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Contracts: A MUST
Have!
By
Megan Mercer
Last Update:
October 16, 2005
Welcome to your new
job as the CEO of your wedding. As the bride-to-be
you must become a contractor, negotiator, designer, and
financial planner all at once.
Here
are a few things that any business savvy bride should
know before hiring any wedding professionals...
1. Get a separate,
signed contract from each and every wedding professional
you
hire.
Whether you are hiring
a full-time professional caterer or having
a friend of a friend supply the food, the most important
thing to
keep in mind is to treat everything as a business arrangement. It
may seem unnecessary at the time, but it will prevent
any confusion later on.
2. Get everything in writing, down to the smallest
detail.
Don't expect a service
that isn't included in the contract, even if the vendor
"promises" it to you with the best of intentions. Vendors
are only human. They deal with hundreds of brides and
grooms, so it is easy to forget or make mistakes.
3. Every wedding
contract should minimally include the following:
-
Vendor's
name and all contact information
- Bride and groom's names and all contact information
- Wedding consultant's name and contact information,
if app.
-
Complete list of services to be provided
- Complete list of dates,
times and locations in which vendor will
perform said services
-
Description of hours, breaks, and overtime, if applicable
-
Appropriate attire for the vendor, if applicable
- Delivery date, times, and locations,
if applicable
-
Amount of deposit, date paid and method of payment
-
Future
payments, dates, late fees and acceptable methods of payment
-
Cancellation,
grace period
and refund
policies
-
Last
date to
make changes
to services,
provide final
guest count,
etc...
- Bride and/or groom's signature
- Vendor's signature
- Date the contract is signed
4. Don't be too eager to
sign. Read the fine print.
We understand the excitement
when you finally find that perfect wedding professional/location,
but don’t
be quick to sign on the dotted line. Take a moment
to read
the fine print on every contract before you even
think about signing it. Also be aware of any cancellation
policies and fees. You may also want to negotiate
a grace period to cancel just in case something happens
and the wedding is postponed or cancelled. You can
never be too careful!
5. Credit cards are the best method of payment.
You may be wondering how
you should be paying for all of your wedding day expenses.
Never pay cash for deposits or other service payments.
If
you pay with a check, make a copy before handing it
over. Your best bet is to use a credit card whenever
possible.
Finally
no matter how you pay, never hand over any money without a signed contract
in return!
