WRITTEN BY JULIANNE CUOMO, DIRECTOR OF CELEBRATIONS.

Your wedding day vision may be full of pretty Pinterest inspired images, but it should also include the calm confidence that you have solid contracts backing you up. The entire scope of services is the most important part of any wedding contract because this is where each vendor specifies what it is you will actually be getting for your money. Contracts control your money, and they control the products and services you will receive on your wedding day. Here are the basics you will need to know in order to confidently handle all your wedding contracts.

Know all the details in your wedding contracts before signing.

PLAN AHEAD

Prior to meeting with any vendor, it is important to have an idea of what you want and what they offer. Make a plan for how you will negotiate your contract ahead of time. It might be easier to send a pre-meeting email laying out the topics you want to discuss which demonstrates your preparedness and leaves you more time to discuss the specifics of each service.

Research on your own before meeting with a wedding coordinator.

SPECIFICITY IS THE KEY

It is imperative both you and your vendors understand the specifics and define terms if you need to.  You may have had perfect meetings with each vendor and believe they will fulfill your every request but if it is not in writing, how can they possibly remember the details?  If it’s not in writing, what recourse will you have if something should be disputed? Every contract should be clear enough that an outsider can read and understand what was agreed upon.

Talk about all details of your wedding contract with the vendor.

IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, ASK QUESTIONS!

If there is a particular clause in your vendor’s contract which you are not clear on, just ask them to explain it to you! Any professional vendor should be more than happy to explain the terms of their service contract. This may seem obvious, but you must read and understand everything before signing on the dotted line. It is important not to get caught up in the excitement of wedding day bliss and overlook or misunderstand something that might turn your big day into a nightmare.

Ask your vendor questions to make sure you understand everything completely.

KNOW YOUR PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The initial deposit is in exchange for your vendor’s commitment to hold open their availability for your particular wedding day. You must be aware of subsequent payment dates and ensure you are capable of compensating your vendors for services rendered in order to receive the exact services you agreed upon. It may be wise to make any wedding day transactions with a major credit card so if an issue should arise with a particular vendor post payment, you have the weight of your credit card company to help you dispute the charge.

Keep track of all your wedding payments.

If you are interested in setting up a meeting to discuss your big day at Golden Ocala please contact me at 352.402.4376. For more wedding tips and trends visit our wedding blog.