I always thought that Dave Chappelle’s “Ask A ….” segments were hilarious on his show.  The answers were brutally honest, witty and poignant (at times! 🙂 ).  So I thought about some questions that I know brides ask (mostly to other brides in the form of complaints) and will address them here.

Why are so many deposits non-refundable? 

Well, let’s look at it from a numerical point of view. There are 52 Saturdays in the year.  A majority of the weddings we take on occur on this day and a majority of us (wedding vendors) have a policy to devote one wedding to each weekend.  When you select us for your wedding, we have to take that date, and the day before and after off of our calendar.  When another prospective calls and inquires for that date, we have to turn them down.  If you cancel, this is our way to recoup some of the money lost for turning down previous work.  Additionally, it could also include any pre-wedding work done on your behalf (to include consultations, photograph sessions, communications, designing, etc.).  This is why you should  always read over your contract and make sure you understand the terms of the agreement:  make sure it has a payment schedule, cancellation and/or breach clauses.  Even if you cancel and are willing to forfeit the initial deposit or retainer, you may still owe the vendor additional money depending on when you cancel or breach the contract.

Why do vendors ask for more money later in the game?

I’ve never seen a good vendor change their price after the contract or ask for money later without a legitimate reason.  You do have  a lot of brides who demand much more out of their vendors than they have contracted for. It is only fair for you to either upgrade or scale back your wishes. For example, if you have secured a day of coordinator, you need to understand that a majority of the work will be done the day of the wedding.  Depending on your coordinator and the type of services she provides, you may be limited in your pre-wedding communications and consultations.  What does that mean?  If you want vendor contacts, extra consultations, design ideas, contract negotiations, be prepared to pay for it. 

Is wedding planning really like on the shows?

Well, yes and no.  Just like Bridezillas represent a small demog of the bridal population, so does such shows as Whose Wedding Is It Anyway.  It is edited and cultivated for your entertainment.  A lot of the drama is perpetuated for no other reason than to make it seem larger than life.  But on the flipside, some personalities are exactly like what you see on T.V.– brash, bold, dramatic, creative and narcissitic.  It’s T.V. and real life 🙂