Deposit Timeline For Destination Weddings

shannonfarnham

We are planning a destination wedding for Summer of 2014.  Our wedding planner wants $4,000 by the time she reserves in January 2013. Any advice on standard timelines to pay the deposits, etc?

KellyBrian2013

We paid deposits immediately upon booking our vendors, whether it was a year and half in advance or six months in advance. Most vendors won't consider themselves booked for your wedding without a deposit.

QueerFemme

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_deposit-timeline-for-destination-weddings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:e8e67804-65ab-4cfc-98d4-707dee111bdfPost:d820b705-74a3-44c5-abfd-b97fcccabf4f">Deposit Timeline For Destination Weddings</a>:
[QUOTE]We are planning a destination wedding for Summer of 2014.  Our wedding planner wants $4,000 by the time she reserves in January 2013. Any advice on standard timelines to pay the deposits, etc?
Posted by shannonfarnham[/QUOTE]

$4000.00 seems high for a deposit for a wedding planner, but I guess it depends on what is included.  Does the wedding planner come with the venue? It is all inclusive, etc.?   What percentage of the total bill is the $4K?   

It seems like a lot, and very early, but you also probably don't get to secure your date without paying the deposit.      I probably would negotiate no more than 1/3 down that early to secure the date, and maybe another 1/3 six months out.

yoshijo

My venue requires a certain timeline. We booked in march and they required 1000. Then in may they required 1500. In august another 1500. In march of next yr 40 percent of balance is due. Then the balance ia due a few days before our june wedding

lyndausvi

It's depends on the venue. as far $4,000 ? If your wedding is projected to be $5k it would be a lot. But if you are planning a $20k wedding that is 20% which seems reasonable to me.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

We put 25% down on our venue when we booked 11 months out, then paid another 25% 6 months before our date, with the final payment due about 2 weeks before the wedding (when final numbers were in - the venue included bar, staff, catering, valet parking, etc). I'm assuming you're going through this coordinator who is booking the whole thing and/or she works for the venue?