How to protect your budget from wedding vendor problems

(InvestigateTV) — Planning a wedding is one of the most exciting times in a couple’s life, but it can also be one of the most expensive, and couples working on tight timelines are often hiring vendors they have never met, sometimes entirely online.

Josh Planos, a spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau, said that dynamic can leave couples vulnerable to problems.

“For a lot of folks, this might be the first time that they’re going through this situation,” Planos said. “And so they are working with people that they have never met before, oftentimes — contracts that are agreed to in a matter of minutes online or on Instagram. That lends itself to a lot of difficulty.”

Planos said the BBB has heard from couples who ran into a range of wedding vendor issues, including photographers who did not show up or did not deliver photos, along with concerns about paying large deposits before services are provided.

“Just like we would encourage folks not to pay an all-in deposit for a kitchen remodel, we encourage you not to pay an all-in deposit for a wedding venue,” Planos said.

Planos recommends researching vendors through more than one source, asking for references, and getting key details in writing, including the payment schedule, cancellation policy and what happens if a vendor cannot deliver. He said this due diligence is especially important when planning a destination wedding or booking a vendor who cannot be met in person.

“Insurance is your friend in a lot of those cases,” Planos said. “Work through a proven vendor. If that website looks legitimate, that’s great, but you want to make sure you’re at least having a conversation with a human being before you agree to spend that amount of money on that type of an experience.”

When confirming dress sizes, orders should specify new merchandise sized to fit the bride and bridesmaids, and shops should be explicitly reminded of the alteration schedule. Couples should also be cautious of peer-to-peer online sales offering designer gowns at prices that seem too good to be true, since those items can often be counterfeit.