Recently, I was having this discussion with my friend about wedding scams. Luckily, I never encountered that during my wedding planning, but unfortunately she did.
How it all happend?
In the last month of her planning, the venue coordinator told her that their chairs were too big to fit 12 people per table. The coordinator suggested that she get Chivari chairs which were skinnier and could fit the amount of people she wanted per table. Her and her bridesmaids did some online research and found someone that could provide the chairs at a reasonable cost. The booking was done through over the phone/emailing and with no contract. Later on during the month, less people RSVP'd for the wedding and she was in no need of the Chivari chairs anymore. She tried to call the vendor to cancel but there was no response. In the end, she couldn't get a hold of this vendor and has never received any money back. They've been writing letters, researching the company through the Better Business Bureau, and trying to figure out ways to get a hold of this vendor scammer. As of now, the wedding scam saga still continues with my friends. Hopefully this article will help you to avoid all of this madness to happen on your wedding day.
Why weddings are an easy target:
As a bride, you're dealing with A LOT of things on your plate. It's easy to just say yes to a vendor without doing the proper research and background check. Plus, if you're not familiar with weddings (which is for most brides), it's easy to get misled by vendors that may be scamming you. Furthermore, after you get hitched, most brides don't want to deal with anything that is wedding related anymore. If you know that you've been scammed after your wedding, it's going to be a big headache. Sometimes lawyers, judges, lots of angry phone calls, emails, or writing letters is going to be involved. Not only that, but it takes time to do this (sometimes more then a year). Some people may think it's not even worth their time and efforts to catch these scammers because you're just tired. That's how they get you.
How to avoid wedding scammers:
1. Start with referrals
This could be from friends, family members, or your wedding coordinator. If you know that someone has worked with a vendor, that is the best option. Not only do you know that they are legitimate, but they have seen their work before.
2. Make sure to get a contract
In your contract may sure they include details about cancellation (you canceling and what happens if THEY cancel as well), pricing, specific services your vendor is offering you, and delivery dates. When talking to your vendor, ALWAYS ask what happens if they can't show up.
3. Using Credit Cards
If all possible, try to use your credit card to pay your vendor. Obviously, not everyone does this, but it's a lot more safe then writing a check. Credit cards offer a lot of added protection to your purchases.
4. Face to face contact
It does help to see a face behind the curtain. I wouldn't rely on going to a website, yelp, or craigslist and trusting that the vendor is legitimate. Anyone can make a website, yelp page, yelp reviews, and post something on craigslist. With all of my vendors, I made sure that I met with them in person. It gives you more confidence after meeting them and you want to make sure they're real. Of course, this is not a 100% guarantee they are legitimate. That's why it's important to do all of these tips and maybe more to avoid the scams.
5. Check Better Business Bureau
If you randomly found a vendor online, you can check the
BBB for their background. They also have some great articles on wedding scams that you can look up as well.
6. Go with your gut
Lastly, if you know something fishy is going on, trust your instincts. It's better to be safe then sorry. Don't feel bad for your vendors because at the end of the day it's your money.
Anyone else have any other good tips? Leave a love note!
