Planning a wedding can be a lot of fun, but it’s more than just picking the coolest-looking things or even just the stuff that fits in your budget. While this may be common sense to most folks, there’s a lot of money involved in planning an event of this size, and it’s important to know that the vendors you’re dealing with are reliable and will deliver what they’ve promised.
Not all vendors are created equal, so it’s important to get a contract for each vendor so that all parties are protected and know exactly what’s involved. As you can imagine, it’s also extremely important to read contracts before you sign them for each individual vendor, but the reality is that many times it will be very hard (read: boring) for you to read each contract thoroughly (and you sign them anyway).
Sometimes contracts can be confusing and hard to understand and some of them may even try to hide the truth as well. Regardless, it’s important that you take the time to read each one thoroughly before signing on the dotted line.
Understand the terms of each agreement
When you sign a contract, you automatically agree to its content. So, if you sign blindly, you may have agreed to terms that aren’t acceptable to you. Did you pay for one photographer or two? Were those real candles or fake? Did that vendor say they would be there for the whole day or just a specific amount of time? Were specific details included, or will you be responsible for those yourself? That’s why reading the contract is a crucial step in working with every vendor, and it can indeed help you a lot in the long term.
Avoid any legal issues
Once you’ve signed the contract, you can end up with legal issues if you break some of the terms, and the terms may be more than you bargained for. Some contracts for example may specify how you use your wedding photographs or what happens if payments aren’t made at a specific time. You may end up with various legal problems, and that’s obviously a situation that you want to avoid as much as possible. Working with a professional and letting them check the contract before you sign any paperwork can be extremely helpful in the end.
Look for hidden costs
Some contracts created by wedding vendors may be very vague. These can leave room for interpretation and that vagueness will most likely not be in your favor. If you want to avoid any such exploits, make sure that you read the contract adequately or have a professional check it for any issues.
Not reading a contract can be a costly mistake
Lawyer rates and fees can be very high, and you may need to hire a lawyer if you don’t respect the terms of a contract. So, it’s a much better idea to avoid any potentially costly mistakes and read through each contract and only agree to terms that you are willing to deal with.
As you can see, it’s important to not only get a contract, but to read it thoroughly before signing. This is the best way to avoid conflicts with vendors, and in the end, it can offer you the protection and safety you need. After all, the last thing you want is to deal with for your wedding is legal trouble, so reading the contract before you sign it is a crucial step. If reading contracts isn’t your thing, be sure to hire a professional who will assist you. The Capable Bride offers contract reviews with all of it’s planning packages. Contact us today if you need assistance.