Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Planning Tip: Consider the Economy, Cover Your Bases!

This past week, I was hunting down a special rental item as a surprise for Chris to have at our wedding (unfortunately, I can't tell you what it is because he reads this blog!) But anyway, in my search, a thought came to mind. What if I pay for this, and the company goes under before my wedding day? This particular rental place is a small business, after all.

When planning a wedding, think of how many vendors you actually work with. Event planners. Photographers. Florists. Caterers. Transportation companies. Reception venues. Musicians. The list goes on and on. That's a lot of contracts you will be signing and a lot of deposits you will be paying. And will these businesses all be fortunate enough to withstand current economic situations? Hopefully the answer is yes. But nothing is ever certain.

When you begin booking, ask the following questions...

- Will I receive my deposit back if the product or service becomes unavailable?
- Will I receive the full refund if everything has already been paid?
- Is it stated in the contract that a refund will be issued in the event the company cannot provide the product or service?
- How will I be able to contact this company and receive promised refunds if they close?
- Is there another business I can use as a back up plan if this company can no longer provide the product or service?
- What are the chances I will be able to book with this new company on short notice? (If your back up plan books far enough in advanced, you may want to create a list of several other places you can call, just to be safe)

Not everyone may be able to guarantee you exactly what you want. Different places will have different policies. But finding out this sort of information ahead of time and protecting yourself is well worth asking these types of questions!

~ Jillian