What if...?

Sue them? ?

To be honest i'd be mad but most can be avoided

i will taste the food before purchasing

If i didn't like the flowers i'd change them

if the photo's were crap, most guests have camera's i'd take a look at their snaps

If the flowers didn't turn up very angry conversation with florist !!

Don't fret as long as you marry OH that's all that's important in the grand scheme of things x

Sure AJ will come along - think a family member of his had this and apparently they went to the shop and loudly demanded a refund (I think after the wedding day).

If my flowers are awful - i'd honestly be happy to go without them.

If my photo's were terrible I would be devastated.

If the foods awful, I wouldn't have any issues complaining about it on the day.

If things don't turn up - our insurance covers us for reimbursement of the payment and for the costs of re-taking of pics if necessary.

Oh no I dont like thinking about things like that! Most suppliers we've got we feel we are getting quality and can trust them which gives us reassurance, the only thing we've taken a gamble on is the florist who is very cheap, but we did that because we werent overly fussed on flowers anyway, as long as our bouquets are alright thats the main thing! Have total confidence in our photographer. The food would be awful if that was bad though, I love my food. Oh no you've got me worrying now. We have got wedding insurance though which is a bit of peace of mind.

My take is that you avoid any suppliers whom you think are less than 100% professional.

Florists are pretty easy to find a reliable one.

But photographers, yes there are lots of horror stories around and I personally know of people who've been affected and recieved unusably bad photos. In every case though if you look into it, people have booked cheap / part time / starting out photographers. Even when people have paid a lot for a photographer, if you visit that photographers website, its obvious that they are not a professional.

Caters, again you really have to go with people you trust. Most caterers will make a trial meal for the two of you to try.

You can of course get you own insurance, which will cover the likes of people such as florists, photographers and caterers not turning up, and would probably cover you in the event of a meal being totally ruined because the food gets burnt or something. But it won't cover you if the food is simply a bit dry or something.

More importanty the insurance WILL NOT cover you for poor photos, especially if you've not booked a truely professional full time photographer, with an outstanding body of previour work. They will just argue that he was an amateur and you got what you paid for.

Also very importantly any pro suppliers you hire will have their own insurance and also as important backup equipment.

It is well known for example that pro photographers carry pro gear and have multiple backups in case anything fails. Where as with an amateur he'l probably have a normal camera, read not as durable' and have no backup camera. Therefore the potential for failure is much greater.

And even with caterers I would expect them to have backup equipment, or at least a backup plan.

I hope that helps, it really is about being sensible and just going with people you trust, not those with the cheapest quote.

I'm sure everything will be fine, but read your own wedding insurance (if you haven't already got it then do consider it seriously). All your suppliers should have their own insurance to cover themselves for public liability - if they don't then don't use them! Get recommendations from people you trust, and bear in mind that the cheapest may not be the best value at the end of the day.

Good luck x

Yes absolutely, we are being careful with everyone, I just had a fear after hearing my friend's tale! The bride and groom had met with everyone, had complete confidence etc then fell into a catalogue of disasters that made me start wondering... I guess that is what contracts and wedding insurance is for though!

I worry about this from time to time and even had a nightmare the other night about the wedding, but tbh the food and flowers would have to be dire for the guests to notice. If the flowers were wrong only I would know so would carry on as usual after letting them know on the day and then go crazy the next day. As for the photos you wouldn't know until after the event so can't stress about the unknown but can certainly deal with it afterwards ? The guests are usually none the wiser when there are *** ups unless we bring it to their attention as all the finer details are personal to us who plan the whole day. I would use your last meeting with suppliers prior to the wedding to ensure they know exactly what is required by you so hopefully no room for error.

It was my b2b's sisters wedding, we had no end of problems with the shop promising delivery and it never coming in, so with 3 weeks left to go we went into the shop like a mob from an old Wild West movie and told them we wanted a refund, and we wanted it now. We got it within a week. Three months later the shop went under (https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/8637700.brides-devastated-by-closure-of-wedding-shops-bella-sposa-in-epsom-and-infinita-in-caterham/) which I'm not sure is a coincidence if their service to us was as poor to everyone else as it was to us.

At the end of the day, although many may disagree, the most important thing is that you and your partner end up married, if the venue burns down, the dog throws up on your dress in the morning, the photographer goes down with dysentry half way through the morning, the band end up at the wrong venue and give someone else a free party, NONE OF IT MATTERS as long as you have a registrar, a licensed venue and two witnesses..

Insurance has already been touched on, make sure your photographer also has insurance.

They MUST have Professional Indemnity and Public Liability.

Professional Indemnity covers certain eventualities and means that you can get your money back. Public Liability is to cover things like damage to the venue, you or your guests falling over the photographers camera bag because he/she left it in a stupid place.

I've been in this industry 20 years and too have heard some horror stories. Make sure your photographer carries the two forms of insurance above.

Mark

Im goping to get a bit soppy but i think as im so close, ive stoped fretting!

at the end of the day, if you and your OH say your vows and declare your love for one another in front of your closest family and friends, will you notice or remember that a flower is wilting ot there are lumps in the gravy?!

ok that was way to soppy for me......make sure there is plenty of booze, then you wont care or remember! ?