Stipulations in vendor contracts

[MikkiStreak]

Curious ladies---- When you get your contracts from your vendors (photographer, room block contracts, venues, etc...), I know things are defined that specify what the couple's responsibility is, in order for the vendor to be covered in case something changes with the couple. (Example: Cancellation penaties, deposits, etc...)

And I know the contracts state what the vendor is responsible for. Example: venue space, delivery dates, products, etc...

But is there anything in your contracts to protect you if the vendor doesn't meet the expectation? If you were promised something in the contract by x date and it doesn't happen, are you guys stating specific consequences for the vendor?

I bring this up because I've seen posts from brides who booked their weddings and then found out the resort was booked to capacity and the guests would be moved elsewhere (costing the couple more money), and I've seen brides whose weddings were moved to different locations on the property than what they had agreed to with the resort, and I've seen photographers not deliver on the timelines they gave to the couple, etc...

So what in your contracts addresses this, in order to protect you?

[cheese_diva]

I don't have a contract with any of my vendors.. even with Maye it's just a pricing sheet. I'm curious about the other girls.

[Can'tHardlyWait]

We just finally signed a contract for the room block with our hotel. Long story short, it took over 3 months because FI's parents are paying for 2 nights stay for all our guests. Our biggest concern was having the rooms that our guests booked available to them when they arrive (ie, guest books a king room but only a double bed is available) because our hotel is known for its crappy check-in service.

Anyway, after weeks of negotiations, we couldn't get them to guarantee the rooms. However, we were able to negotiate that a week before the wedding, the hotel would review its occupancy for my weekend with FI so that we can try to confirm all our guest's rooms are correct. It's not exactl what we wanted, but its something.

We did do better with other parts of the contract. For example, privacy was really important to us so it is in our contract that the hotel places security guards around the ceremony area to prevent random beach people from getting in our pictures. Also, they took out the clause that gave them the right to move our wedding to another location. The only way the wedding is happening anywhere else is if it rains. However, we don't have any actual penalty for it - it would just be a breach of contract and I would sue the crap out of them!

I know there is other stuff I can't think of right now, but if it comes to me Ill write some more :)

[robindepaula]

I highly recommend eveyone have a contract with all their vendors - it protects both parties involved.