The Best Ways to Resolve Overcharging or Poor Service
Unfortunately, not every wedding vendor experience will be wonderful. If you feel that you’ve been overcharged for services, or short-changed on what was promised, take the right steps toward compensation.
Most important, have everything written down in the contract, and have copies. “Never pay cash unless it’s necessary,” says Danielle Bobish of Curtain Up Events in New York City. “Have copies of your checks or credit card payments,” she says. “In addition, you should always save emails. The more you have written down, the better.”
Bobish says that saving correspondence and receipts has many benefits, for you and vendors. “Vendors are human, and do forget things,” she says. “If you have documentation of the services promised, you can remind them in case they’ve forgotten something. It doesn’t mean that you don’t trust the people you’ve hired; it just makes good sense.”
If your vendor fails to deliver on services, always try to resolve the issue before, or on the day of, your wedding. “If your hairstylist leaves before all the women have been styled, you need to take her aside and point out that you had a guarantee of all the girls,” says Bobish. Should diplomacy fail, contact them immediately after your wedding, and be polite in letting them know what mistakes were made. “Be firm but reasonable,” says Bobish. “When you present things in a nice way there’s a better chance that you can resolve the issue.”
On those rare occasions where you tell the vendor about being overcharged, show her a copy of the contract, and she still ignores you, you will have to threaten legal action. However, another route to try before it gets to that stage is contacting other vendors, especially anyone who recommended the company’s services. “No one wants bad word of mouth,” says Bobish. “If a vendor fails to deliver, they know they’re not going to get a good recommendation.” Your wedding might be a big affair but the world of vendors is a very small town.
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