What happens when vendors don't show up?

My photographer and DJ have back ups, my limo doesn't, but we can drive ourselves, if we absolutely have to. My ceremony musicians are my family, so they better come!

If the caterer doesn't show (which I've confirmed TWICE so they better lol) there is a pizza hut up the road . If the DJ doesn't show, I'll have my laptop and I don't know anyone who couldn't just bring their ipod. The photographer & officiant are both family and if they don't show...I'll disown them lmao.

I'm almost positive I asked my photographer and DJ about this, but will have to check my contract. Honestly, we've been engaged for 2 years. We met and selected all of our vendors in 2010 and I haven't looked at the contracts since! Need to check this out!!

Thanks for this post!

Hello Ladies!!! Congratulations to every one of you!!!

I have heard of the stories like that, therefore sometimes its worth to find a wedding planner who can ensure that it wont happen. I work with all the budgets and try to do the best with it but my brides have a piece of mind that every vendor is contracted and have contractual obligations. I would never refer any of my brides if i heard something like that. But if god forbid something happens I go in a back up and photograph the event

Does any one have any recommendations on how to deal with a no-show vendor after the fact? My hair and make-up girl didnt show (but her assistant did, and she really stepped up) - but we had contracted for 2 people. Because of the issues, I not have no photos with my mother and we missed all of cocktail hour, which we had paid extra to extend to spend time with our out of town guests. Ultimately, we ended the day married, so it was a success, but it was a pretty big disappointment as it was the thing we were most looking forward to. She texted me the morning of and said she was an hour late, but we never heard from her again! Almsot a week later (I decided to sleep on it a bit) and I havent heard a thing - no email, text, "im sorry" - NOTHING! Any help you ladies could offer would be much appreciated...

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Even while you're keeping vendors to a minimum, still issues can surface.. I too am doing the minimum for both convenience, cost and otherwise confirmation with commitment with fair and trusted payment / deposit for services .. you dont merely pay a fee unless you have confidence in that vendor to do what you need done on a monumental event in your life.. the point is what happens should a vendor/friend/dj blows you off with an excuse .. regardless if it is legitimate or not.. it cant be excused when it's your wedding day.. by that point it's way way way too late to get someone else to back up the music you must have for your wedding day. so my point is what remedy do you have should this become an issue whereby the person you hired for some off the wall reason cannot do the job ? what do you do at that point? especially if it's now the 11th hour and you are out of luck with another avenue to provide the services you should have and paid for for your once in a life time wedding date? What say you on that scenario.. I am anticipating that services I paid for in good faith come through for my upcoming wedding.. and oh my God if something falls through the cracks.. i'm going to be so horribly affected.

We have made sure when booking our vendors that they come with a plan B. Our venue has a plan B in case we get rained out from the outside wedding, and they handle food and cake so they have their backups there. Our Dj comes with two backup DJs on stand by. And all the photographers we have talked to come with a backup standing by just in case. It's been our thing with vendors cause plan B is just as important as plan a. As well as what is your pendamic policy.