Weddings are supposed to be fun, relaxed, and full of love, which is why it’s ironic that they are often one of the most stressful life events a person can experience. Family drama, high costs, and unexpected obstacles can all throw a poor couple off course.
This is what happened to one bride whose wedding vendor was put in an induced coma due to health issues. Unfortunately, the bridal couple paid a $10k non-refundable deposit for their venue and don’t know if they will ever get it back.
More info: Reddit
Couples are bound to face some challenges when planning their wedding, but some obstacles can truly end up being daunting
Image credits: cole peters / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The poster explained that her best friend had hired a “one-stop shop” wedding vendor and paid them a $10k non-refundable deposit, but unfortunately, the person was put in a coma
Image credits: Stephen Andrews / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The wedding vendor who had been sick for a while never mentioned it to the bridal couple, but someone who knew her well let the bride and groom know what was going on
Image credits: Kaboompics.com / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The couple have no way of reaching out to the contractor, no other contact person's details, and can’t hire another wedding vendor due to the contract they signed
Image credits: fullservegaspump
The bridal couple don’t know what to do to recover their deposit and also have to find another wedding vendor before their nuptials in January
The poster’s friend is obviously in a panic, considering that she has no way of recovering her deposit and also has to figure out who to hire as their new wedding contractor. Even though the couple must be sympathetic toward the vendor’s plight, it must be terrifying to have to rethink their entire plans and finances from scratch.
To understand what to do in such complicated situations, Bored Panda reached out to Jasmine Norris. For over a decade, Jasmine has been providing couples with romantic and joyful images that they will love and treasure for generations, all while helping them have a stress-free wedding experience. She's an award-winning wedding photographer who has been featured in over 450 publications.
We asked Jasmine what people should keep in mind when choosing their wedding contractor. She said: “the biggest thing to keep in mind is how professional the vendor is and to listen to any red flags that you may have. The vendor should have great, solid reviews, have a contract in place that protects both of you, and have a contingency plan for the worst-case scenarios.”
“They should be receptive to all of your questions and concerns and not just brush them off. You should also make sure you are seeing the work that they are saying you should expect in their portfolios,” she added. In this particular case, it seems like the couple’s wedding contractor kept them in the dark about her health and also did not give them any other contact information to help them stay connected.
We asked Jasmine if she thinks this particular situation seems fishy or like a scam. She stated, “while I find it a bit odd that this vendor doesn't have an email to contact, I would hope that they aren't lying about being in a coma!”
“The couple should be able to confirm this or find out more through the friend who alerted them of the situation. Hopefully they will be able to get in contact with the assistant and be able to gather more information on what the next steps are,” she shared.
Image credits: Bich Tran / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The biggest problem the couple has is that there doesn’t seem to be a way of recovering their deposit. They signed a contract as well that states that they can’t hire another vendor without having to pay a big fine. So, whether they choose to forgo the deposit or find a new vendor, they could end up losing a lot of money.
Jasmine Norris explained that “if the worst-case scenario were to happen, you should first reference the contract to see what it says. You should then reach out to the vendor or their team and reference the contract to see how to move forward.”
“If all of that fails, moving to small claims court or hiring a lawyer would be the next step so that they can help you get your money back and help enforce the contract. The contract shouldn't just be in place to protect the vendor, it should also have terms and conditions that would protect you if the vendor failed to uphold their end,” she mentioned.
This situation is not ideal at all, either for the bride and groom or for the vendor. Especially during wedding planning, with emotions running high, it can be possible to make mistakes and follow through with the wrong decision. That’s why we asked Jasmine if she has any advice on how couples can ensure their vendor is reliable and professional.
She said: “I would recommend that every couple research each vendor and look at their reviews. If this is a vendor who may have worked a wedding of someone they know, reach out to them and get their referral and perspective on the person's service. They should make sure that there are points in the contract that would cover them in worst-case scenarios.”
“As an example, I'm a wedding photographer, and I bring along a full set of backup equipment in case something were to malfunction or break on the wedding day, I use a camera with dual memory cards to minimize card corruption. I immediately back up images after the wedding, and I have a full contingency plan in place.”
“[It] outlines exactly what would happen if I were to pass away or get into an accident where I couldn't photograph the wedding or complete my services with the couple. My husband, parents, and a trusted photographer friend all have access to this contingency plan that outlines the steps they'd take so they can make sure my couples are taken care of,” Jasmine explained.
It definitely seems like the wedding vendor failed to keep the couple in the loop, and they also dropped the ball on making sure they knew all the details about their contractor. The only option they seem to have now is to go to a small claims court to try and recover their deposit, so that they can still have enough money to go through with the wedding.
What would you do if you were in their situation?
Some netizens said that it’s best to contact a lawyer in situations like this, while a majority of the responses were in agreement that the bridal couple got scammed
