Wedding contracts are there to protect you and the supplier. You’ll likely be signing a few, so to avoid big confusion, take your time reading and understanding each contract.
What is a good contract?
All wedding contracts need to pass this key test: if you showed it to a third party, would they be able to understand immediately what you and the supplier agreed upon? If not, if there’s any room for doubt, then the contract doesn’t pass the test. Here’s a few pointers…
1. Take your time before you sign – Make sure you’ve read through it carefully.
2. Agree on flexibility and amendments – you must agree on a deadline for any amendments, this is only fair to the supplier. For example, a wedding cake takes days to make. Your flowers may have to be ordered weeks ahead. If you change your mind too close to the wedding date, there may simply not be enough time to deliver the service. So, agree on the latest date you can make amendments.
3. Don’t leave any clauses unfinished – Any clause that states ‘to be determined’ should be resolved by a certain date.
Photo from Elizabeth & Nigel’s real wedding by David Maury Photography
What wedding contracts should include
Wedding date and location
All money information – methods of payment; amounts of deposits, due dates for deposits and any refund rules, final date by which the full payment must be made. If there are other people paying for things, they need to sign the contract too.
Emergency plans – this would apply to suppliers who work solo. Who will step in in case of their absence?
Delivery dates of everything – when does it need to be made and delivered by?
All people involved – refer to everyone by their full name (including yourself).
Detailed description of services – Include the exact amount of hours, starting and ending times, whether a meal will be provided.
All extras and inclusions promised to you – any freebies should be noted.
Substitutions – your specific secondary options for things that may become unavailable for example, yellow tulips become unavailable, you’ll accept yellow roses.
Dates by which you can change your mind and cancellations – you must see things from a supplier’s point of view. Suppliers ask for reasonable cancellation deadlines because they need time to find a new booking to replace yours. That isn’t always easy. Make sure this date is clearly stated in the contract.
Get your own copy of the contract – you must have a copy of all wedding contracts you sign.
Photo from Elizabeth & Nigel’s real wedding by David Maury Photography
Main photo from Jane & Frank’s real wedding by Memories Photography by Magda
