During the planning of your wedding you will come to realize just how many different people have to flawlessly come together the day of. Choosing vendors that you can trust and ensuring that your contracts with each vendor cover every possible circumstance is crucial.
The Basics:
Start and End Times
For vendors providing a service the day of your event, including the venue itself, ensure that your contract stipulates when vendor(s) will arrive, when services will begin, and when vendor(s) need to leave. Clearly each vendor will differ by their duties, but ensure you know when everything will be taking place and that it is stipulated in your contract.
Location
Ensure that you and your vendors know when and where all services will be provided. In terms of goods, such as your wedding cake and floral arrangements, it is essential that who, what, and when are included in your contract regarding the transportation of goods to your venue. Take every measure to avoid day-of panic due to not specifying who was supposed to transport your cake to the venue.
Payment Due Dates
Most vendors will not expect immediate payment upon booking or purchase, so the matter of when payment is expected is essential to stipulate and keep track of. Without a contract specifying how much is due and when it’s due, you have no legal protections from a vendor canceling your services due to lack of payment. A wedding coordinator can often help keep track of these payment due dates, but it is good practice to keep all due dates in a central location.
What Ifs:
Reschedule Policy
Life happens. You or your fiancé getting sick, severe weather, or family tragedy may cause you to reschedule your wedding. What happens to the money already paid and the services you’ve booked must be stipulated in your contract to protect you from unnecessary costs. Often, these policies will include a last day to reschedule and their terms regarding the change of date or location.
Cancellation Policy
Heaven forbid, you need to cancel your wedding or a particular service. Whether you are canceling with all of your vendors or changing vendors after booking, it is absolutely essential that you know what it will cost you to cancel with each vendor at varying times. Make sure to take note of the last day to cancel without penalty for each of your vendors.
Day-of Vendors
Regarding performers, your wedding coordinator, your makeup artist, or even your officiant: what happens if they are unable to attend the day of your wedding? Before signing your contract with day-of vendors, ensure that the contract stipulates who’s responsible for last-minute issues if something prevents your vendor from being at your wedding and related terms. Your vendors should be able to provide a contractual back-up plan to protect you from any day-of absences.
Don’t forget to coordinate all day-of concerns, ask the “what if” questions, and keep all terms of the arrangement with your vendor in your contract. Keep a folder, physical or digital, with all your vendor contracts to ensure you have access to the original copies. Last, but not least, entrust someone else to work with your vendors the day of your wedding. A wedding coordinator helps keep your wedding day joyful and organized, handling the messy bits with vendors while you focus on making memories with your guests.
Cheers,
Content Manager | Administrative Services Specialist
Josealyn Pontius
Cue The Champagne Event Planning and Design Chattanooga Tennessee’s Premier
Wedding Planning and Event Studio Owned by Chattanooga Wedding Planner and Wedding Coordinator Shaun M.Teague
Cue the Champagne Event Planning + Design offers Wedding Day Event Management Services formerly known as Day of Wedding Coordination, Full Service Wedding Planning Services, Chattanooga Wedding Flowers, Elopement Planning and Event Design Services for all your Social and Corporate Events. Cue The Champagne Event Planning and Design also offer Chattanooga Wedding Flowers for your wedding and event planning needs.
Cue The Champagne Event Planning + Design caters to Weddings and Events in Chattanooga Tennessee and Atlanta, Georgia Wedding locations and Worldwide.
