It never happened if it is not in writing. Your wedding planning should result in many written contracts to protect yourself. Smart people planning their weddings make sure the details are in writing. Your wedding planning journey is incomplete without written contracts for everything from your reception venue, photographer, wedding cake, and more.
It is not enough to like the vendor you meet, and it doesn't matter if you like them. It is insignificant is it is a reputable company. Unless you have binding, written, and signed contract, it never happened. Just think of all the hard work you put in could be wasted without written proof to protect you. Keep in mind that a written contract not only protects the consumer, it also protects the vendor. It is good for everyone.
There are so many details that have to be done for your wedding that it is impossible to keep it all in your head. You may have all the details you want in your written notes, but those details must find their way to the official written contract. You may show up for your reception only to find that the room is not available for another 3-hours, because there was a scheduling conflict. To make it worse, when you look in your contract the time of your reception is not noted. Because you allowed such an important detail to be omitted from the contract you are not protected. You may learn that the chef decided to substitute lobster with shrimp.
The details above are only a couple of examples to show you how important it is to include details in your contract. Never assume anything, include it in the contract. Even if you think it is trivial to worry about such details, include it all in the contract to protect yourself.
Getting a written contract is worthless unless you fully understand it. That means you have to carefully read it. You may ask a wedding planner or an attorney to go over it with you to make sure you are not missing anything important. Don't allow anyone to pressure you into signing any contract before reading it. If you are being pressured to sign on the spot, it is time to walk.
