Posts Tagged ‘wedding vendors’

What to know about vendor wedding contracts

Recently, I met with a potential bride for my initial consultation for wedding coordinating. She pulled out her Ipad and showed me 38 questions she had for me. I was pretty impressed that she was being so thorough with her vendor selections. I spoke about all my services and what I had to offer and at the end I asked her if she had any additional questions. I had pretty much covered all her questions except for a few. So, after all the questions have been answered and you feel confident this vendor is a perfect fit for you what’s next? You’ll sign a contract. Your wedding is going to be one of the most important days of your life. It is very important that you pay great attention to all the legalities of all your wedding purchases…the contracts!

Tips

DSC_0149Make sure you get every business transaction in writing. This is very crucial! I had a bride, in the past, that hired a mariachi band for her ceremony and cocktail hour. I asked her for the contract so I could review it and she hadn’t signed one. They said they were good for it. WRONG! I insisted she get something in writing from them. They put together a vague one page sheet and guess what….they couldn’t do the ceremony at the last minute. It ended up working out after she said she wouldn’t use them at all if they didn’t come to the ceremony. However, their contract didn’t outline each and every location of service. She asked for a more detailed contract and could never get one from them. Be sure all specifics are laid out in the contract in writing! If they don’t offer you a contract then walk away!

Write everything down. This includes:

  •  When deposits and payments are made (write it at the top of the contracts to keep track of it).
  • When you arrange for a service (write down the name of the person you spoke to and the date along with the order plans). You would hate to be charged double!

wedding_vendor_contractRead the fine print. Inquire about additional fees they might be trying to sneak in. If you do not agree with them then ask that they be taken off. Most vendors will want your business and be open to this. Also be sure that all the details of their service and what was agreed upon is stated in the contract. I had a bride attend a bridal show and sign a lengthy & well drawn out contract that day so she would receive the show special, a free keg. The day of the wedding there was no keg and I asked where it was. They were not aware of the keg because they had failed to mention the show special on the contract and had forgotten it. They ended up running to the store and bought canned beer instead.

Don’t rush into signing a contract before you can take the time to thoroughly read it. Ask if you can take the contract home with you so you can review it at your leisure.

Just like the bride who came prepared with 38 questions for me, do the same with every vendor. Look online for, “Questions to ask your caterer, venue, cake vendor, etc.” You want to make sure the vendor you work with has experience, a good contract, shows professionalism and can answer your questions. Here’s a link to my Wedding Tools page on my website. If you have any additional questions about what to look for in your contract, contact Trudy Scott, Professional Wedding Consultant, 210-595-9263 or info@royaltyeventparties.com.

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Wedding Success-Choosing the Right Vendors

Whatever wedding style you are planning, big or small, chances are you will need to hire at least one, if not several vendors.  Whether its a florist, cake decorator, caterer or other specialist, hiring the right person for the job is so important.  It can relieve anxiety knowing you can count on things being done correctly. And, the right vendor,can take the hum drum to the fabulous, which what you want, right?

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For nearly all wedding vendors the greatest compliment they can receive is word of mouth recommendation.  That having been said be sure to ask your trusted family and friends who they used and if they would be happy to use them again.  You’ll gain a lot of knowledge this way as people love to share their experiences.

After asking around though, you’ll be much happier if you do the rest of your homework.  When you actually contact a potential vendor there is additional information you need to get before you decide to contract with them.  Here’s a partial list of things to ask:

  1. References!  Do they have some reviews on line to read?
  2. Can you see photos of previous events they have worked with?
  3. Be clear about the charges.  Are their services provided in the area of your wedding or will there be extra travel charges added on? If a deposit for services is made what arrangement is there to finish paying for services?
  4. When do their services actually start? and end? Does what they do involve any cleanup and do they provide this?
  5. This is probably THE most important tip:  Get it all in WRITING.  Don’t rely on a verbal agreement.  We are all forgetful in such a busy time.  This tip can save you hours of grief.

There is no question that to plan a wonderful time for you and your guests takes work and planning but it can all be done and still be an enjoyable time.  Here in the San Antonio area, Royal Events Parties, is here to help you coordinate all the steps and make your special day one you will have fond memories of forever.  Please give us a call at 210-595-WAND or email us at info@royaltyeventparties.com and let’s talk about your wedding.