This is a big question among brides, grooms, and parents planning a wedding. How do you know you can trust your wedding vendors? The heat gets even more intense as you start to pull out the checkbook. The vendor is sitting across the table, smiling, telling you how awesome their product or service is…
… how do you know they won’t take your money and run?
The ultimate answer is – you don’t. You can’t control what a person does anymore than your boss can control whether or not you show up to work tomorrow. Instead, what you do have control over, is the series of agreements that are put in place between you and the vendor. A.k.a – a strong contract.
The contract is mission critical to dealing with any vendor. From the tuxedo vendor, to the caterer, to the photographer – make sure there is a contract in place, and make sure it lists contingencies in various situations.
Perfect example – recently, there was a severe hailstorm in Maryland Heights, MO. The hail was roughly the size of oranges and grapefruit (huge!), and it demolished cars, windows, and roofing. Several businesses in the Maryland Heights area had to close for repairs. One such business was a restaurant where one of our couples were having their reception. This was four weeks prior to their wedding.
It could have been a total disaster – the couple could have been scrambling to find a new location for their reception less than a month out. However, because they had a strong contract with the reception location, it was in the terms of the agreement that if the reception location could not hold the event for the couple, the restaurant would find another location for them. The couple worked with the owner of the restaurant, and they were able to find another suitable location the week after the hail storm.
While you are dealing with vendors, don’t be afraid of the contracts. Read them – thoroughly. Make sure your understand each of the items.
And more importantly, don’t be afraid to ask if certain sections can be changed. The vendor designs contracts to be all encompassing such that they can apply to any customer, but if you have specific needs or slightly different requests, ask if the contract can be revised to accommodate. Most of the time, the vendor will agree and make the changes. Remember – the goal of the agreement is to protect both of you, not just to be a shield for the vendor.
P.S. If you come across a vendor who is hesitant to put everything down on paper – book with someone else!