Before you sign on the dotted line, there are a few things that you definitely need to clarify with you vendor!  There are the basics, such as checking price and availability, but there are sometimes some other details hidden within that fine print that a vendor will intentionally not mention to you and hope that you do not catch.  Below are some rules on what you need to do prior to sending the wedding vendor contract to ensure that you are getting the best quality service available:

Shop Around

Don’t settle on the first vendor that you meet up with, no matter how wonderful their services seem to be.  If you have allowed more than enough time to research vendors prior to your wedding day, then you have time to come back to this vendor and try booking them again.

Talking to other vendors will not only open your eyes to what options are available to you, but it will also give you an idea of what you really want for your wedding.  It will also allow you the opportunity to check into different price points based on services offered, so you will be able to find the best deal available.

Read the Contract

Even if your vendor gives you what they call “the run down” of what’s written in the fine print, smile and tell them that you would like to read it over anyways.  If they give you a hard time, you already know that something’s up.  Read the contract thoroughly, and if you have any questions about things that you may be unclear on or unsure of, then by all means ask questions.  If you would like any wording changed into more plain English so you and the vendor are sure that you are both not misunderstanding something, by all means ask for it to be changed.  Make sure that you witness the vendor change it on his or her copy of the contract and change it on yours as well.

TIP: If the contract is several pages long, by all means ask to take it home to read.  Again, if a vendor is pressuring you to sign on the dotted line right then and there without allowing you the time to fully understand it, there’s a good chance that this isn’t a quality vendor who is worth your hard earned money.

No Verbal Contracts

Remember to write down everything and make sure that everything is included in a contract if it is agreed upon. This means not agreeing to things verbally only; otherwise you may not get what you expect on your wedding day.  You will also not be able to hold anything against them if it is not in writing.

The Deposit

The deposit is typically where brides and grooms stop and say, “Uhh, wait a minute here…”  Most deposits are non-refundable, and can be several hundred if not several thousands of dollars.  Before you lay down that deposit, you want to make sure that this vendor is the vendor you want to stick with.