cancelled wedding and deposits?

shaca

My cousin was due to get married here (she's from England) in June. 6 weeks ago she got very bad news about her Mum and was told the chances are she wouldn't be here for her wedding so she cancelled everything here and organised her wedding in England. (there is no way her Mum could have travelled here) Due to the situation the hotel, florist, band, DJ, priest, car hire were very sympathetic and understanding and had no problem returning deposits. The photographer has point blank refused. Now I understand contracts and all that but to me it's about good business. My family has used this photographer in the past and would have used her in the future but not now. She has probably, in the long run, lost more than the deposit was worth. The church singer was paid by cheque first but sent an email saying that she doesn't take cheques and wanted cash instead. She doesn't have a contract with her but has emails that they exchanged.

I'm just wondering if she is wasting her time following up on this.

Oh and she got married 4 weeks after they got the news about her Mum (can't imagne organising a wedding in 4 weeks :eek: ) and they all had a lovely day.

sweetie

I would say that the photographer is well within her rights. She may have turned away other work since and have nothing now for that date. Depending on the contracts some of the suppliers could legally demand full payment. People have to pay their bills.

Fionn

Absolutely correct - the photographer is well within her rights, however it's possible that she's already losing business by keeping the deposit. When word gets around, and it will! that she appeared unsympathetic in dealing with this it may effect future work.

as an aside I use this clause in any agreement that i have with people;
'In the event of the wedding being cancelled due to serious injuries, illness or death to the Bride Groom, or their immediate families this agreement will be deemed null and void. Likewise circumstance occurring to me or anyone in my employee will cause this agreement to be null and void. Either party may invoke this clause up to 7 days prior to the wedding and extending to such a time that the wedding would have been concluded.'
If it's not in any contract/agreement your undertaking, it might be an idea to insist on something like that when dealing with venders.

shaca

Thanks for the replies guys. I did actually tell her the same thing but I think now that the wedding is out of the way and the reality of her Mums illness is setting in she is looking for something to focus her attention on. I will pass on the replies from here so she knows she's done all she can. Thanks again:)

Gatica

Sorry about the wedding and family problems your cousin is having, OP.

I'd recommend anyone spending sums of money on a wedding to have wedding insurance once they start putting down deposits, as it covers extreme circumstances such as this one. A bit late for your cousin I know, but hopefully will save someone else's hard earned cash.

tatli_lokma

Fionn wrote: »

'In the event of the wedding being cancelled due to serious injuries, illness or death to the Bride Groom, or their immediate families this agreement will be deemed null and void. Likewise circumstance occurring to me or anyone in my employee will cause this agreement to be null and void. Either party may invoke this clause up to 7 days prior to the wedding and extending to such a time that the wedding would have been concluded.'

That is a very reasonable clause to include in your contracts and fair play. It would be nice if more vendors did this. I assume that in a case where you think this is being used dishonestly, you would ask for some confirmation of the illness or death. That would not be unreasonable - I know that many companies will refund on the instance of a death in the family upon proof of the death in the form of the death cert.

(Just on an aside, it should read "occuring to me or anyone in my employ" not in my employee )

Fionn

oops - typo
well spotted, yes I think if you treat people the right way generally it serves you in good stead.
If someone would go to the lengths of lying about death or serious injury/illness, well you know, I think i'd be better off refunding and not having anything to link them to me.

dmm82

Does anyone know how likely hotels etc are to refund deposits if the wedding is not for a year and a half or so?

clint_silver

dmm82 wrote: »

Does anyone know how likely hotels etc are to refund deposits if the wedding is not for a year and a half or so?

not likely in my experience, as stated many times theyre a business and could have turned away other weddings because they have your deposit for the night so if you cancel they lose business.

Your only hope is if
1. They get another wedding for that night but youre going to be waiting on that and even then youre waiting on them to come to you with it. Ring up every few weeks and see did they get anyone else.

2. Depending on situation, go to them and plead cicrumstances for a refund but expect a no and hope for a yes here.

Hit weddings online and advertise that date as free for the hotel. you may get lucky.

pooch90

clint_silver wrote: »

Hit weddings online and advertise that date as free for the hotel. you may get lucky.

Definitely do this.

Queen-Mise

The photographer may be 'entitled' to keep the deposit but it is damn bad business practice especially considering the circumstances of the cancellation.

The photographer may think it is ok, as the person is in England, but forgetting that all of her family are in Ireland, and the Irish talk.

Tell your cousin to try again.