Get
It In Writing!
May 21, 2009
When
hiring wedding vendors I can't begin to stress this strongly
enough, get a contract. Everyone from the baker, the butcher,
and the candlestick maker, should give you a contract. A
contract must be signed, dated and have a complete and detailed
description, including number of personnel to be provided,
the date and time of arrival of the services and product(s)
you have contracted for and a breakdown of all fees-with
the total cost and the payment policy clearly stated. A
receipt alone is not a contract, all it does is show you
have paid a certain amount of money for a service or product.
If you are told your receipt is the contract then you need
to make sure it has all the information a contract alone
would have along with the amount paid.
I
don't care how long the business has been around or how
long you've known the owner or staff; it doesn't matter
if it's a relative, a best friend or a friend of a friend
of a friend. If you can't get the Who, What, Where, When
and How Much in writing, turn around and walk the other
way. Any reputable wedding vendor, including the officiant,
will provide a contract.
A
signed contract is your only guarantee that the vendor understands
and has agreed to provide exactly what you want and when
you want it at the price stated. Should anything go wrong,
that little piece of paper can save you a lot of money.
I
hope you caught the part that says "what you want"
because that little phrase makes it your responsibility
to communicate and define what is in your head to the vendor.
Wedding vendors are not mind readers and it is not their
responsibility to make an accurate guess of what you want.
The vendor is there to offer you choices, provide different
scenarios or describe what has been successful in the past
but the ultimate responsibility for the decision is yours.
Know
your budget for that area of your wedding before you speak
to the vendor and, for crying out loud, tell the vendor
what your budget is. The vendor will have no problem telling
you if your budget is not within their price range. So often
the bride or brides' family wants to impress the vendor
and is embarrassed about the amount they have to spend.
If a wedding professional talks down to you, tries to intimidate
you or tries to push you into a corner to get what they
want, walk away. There are others out there who want your
business and will do their best to please you.
Now
that you have a contract, read it! Once you sign the contract
it is a done deal. If you change your mind and want to cancel,
you will probably lose your deposit and may also be charged
a cancellation fee. If you sign a contract which is a legally
binding agreement for both parties and things have been
left out or not what you agreed to, tough, it is too late
to complain. I have a line in my contract that states "Under
no circumstances are peppermint M & M's allowed in or
around the premises." Well there are no peppermint
M & M's but the point is, if the couple doesn't ask
about the peppermint M & M's I have a pretty good idea
they haven't read the contract and I will go over it with
them.
Just
remember, get a contract. Read the contract. Keep the contract
on file. Enjoy !
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