For ours: Reception venue: deposit up front, full payment day after Photographer: deposit up front, some payment when proofs received, full payment when album received Florist: deposit up front, full payment day of Cake: deposit up front, full payment day of
Reception venue: Half upfront, full payment 14 days before, with a refund/extra payment the week after if necessary (ie, we consumed more wine/orange juice than we estimated, or we didn't drink as much as we estimated. We got money back)
Photographer: Half upfront, half when we got the CD.
Florist: Full payment upfront
Cake: Full payment + Deposit for cake stands (which we got refunded when we returned them) upfront.
I agree with serene_lotus19 that every venue is different.. With that I give you this. . .
Reception venue: $1800 deposit to book date. $1800 due 6 months before date and then the rest due by cashiers check 3 days before the wedding. They were also ok if we came in every month and made a payment towards our final payment. This might be something you can work out with your venue. :) Florist: full payment due the week before wedding Photographer: $700 deposit to book date, $700 due when proofs are picked up (about 4-6 weeks after wedding) and the rest of the payment due when album is ordered (this depended on what album you chose.) reverend: $700 donationdue the day of wedding
EDIT: I thought I'd mention that our Cake was included in our package at our reception and a family friend DJ'ed for us, so that's why those aren't on here.
Actually, all the vendors I'm dealing with (and most that I've talked to) require final payment by the day of the wedding at the latest. If you can find a vendor who doesn't require final payment until the service is completed, that's great, but just realize that those who do require final payment upfront have good reasons.
Venue package (includes ceremony and reception locations, catering, chairs, tables, linens...): deposit to secure the date, monthly payments with the balance being due 2 weeks before the wedding Photographer: 1/3 deposit to secure the date, 1/3 three months before the wedding, 1/3 two weeks before the wedding Florist: 1/2 deposit to secure the date, balance due three weeks before the wedding DJ: I believe it's 1/2 deposit to secure the date, balance due the day of the wedding Makeup Artist: 1/2 deposit to secure the date, balance due the day of the wedding
Yes, this is true for us too. The only exception is the venue, where we will pay in full prior to the day based on the estimate, and then settle up within the few days after depending on actual alcohol consumption.
As people have said. Every vendor is different. When interviewing a potential vendor, it's important to ask them what their payment schedule is. In my experience, most vendors will get payment in full prior to the day.
For me: Reception - 1/3 to book, 1/3 due 3 months before the wedding, remainder due 14 days prior to the wedding.
Cake, photographer, and DJ - 1/2 to book, 1/2 due 14 days prior to the wedding
For our reception, we had to pay a $1000 deposit the day we signed the contract. We owe the full amount of the minimum person guarantee (75 people) 3 days before the event, in cash or bank check. I imagine we reconcile the extra guests after the fact.
All of our vendors, aside from our photographer, required full payment 2 weeks before the event.
All of them took deposits ranging from $450-$2,000 They all worked out payment plans for us.
We did not have the option of getting any money back from our reception venue/caterer depending on how many people showed.
Our photographer took most of the payment before the day. The rest when we picked up our proofs. We pay the final portion (we did photo and video with the same person) when pick up or dvds.
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For ours:
Reception venue: deposit up front, full payment day after
Photographer: deposit up front, some payment when proofs received, full payment when album received
Florist: deposit up front, full payment day of
Cake: deposit up front, full payment day of
It just depends, you'll have to ask.
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Reception venue: Half upfront, full payment 14 days before, with a refund/extra payment the week after if necessary (ie, we consumed more wine/orange juice than we estimated, or we didn't drink as much as we estimated. We got money back)
Photographer: Half upfront, half when we got the CD.
Florist: Full payment upfront
Cake: Full payment + Deposit for cake stands (which we got refunded when we returned them) upfront.
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Reception venue: $1800 deposit to book date. $1800 due 6 months before date and then the rest due by cashiers check 3 days before the wedding. They were also ok if we came in every month and made a payment towards our final payment. This might be something you can work out with your venue. :)
Florist: full payment due the week before wedding
Photographer: $700 deposit to book date, $700 due when proofs are picked up (about 4-6 weeks after wedding) and the rest of the payment due when album is ordered (this depended on what album you chose.)
reverend: $700 donationdue the day of wedding
EDIT: I thought I'd mention that our Cake was included in our package at our reception and a family friend DJ'ed for us, so that's why those aren't on here.
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Venue package (includes ceremony and reception locations, catering, chairs, tables, linens...): deposit to secure the date, monthly payments with the balance being due 2 weeks before the wedding
Photographer: 1/3 deposit to secure the date, 1/3 three months before the wedding, 1/3 two weeks before the wedding
Florist: 1/2 deposit to secure the date, balance due three weeks before the wedding
DJ: I believe it's 1/2 deposit to secure the date, balance due the day of the wedding
Makeup Artist: 1/2 deposit to secure the date, balance due the day of the wedding
that's all I can think of right now
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For me:
Reception - 1/3 to book, 1/3 due 3 months before the wedding, remainder due 14 days prior to the wedding.
Cake, photographer, and DJ - 1/2 to book, 1/2 due 14 days prior to the wedding
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All of them took deposits ranging from $450-$2,000
They all worked out payment plans for us.
We did not have the option of getting any money back from our reception venue/caterer depending on how many people showed.
Our photographer took most of the payment before the day. The rest when we picked up our proofs. We pay the final portion (we did photo and video with the same person) when pick up or dvds.
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