Something I see happen far too often, is when people are let down by their Ireland wedding photographer or general wedding supplier at the very last minute. This is of course horribly bad form and my heart goes out to the couple dealing with this situation! The big question comes immediately to mind though is, what does your contract say?
Believe it or not, a lot of times the couple wasn’t given a contract to sign!
As I’ve said before, I’m definitely not an expert but here are a few points about why you should always have a contract with your photographer and ANY supplier you hire for your wedding! While a contract won’t stop people from being no-shows, cancelling last minute, or even not delivering your photos – it does go a long way to protect you and lists all of the important information you need.
Contracts protect both you and the supplier.
First and foremost, a contract is there to protect you the client and the wedding supplier in question. At its very basic level, it should list what you’ve booked, for when, where, and for how much.
The small print.
Deposits, booking fees, remaining balance, refunds. These should all be covered within your contract. Is your deposit non-refundable? (Most are!) When do you need to pay the final balance? Your contract should absolutely cover all of these details, including what should happen if cancellations occur or a no-show happens.
Refunds.
Following on from the last point, know what you can expect from a refund – if you can expect anything at all. Most contracts will detail their refund and cancellation policies. This is different for each vendor, but most detail exactly what happens in terms of the refund should you cancel and if the vendor has to cancel. Be sure to read this thoroughly and make sure all of the information is clear to you.
Does every vendor supply a contract?
An agreement of services (or a contract) should always be issued by suppliers. This includes your Ireland wedding photographer, band, venue, videogrpaher, cake maker, singer, florist, etc. With that in mind, it won’t necessarily be a 10 page written contract. For example, when purchasing a dress you will be issued a receipt. Some vendors will consider email correspondence to be your written agreement, though this is rare.
If in doubt, always ask and if for any rason you are not 100% happy, then follow your gut and do not book. It is a lot easier to shop around now than to rush into hiring a supplier and then be let down at the last minute with no leg to stand on.
I hope this helped those of you who were unsure about what to expect when hiring a wedding supplier. Don’t be afraid to ask why there isn’t a contract in place for a service. Most professionals will have no issue with you asking questions!
If you’re on the search for an Ireland wedding photographer, I’d love to chat with you! And yes, I have a contract for every couple that I photograph. 😉 Simply email me at info@silkephotography.com and I’ll be in touch soon!
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