OMs - when did you pay everyone?

Mine are all different but tog is 6 weeks before, venue 3 months before and florist 2 weeks before.

We get married in 7 weeks and have paid for everything already apart from the band who want paying on the night and the TOG who wants paying on delivery of the album - about 2 months after.

The main reason for this is that is we didn't pay suppliers when we had the money we would no doubt spend it on something else - plus my H2B hates owning money. Last night i even paid my beautician for the appointments leading up to the wedding again just so we know it is paid and I'm not thinking about last minute trips to the cash machine!

Hmm the only one I know of for sure is the venue which is 6 weeks before. Florist is already paid, and dress will be paid for when we collect it about 4 weeks before. But not heard from TOG or caterer or others as to what we can expect regarding settling up. I assume they will all send reminders when it gets a bit nearer! I don't want OH or me to have to worry about paying anyone on the day.

Ive got a week and 1 day to go and everyone is paid bar the dj/band and the bar costs....

We paid our venue 6 weeks before.

The florist was 4 weeks before.

Cake lady was the day I collected it.

Hair and make up on the day

Band the week before

Chair covers 4 weeks before

Photographer on the day.

I think our venue is 6 weeks before and obviously i final bill will be sent afterwards for any extras (if we need more booze for example)

Our Tog is 2 weeks before.

We pay our venue in full, florist and for our chair covers, table & room decs etc - 4 weeks before.

TOG - 8 weeks before.

Registrar, mens suits - 12 weeks before.

My dress when it comes in - around 12 weeks before.

Our DJ is included in our venue package so no extra cost.

I havent decided what im doing about hair and make up yet so that may be on the day.

We have only been able to pay the deposits on our balances as our wedding insurance will not cover us for any amount paid before it is due! So its been saved in our savings account for now, im dreading handing it all over and seeing the balance go down!

We paid everything before the wedding apart from the DJ who was paid on the night BUT........

We had our bill from the venue about 6 weeks AFTER our day!!

This is usually stated in the contract. If it's not, then I'd get in touch to find out, as they may not send reminders.

Ours varied between suppliers. For our May wedding, we paid deposits as and when (maybe 10% of total cost), a chunk equating to about 40% of our budget in February and then 30% in the April. We also had a few things to pay in cash so the remaining 20% was paid within the week of our wedding and on the day itself.

I almost cried when I transferred the 40% chunk ?

This is what I have so far...

Venue needs half the amount remaining 16 weeks before and the final amount 2 weeks before.

Dress - 3 months before.

Registrar - 8 weeks before

TOG & Chair Covers - 4 weeks before

Car - 2 weeks before

Don't know when my DJ or Florist want paying yet. Neither have taken a deposit ?

TOG 1 month before

Caterer 6 weeks before

Florist 1 week before

Chair covers 1 month before

Venue 4 months before

Registrar 3 months before

Cake lady on day

MUA/hairdresser on day

For us, the DJ wants money on the day, the florist will send invoice after the wedding (as may change due to which flowers they get in and use) but all the rest want paying the final balance a month before

The venue was 50% 6 weeks before then the rest on the day (we paid the day before when we dropped the cake off)

The florist, day before, that was when we got the flowers as it was a sunday wedding so got them close of play Sunday in a cool box.

Make up and hair, on the day

Wedding singer, on the day

Photograher, 3 weeks before

Cars, 4 weeks before, but we paid in full on booking so 1 year before, this was our first full purchase!

Thanks all, this is helpful and reminds me to go back over all our Ts and Cs with our suppliers.

For those people who had to pay suppliers on the day, such as singers/make up etc, did you have to make sure you had cash, or did you have cheques to deal with it?

Bigger suppliers usually want payment in advance, togs, discos, venues, caterers want money down because if a couple cancels it's a big hit with little chance of finding alternative work. (and people really do cancel).

Smaller suppliers like hair, makeup usually take payment on the day because usually it's cash. This is also another reason why larger suppliers take payment on the day because it's usually cleared funds (cash).

I ask for payment 2 months in advance. I don't like asking a couple for money on their wedding day. Owed or not it doesn't feel right to do so.