Once you’ve fallen in love with your favourite vendor it’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all you forget to read the fine print. There are many ‘hidden” costs that every couple should watch out for before you sign on the dotted line. Sometimes, it comes down to asking the right questions or better yet, have your wedding planner review the contracts so nothing gets missed.
Here are a few to watch out for:
1. Delivery charges – some vendors will charge a delivery fee if your wedding is outside their service area, usually an hr. or more. How much should this cost? A reasonable way determine is the charges are fair would be the number of individuals required to deliver the item (hourly rate), plus mileage.
2. Set up and tear down – this is almost always charged by the decorator and sometimes the venue. While you are paying for the cost of the item, it does take time to style the space. Once the celebrations are over someone has to then remove everything in the wee hours of the morning most times, especially if the venue has another event the next day.
3. Overtime – this particularly applies to photographers, videographers, and even wedding planners. This is why it’s super important follow the wedding day timeline. I spoke to a photographer who explained it this way – the longer I stay, the more I shoot and the more images to edit. From a wedding planner’s perspective, I really would like to stay until the end of your wedding, sometimes for my own piece of mind. This of course comes at a higher price point; on your wedding day I am working 12-14 hrs. Staying until the end of the evening guarantees that someone is there until the last guest leaves and the last item is stored away.
These are just a few of the hidden costs to watch out for, of course there are many more. Feel free to contact me for a free initial meeting, bring your questions, we’ve got answers.
Happy Planning!
xogs.
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