!

What’s your worst Bride/Groom-zilla story?

Ellenor Day-Lutz is a South Australian freelance writer and blogger who loves writing about business and life. She’s also a newlywed, and she’s been bridesmaid seven times.

Photo Credit: SplitShire