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Today our topic is: African Vendors...to hire or not to hire???? It is very clear that African vendors are severely underrepresented in the wedding industry. With the recent release of bridal magazines that are geared towards African brides we hope to see this change. The change MUST begin with us though! Recently, I have had conversations with friends who swear they wont hire ANY African vendors and conversations with others who want to hire ONLY African vendors. What is the school of thought behind these opposite reactions? Is it because some feel that African vendors are incompetent or less creative or even more difficult to work with? I have seen photographers, event designers, stationary designers, dress designers, event planners, florists, and make up artists, of African descent that do absolutely amazing work and the list goes on. You could hold their work up to their American counterparts and never be able to tell the difference. I am personally an advocate of supporting my own and working with people that I can relate to, which is why you will hear me say I want ALL African vendors for my wedding. I think that our culture is so rich and intricate that I would only want people who have experience dealing with an event that is filled with so much tradition to be a part of it. I just want vendors that GET ME! For example, most of us have witnessed or seen pictures of South Asian weddings. Their weddings are VERY, VERY rich in tradition, culture, and customs! So rich that it is VERYYY rare to see them deal with vendors that are not of South Asian descent, simply because trying to explain all their traditions might end up being very frustrating for the bride and the vendor at the end of the day. So for that reason, you will see many of them stick with people of the same nationality. My question is why don't WE do the same??
Do you agree or disagree with me? Do you feel that Africans can be unprofessional? Are they hard to find? Would you or did you boycott the use of African vendors for your event? Why or Why not? TALK to me!! This post is going to be straight up DIALOGUE! Tell us what you are thinking! We want to know!
Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi
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22 comments:
I agree with you a hundred percent! I would love to hire exclusively nigerian vendors for my wedding because, as you have pointed out, they understand the culture and understand your needs. However, the issue that i am currently having is that I live in Boston and hiring exclusively nigerian venoders means that I have to import them from other states namely, MD. As of now though, most of my vendors are nigerian but mostly from out of state and it would have been nice if i had local vendors.
"For example, most of us have witnessed or seen pictures of an South Asian wedding. There weddings are VERY, VERY rich in tradition, culture, and customs! So rich that it is VERYYY rare to see them deal with vendors that are not of South Asian descent. ... So for that reason, you will see many of them stick with people of the same nationality. My question is why don't WE do the same??"
The honest answer to that question is because many people have been brainwashed into believing that anything from our own people isn't good enough. Plain and simple!! Mind you, these are the same people who will buy anything that others package and market as authentic at much higher prices when it is actually the same stuff that we have back home. Don't believe me? Look at what happened to ankara when designers of other races started marketing it (this was the same fabric that was looked down upon by our own people)!
Anyways, I think that it is important to separate the person from the culture or tradition. To detest or choose not to use a vendor because he/she is African by believing that all African vendors are "incompetent or less creative or even more difficult to work with" is just plain silly!! Lazy and incompetent people make up every race and culture. The best thing to do when hiring anyone is to ask for references from those who have used the services of the particular vendor. Unfortunately, that would make too much sense to some people so we'll just leave that for another discussion another day.
As far as I am concerned, I will hire vendors that I believe are best for the job. Granted that I will naturally gravitate towards an African MC to lead my traditional engagement, simply because I believe that they are aware of my family's customs and traditions and I'd be spare the headache of trying to explain or describe them, I will likely go with someone referred by another family member/friend (African or not). I'll be pleased as long as all my vendors can work together and they understand the need to make the vision that I have for my wedding a reality.
As an African bride who got married less than a year ago, i have to say, i LOOOOVE my African vendors. ALL my vendors were African and my wedding turned out phenomenal (check it out at www.dotunsblog.com under Blessing and Francis wedding. A list of my vendors is available on the site as well). However, i must say that the issue of professionalism should not be regarded as cultural, but rather individual. It is left to an individual to decide how they want to approach their clients and their business. Having said that, i do understand that as an African, there is a certain decorum that is expected of a fellow African i.e. to be bubbly,a nd often loud; i guess in the aim of communicating to the client a kindred spirit.However,this i feel might lead to sometimes the vendor taking thing for granted, or vice-versa. I say all that to say that not all African vendors are unprofessional, they just need to find that sweet spot; the line between professionalism and unprofessionalism, that would not only attract the African customer, but would not run them away either. Not a sermon, lol just a thought!
Ok Memi, you hit a "HOT SPOT" today.Wow its like u know exactly whats on my mind. Well, I wanted to leave a quick comment but I will be back to comment fully on this. African vendors, I definitely want to hire when it comes to my wedding event however, where do you find "certain" vendors? Case in point, you only just featured Skratchaus stationary, before then, I didnt know about any African stationers except Ijorere Invitations and while their designs are beautiful, its just not my style. Also photographers, I only really know of a handful that do a fantastic job; Dotun, Tunji, Wale, Onada, Bedazzled and Fola. That's not a whole lot of folks and also depending on where you live, you may not be able to hire them. Then decor, please don't let me start on that. Outside of BCG Events, which other event designers/florists are out there that are African; PLEASE stand up. We want to know you, meet you and see your work. My bottomline is I definitely want African vendors, but where are the ones who really put out the quality of work that is commendable. Food for thought people ........ By the way I shall be back to see what folks have to say.
OMG!!! Personally, I really don't care about the silliness that comes out of people's mouth for not wanting to use an african vendor. Rather than judge a vendor but their ethnicity, I would rather look at the quality and efficiency of the work. Simply put, I let their work speak for them. What most african are trying to say when they complain about african vendors is that they don't want to pay for the professional and experienced. I love and will use any vendor, african or not, for as long as a they bring their A game and not their shoulda woulda couldu BS.
PS: love your threads Memi, keep them coming :)
Wow! Interesting stuff so far…….As an event planner, I think any person having an event should hire based on the competency of the vendor and not based on race and culture. Regardless of whom the vendor is, the decision should be based solely on the vendor’s ability to do the job professionally and of course other things like style and budget come into play as well.
Is there good reason why some people don’t like using African vendors/vendors in their culture? Yes. Are there vendors that have disappointed in the past? Yes, but remember disappointment is not exclusively with African vendors or vendors within your culture :) Most times, there are specific benefits that come with a vendor that understands your culture, traditions, and people. Truthfully a good event planner can learn about any culture but you can’t always say the same for the other vendors required for your event. So this is why some people decide to work with only vendors in their culture. Before you use any vendor, interview them, ask them the right questions, do some research on them from past clients and other vendors as well.
Another reason a few people don’t like using African vendors, is sometimes because they are looking for a vendor who is more established; this can either mean their years of experience or if they have an office location aside from their home. Again the question of focus should be about the quality of service/product being offered and their professionalism and not about anything else. Everyone starts out somewhere. It is also very important that you have a comfortable and open communication with your vendors, if you don’t like their costumers service or you feel uneasy at any point; that is never a good sign (just thought I will throw that in there).
I am an event planner, so I’m constantly involved with working with vendors for various clients, so they don’t have to worry about the fear of not selecting the right vendors. Once I have an idea of the clients vision, I go out sourcing for vendors that fit into their vision, both African and non-African vendors. I am not an advocate of using only African or non-African vendors; I am an advocate for selecting what professional vendors fit best into the entire plan for an event.
I think this is an interesting topic, but I strongly believe no vendor should ever be selected based on anything other than their professionalism and ability to do the work needed. You wouldn’t want to be judged by your own race or culture, so give all vendors the same level of respect. Okay I think I have made my point clear with one too many words :)
I look forward to other comments especially from people who are more inclined to work with a vendor outside of their culture.
Thanks Memi for the discussion and definitely this discussion did hit a spot.
I am a vendor myself of nigerian descent and I would stand up! And for those that know me I am MoaCreations. There are quite a lot of professional African Vendors out there and I believe you have to find the right vendor for you know matter what their ethnic or cultural affiliation might be.
Your vendor should be selected based on their professionalism, integrity, and track record. For those of us that know what we are doing our work does speak for itself and we pride ourselves with the work of our hands.
First real advice I would give to clients out there regardless of who your vendor is or what cultural/ethnic affiliation they belong too I say make sure you have a good chemistry with your vendors or believe me it could truly go down hill from there. However it is sad to see that when there isn't that chemistry between an African Vendor and the client it is most often associated with them being "African". I don't believe I have had the pleasure of hearing the same reference to other vendors out there that are of other cultures that are literally royal messes, and believe me there are royal messes out there.
Second real advice, which I face a lot in this business. Make sure your budget matches your vision for your event. I can't help but think sometimes that some of our clients of the same heritage contact you with the intention of "low balling" Show the same respect you would to other vendors. I have had clients that end up coming to me after they have signed contracts with mainstream florist who literally have overcharged them with horrible looking centerpieces, and are taken aback when they see the work I have done for other clients that are affiliated with them. My advice cover all your grounds don't select that vendor just because you think their ethnic/racial background qualifies them to do the best job.
Now I would like to share a personal story. When I got married I picked a vendor highly recommended by the top bridal website in the industry. The vendor happened to file for bankruptcy and literally thousands of brides were out pictures, videos and other products and believe me these were packages in the thousands. If I had picked one of my Nigerian Brothers that were photographers I can guarantee you I won't be sharing this story today. For me that was a lesson learned.
In a nutshell, there is a wave of the "NEW AFRICAN VENDOR" remember that the new African vendor today has a professional background and we conduct our business with the same level of integrity, intensity and professionalism.
I AM STANDING UP!
I think its an issue for both the vendors and the consumers.
Speaking from a vendors point of view- Most African vendors generally only cater to African consumers or gear their products towards only African consumers. But if we really look at the bridal world and all the famous bridal vendors out there we'd see that they cater to a wide array of consumers, not all Vera Wang's bride are Asian, C Louboutin doesnt make shoes for just French women so why should I gear my market to just African consumers because Im African? The only thing that should indicate to you that Im african is my name not my work.
Consumer: I refuse to hire or contract anyone to do anything for me based on the fact that theyre Nigerian/African, some vendors make you feel as if its their birthright to plan your wedding or do your make up because theyre from the same place I am, I need to see your work. You work should speak for you.
So my point is there is a great deal of very very very very talented men and women out there ready to be your fairy godmother or father and make all your dreams for your wedding a reality and they shouldnt be judged on their ethnicity but on the quality of their work and professionalism.
The vendors track record is very important. I do believe that as a Nigerian ,it's easier to deal with Nigerian vendors because they understand the culture but I should not be limited to selecting my vendors based on skin color.
Professionalism is an important aspect but it does not get the job done. I won't let a novice surgeon practice on me because he/she has great bedside manners. I need a lot more than that, but once in a while u take a chance on someone with a limited track record u feel has the potential to handle the job adequately and pray all goes well. I am all for supporting my own people, reaching out to them first and utilizing their services if I believe they can get the job done not because we come from the same village.
I think the issue isn't so much that they are "lazy, incompetent, etc," or whatever people claim they are, but moreso I believe the issues lies in the difficulty to set boundaries when dealing with fellow Africans. Because the culture is so family-based and centered around communal values, there is this expectation that when working with or using other Africans for services we are to "scratch each other's backs," so to speak. This leads to a decrease in professionalism especially because the vendors get a bit too comfortable. So a vendor who has the capability of being highly professional or may even have a great track-record of being such, especially when dealing with non-African clientele, is not so much when dealing with those with which they share the same culture. They do not intentionally provide you with crappy service, its just a product of the relationship.
There is no doubt that I will be using African vendors for most aspects of my wedding. To avoid the boundary conflict however, I plan to, and would recommend setting the standards of business at the outset. Practice your "no nonsense" attitude in the mirror if you have to. I would also recommend using only those vendors with whom you have no familial ties, unless you're really looking for a bargain and do not mind the manipulation that comes along with it.
Wow, wow, wow - what a topic...and so many responses! Nice. As one who loves events, or should I say successful, elegant, well-organized events, my eye is on quality. And the quality of your event is directly related to the quality of your vendors. I wouldn't sacrifice the quality of an event just to patronize an African vendor, however, my African vendors would always be my first preference. An African vendor that "gets it" and can deliver execute the dream, on-time and in budget, is a dream come true!! I'll always give "us" the edge because I like to encourage the immense talent we have at home first. And living in MD/DC/VA, there's truly no excuse, we have access to amazing African vendors that deliver superb products. They will always be my 1st choice, even though I wouldn't limit myself to only African vendors. In that same vein, I would encourage African vendors to expand past our consumer base as well. It's an open marketplace and quality always wins in my book!
I would love to use african vendors for any event but My experience
(and those of my friends) have been down right appalling.
A few of the issues I have had:
1. LATENESS- YOu can say you need a dress by a certain time and trust and believe that you will be getting it very late.
2. PRIDE I am Nigerian American so I understand that elders must be respected but some older vendors take things too far. THey do things their own way and not the the way I, the PAYING customer wants it.
3. DId I mention LATENESS <<< My biggest pepeeve lol
I know of a vendor who had a Facebook status " No sleep, 3 redbulls and I finally got these 3 dresses sewn" (paraphrased)
Im very sure that she had more than a few months to sew them but waited till the last minute.
Professionalism is Key!
I'm not going to deny that I have had a few great experience with african vendors but they were part of a younger generation.
Hi BCG Events, thank you for this post. I have read all the comments so far and I think everyone has a point. As I said before on the blog when I was planning my wedding I did not have access to African vendors so I hired all Americans and while they are good at what they do, it was a challenge explaining traditions and culture and why certain things had to be done a particular way.
In the same vein I think most of the comments are idealistic as opposed to realistic. @MikkiSoExtra you scratched the surface a bit. I had a friend who when planning her wedding vowed off Nigerian vendors because of 3 main things; professionalism, creativity and familiarism. She didn't want to deal with "unprofessionals" so to speak and she felt by dealing with Nigerians like herself the familiarism would cause unprofessionalism, a level of familiarity that may compromise the business relationship. Also she didn't feel that Nigerians were creative enough to execute the vision for her event. She stated she had checked out websites (whichever ones were available at the time) and she did not see anything that she felt comfortable with or excited about. Whether or not that was true I am not sure but I understood where she was coming from because I did not have access to Nigerian wedding professionals at the time. Anyhow she was happy with her event and as far as she is concerned, she would do it all over again.
Now that there is more exposure with Nigerian/African vendors, I am still not sure she would feel differently. As one of the anonymous commenters said I think there is also an inferiority complex amongst our people to where we feel anything we do is not as good as our Western counterparts. That could have more to do with our socialization and what we have been brought up to believe. I think this would change though, just look at the Nigerian music industry, before our music was mediocre compared to our Western counterparts, but now, with the advent of producers and song writers who wanted to see change, our music is all the rave. Even in Nigeria now, noone really listens to Western music anymore, and we are seeing more collaborations with their western counterparts.
I think the wedding industry would get there with the advent of the new magazines featuring our "own" people. I am sure their goal would be to showcase the talent present within our own comunity and highlight events that these vendors have done. In a few years we would probably have a plethera of African wedding professionals that anyone would feel comfortable hiring, not just because they are African but because they do excellent work and are professionals.
I JUST wanted to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, and an EXTRA THANK YOUUUU to all of the wonderful readers and for this great discussion!! This is EXACTLY what we were going for!!
Just some of my thoughts!
I agree that the familiarity thing is an issue that comes up often when dealing with vendors of the same nationality but that goes both ways! People have already asked me if I could get them a "discount" because I now work with BCG Events, LOL. Some people go to a consultation with a vendor and immediately expect a "special price" or some sort of "family-discount" simply b/c they are from the same place, but then they turn around and expect extreme professionalism. It goes both ways in my opinion. I agree with Bex, when dealing with vendors it's important to be very clear and upfront with what you want and be a PROFESSIONAL client in order to demand professional service.
My other comment is about the standard of work African vendors offer. I agree that there are not a LOT of superb African vendors. There isn't one on every corner which is understandable because this is NOT our native land, we are a minority here. So I am not trying to imply that there are African vendors everywhere you turn, because I'm very aware that they aren't. BUT I do know that in areas where I can find a superb African vendor I will do my best to use them. My MAIN reasoning for that is because I am an advocate of supporting your own. Other nationalities and cultures do it, why don't we?
Alot of the issues talked about here are not nationality specific. They are vendor specific, it is important to do thorough research on vendors before selecting them regardless of where they are from. I've heard horror stories of vendors from all nationalities...from lateness, no-shows, no pictures, un-professionalism, etc. So my main point is let's not just associate these negative traits with African vendors, the most important thing is to use your resources, ask around, and get references when choosing your vendors. It doesn't hurt to shop around when choosing vendors, go to multiple consultations with diff vendors if necessary. If you already chose one and you dont like the way things are flowing if they are never on time for meetings, or not responsive take those as warning signs. Pay attention to red flags and do NOT be afraid to run the other way! Remember your wedding day is YOUR day and you and your fiancee's happiness should reign supreme!!
Wow!!!! Lots of coments and everyone is talking about hiring African vendors as long as they are good, professsional etc. I agree with that but Anony 2 and Chi made very good assessments, that when these vendor do present themselves do we even give them a chance? Do we trust that these vendors are capable of doing what they say they would do and do we trust them with the "platinum" budget weddings? I would really like an honest answer to that question. I have seen beautiful Nigerian weddings here in the states and unfortunately do not seem to know any Nigerian vendor associated with the event. I find it hard to believe these couples could not find one Nigerian vendor to fulfill the vision for their event. Even the planners associated with the event are non African/Nigerian and I agree that this has more to do with the way we see ourselves as opposed to the vendors capabilities.
Memi, I agree with you, we need to start patronizing ourselves, other cultures do it, why can't we? No doubt there is that constant fear of would the vendor deliver, can they execute my vision etc. But then again that is why you do your research regardless of the vendor and where they are from. For me even if I hire David Tutera, I want him to understand my vision and assure me he can execute it. Another thing I think is because the States offers variety, and since we associate anything Western to equate better, we would rather hire an American before an African; its the status thing.
Well I hope it changes. I look at the weddings in Nigeria and wonder why folks can't have over the top weddings like that here in the States. I mean their decor looks incredible, makeup flawless, and these are ALL African vendors. Besides it is not cheaper over there. When my friend got mrried, my eyes about popped at just the quote for planning not to talk of decor. So, I am sure if they can afford to have weddings like that back home, it can be done here too.
Just my addditional 2 cents as promised. In the eantime, Memi thanks again for helping us to keep it real. Please bring more open forums like this to the blog and let's hear what people have to say. We love you boo!!!! Also MoA thnks for standing up, we appreciate you, keep doing your thing and forget all those low balling people, they are plentiful in our community and I pray God leads them away from your business. I would say other things but let me keep it lite on the blog today.
Excellent discussion.
Well to me it doesn't matter what vendors I pick, as long as they are excellent. My wedding was in Nigeria, so hey like I had a choice. I just had to make sure that all my vendors were excellent at what they do.
Also, we African vendors to have to put in more effort to making sure we offer the best in comparison to every other vendor. Sometimes clients can be turned off in the way we present ourselves and our business. So that being said, we have to keep moving up and looking for ways to improve daily, so we can be in competition with the current best, and by the grace of God exceed the standards of the "Best" out there.
Asides from that, brides need not downgrade the value of what we African vendors have to offer. Not because we are African, means I have to offer a ridiculous discount to my "sister - as per culture". We are just the same as any other vendor and the work we put into what to do is what the value and price we present.
HAHA!! Thanks so much Fola! I always look forward to your comments! I love you all too!! I will do a post this weekend and will ask the readers, what would they like to see discussed here? I will do my best to address any topics that people want to put out there! Sit tight for my requests post! Thanks again everyone for the GREAT dialogue!
Thanks Memi and everyone that has commented so far. It was awesome to read what everyone had to say and everyone touched on very important issues - professionalism, creativity and much more. I'll keep my post short because I agree with a lot that has been said already.
As a vendor myself, it is always a pleasure when I get referrals from other Nigerians. It goes to show me that they appreciate the quality of work that was done and they were happy working with me. They key thing is to make the client happy regardless of who they are Nigerian or not and that encompasses everything everyone has mentioned.
Thank you everyone for stopping by and leaving a comment. This was definitely one HOT TOPIC and we appreciate your comments and feedback. We would definitely have more forums like this on the blog.
Just to kind of wrap up the discussion and give a final word on whether or not to hire an African vendor, I believe clients should choose their vendors based on what the vendors abilities are as well as if you have good chemistry. I believe the familiarity thing is not specific to Africans, its just more common in our interactions. As a client when you meet a vendor especially if you are of the same naitionality, you don't have to get familiar immediately, if at all. 1stly make sure they can provide all the services that you need, based on your requests and that you have good chemistry. As the relationship develops, so will your rapport and maybe eventually familiarity. But just because a vendor is not immediately your "buddy" does not mean they can not perform. Also make sure you have vetted the vendor by checking out their website (if they have one), wedding directories, social network pages etc. Do not meet with them just because they are of the same nationality; it creates an immediate distrust of the vendor in your mind, especially when you have nothing to go by, as well as it makes you look unprepared to the vendor. Ask for referrals during your consultation if it makes you more comfortable; professional and clients, at least 3 each. During the consultation you can ask additional questions to help you clarify the vendors role and services for your event. Be careful though not to become confrontational,argumentative, or non forthcoming, because even as you are checking out the vendor for the right fit, so are they; checking out "you" the client to make sure they want to work with you. The key thing is to make sure you are comfortable and if you are not, keep it moving, find another vendor.
Secondly as a client be educated about the services you are requesting, as well as conduct a little research regarding fair market value for those services. Regardless of nationality if the vendor is truly comparable to other vendors on the market in the same category, then so will their pricing. It is a disservice to the vendor to expect cheap pricing and high end services just because you are of the same nationality or speak the same language. Moa Creations summed it up nicely "afford all your vendors the same courtesy". If you go into a consultation with an American not expecting a discount, do the same with your African vendor. Also there is nothing as disappointing as a client who comes into a consultation with incredible ideas and vision for their event, only to find out they don't have the budget to match it. In my experience these are the clients that actually never sign a contract and walk away feeling like they can get "better" or the "same thing" else where. They feel almost cheated and slightly offended at the notion that their ideas cost more than they are willing to spend and end up distrusting the vendor. So that even if they do get the same quote elsewhere, the chemistry is already ruined with the previous vendor and they basically have to go with a new vendor. Word of advice, present your budget and ideas and always be willing to compromise and negotiate. If the vendor truly wants to work on your event, they would work with you, given of course a reasonable budget and this is regardless of nationality.
Thirdly, Memi is right, it is not in all aspects and categories of wedding events that we find African vendors. Like wedding dreses, there are very few African wedding gown designers that we know of, most of the designers are Western designers, same thing with shoes. To focus and channel our resources in a market already saturated with numerous vendors may be a moot point. However targeting ourselves as Africans and recognizing there is a gap to be filled in the wedding industry when it comes to our wedding celebrations is why you are seeing the advent of the bridal magazines geared specifically to "us"; we are the niche market. And the same goes for the African vendor, we want to fill the gap within our communities and render our services to wedding events that allow us to showcase our talents and creativity. As we build up our wedding comunity, the proper recognition would come from ethnicities and cultures outside of our own, who would recognize the beauty of our events and would showcase them in their publications. Case in point, our music and fashion industry, even the 1st lady is rocking Duro Olowu designs(Chi I hear you). Some African wedding vendors are already feeling the love from "outside" like our photographers and stationers.
So in a nutshell, if you can go African/Nigerian please do, however remember some key things as you seek out your vendors Africans or not: Professionalism, ability, chemistry and do a little leg work of your own, research your ideas and the associated costs, communicate effectively what you desire and be honest about your budget, your vendors would appreciate this and should be able to work with you to give you a beautiful event.
This is a great topic that really needs to be discussed. Although am Nigerian i don't focus on labeling myself solely as a Nigerian photographer just so people understand my standards are just as high as any other photographer. There is a common perception that Nigerians lack customer service skills and professionalism and to some degree based on my personal experience i understand. There are some cases where some Nigerian vendors (not all) are soo unreliable & bad with service that it makes you wonder why bother hiring a Nigerian? but guess what no matter the nationality of a vendor there are some very bad ones out there. It's up to you to do your research and make sure whoever you are about to hire is on point and has great reviews.
I strongly advise that you do not group all Nigerians in one boat and see them as bad before even checking them out. There are some really honest ones out there.
People tend to shy away from some Nigerian vendors because majority have a difficult time differenting professionalism and familiarity. In addition, the prices we pay for these vendors sometimes cannot be negotiable. If the prices are reduced, don't expect to speak your mind freely. I know a photographer who is very unprofessional when it comes to picking up phones or returning calls. Sometimes late BUT is very sociable. I say evaluate ALL options and pick what fits your budget, fits your wedding plan(s) and can also make you sleep well at night
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