Vendor payments when?!?

HoneyBunny678

You all have been so helpful with my other questions, and I wasn’t sure where to post this one so I decided this board would be best. Hope that’s okay. We have been setting up contracts with all our vendors (wedding is 10-2-10) and most have a payment schedule which my groom is not comfortable with. So I thought I’d check on here to see how normal it was. Almost all our vendors want their final payment to be prior to the wedding day. He understands paying for the head count at the venue but he worries that the Limousine company, the DJ, and the Photographer – all who want final payment in the weeks prior to our wedding may not show up on the day of unless they have a “horse in the race” as he puts it. Since we got good deals on each I don’t want us to have to start our search for them again so I thought I’d check here – is it normal for the vendors to get paid in full prior to the wedding day? Thanks!

Danes983

We have to pay the reception hall in full before. Along with the flowers.

DJ I pay 2/3 before and the last 1/3 the day of.  The photographer I pay 2/3 and the last 1/3 when I pick up the albums.

I dont have a limo company but I feel you should be able to pay him the last 1/3 as he picks you up.  In a sep envelope from his tip.

hollyberry88

My venue and DJ need to be paid in full 2 week prior to the wedding.  Limo, I can put on a credit card 30 days out or pay them cash the day of.  My photog. has us paying 2/3 by the day of the wedding, the balance when we pick up the photos.  Same with our video guy.  So...overall, yes that is the norm for them to demand payment before the wedding. 

And you do have things you can do if one of the companies do not show.  One...you come on here and state as much.  2...you can go to the BBB and report them for a breach in contract.

Who are you using?  Generally the vendors who are suggested on here have a very good rep.

cherylanddan0706

I paid final payments, to DJ, Photog, Guitarist all day of.

Video was 1/4 on booking, 1/4 day of, 1/2 after i receive the video.

Florist I payed in like a week prior.

melissa82

If you are contracting reputable vendors (those with good reviews from past brides and favorable ratings with the BBB, etc.), you should not be worried they won't show. They are not going to ruin their businesses' reputation over a few thousand dollars or even less.

Every vendor is different, but yes many require payment beforehand or on the day of. There were a few vendors that I was scheduled to pay day of, but since they accepted credit cards I paid beforehand so I wouldn't have to worry about it (knowing that if something happened I could dispute it later).

If you're not comfortable with it, I would give your reasons to the vendor and see if they are willing to make some changes to their payment schedule to work with you. Most vendors wouldn't want to lose business over something like that.

Lolyalyssa

Reception Venue paid in full prior to wedding.

Photographer 50% paid at booking and rest 15 days after wedding.

DJ will be paid in full.

Limo will be reserved on a credit card and will pay cash day of.

Florist paid in full because they need to buy the flowers.

akmackay

We are paying everything before, or final payment day of (which I want to avoid). I don't think it's uncommon. If you are worrying about if they will show up, I think that says a lot about who you booked. Or maybe your FI is just a worry ward :-) I am not worried in the least b/c of reasons others gave (they won't ruin their reputation, others have recommended them etc).

uppereastgirl

Our only vendors who got their last payment at or after the wedding were our videographer and our reception venue (which is not their normal arrangement, but the person who does the accounting was out of the office the week before our wedding so they said they'd just bill us after).

I actually preferred it that way -- one less thing to worry about on the day of.  Everyone showed up and did a good job.  If you're booking vendors you trust and who have good reputations, I wouldn't worry too much about it.  And if not, I would maybe look harder for trustworthy/reputable vendors?  If your photographer doesn't show up the day of I guess it is nice that you didn't lose 100% of your contract price, but you nevertheless have no photographer and lose any payments you had already made.  

Laurms15

DOC 1/2 down 1/2 1 month prior
Flowers 1/2 down 1/2 2 months prior
Rentals right before
Linens 1 month prior
Photo/video 1/2 at 6months (I think) final 1/2 1 month prior
Catering 1/4 at signing, 1/4 at 6mo or 3mo, 1/4 at 3mo or right before, 1/4 right before or right after
Limo 1/3 down payment rest when he picks us up
Band down payment + final payment day of

So as you can see most everthing is advance payment flowers and catering need to purchase their materials in advance and other vendors dont' want to take a chance on showing up and not being paid. Those who we have to pay day of require cash or cashiers check so they are guaranteed the check won't bounce.

NJMom050911

We are paying everything before the wedding to avoid having to worry about extra envelopes on the day of. Most of our vendors want final payment between 5-20 days before the wedding. As pp stated if you're using reputable vendors you do not need to worry about them showing up.

clarereedy

Reception Hall - final payment 2 weeks prior
DJ - final payment day of the wedding
Videographer - final payment when I get my video
Photographer - 1/3 before, 1/3 day of, 1/3 when we get pictures
Florist - final payment week before wedding