Your wedding is going to be one of the happiest days of your life, mostly because you've been wildly stressed for months planning it and now the panic is over and the party has begun! Before you settle into the excitement take the necessary steps the make sure that your wedding isn't a legal nightmare.
Keep A Copy Of Every Contract
Regardless of how small the cost is for the vendor, keep a physical and digital copy of each contract that you've signed pertaining to your wedding. If something goes wrong at the last minute and everything needs to be rescheduled or cancelled then having a copy of the contract you previously agreed to will give you a clear understanding of agreed costs/emergency contingency plans/cancellation deadlines
Read Before You Sign
Don't make the careless mistake of scribbling your signature on any piece of paper without giving it a proper read-through first. Legally binding contracts are not something to joke around with so don't take the severity of them lightly. Talk to potential vendors about getting the contract in advance so you have time to comb through it at home without somebody staring over your shoulder waiting for a signature.
Set-Up Vendor Passwords
If you're worried about wedding meddlers (a mother in law who absolutely hates the flowers you've picked, a well-meaning sibling who thinks you would prefer a different menu to the one you've picked, a groomsman who has no idea how pranks work) changing plans that you won't know about until it's too late then arrange passwords with all of your vendors to authorise changes. This might seem like absolute overkill, but you have to remember that last-minute changes have high costs that you'll be held liable for in your contract. Save yourself the visit to small claims court and add an extra level of security to keep you and your wedding safe.
Pay With A Separate Bank Account
Just like using a 3rd party payment site (like PayPal) to protect your bank details and bank account, consider creating a separate bank account specifically for wedding expenses. Not only will this make sticking to a budget a little easier (can't overspend if there's not enough money in the account), but on the off chance that your card details are compromised and your bank account is accessed by somebody else, you won't lose your life savings in one fell swoop. Also if the account is compromised then you'll have a better understanding of what payee specifically wasn't secure as this account should only have a few payees for vendors.
Get All Of Your Documents In Order
When it comes to getting married in Ireland there are certain hoops you have to jump through to ensure that everything is in full legal order and that your legal marriage can process smoothly. Doing the proper research will save you a lot of worry and pain farther down the line!
Hire A Lawyer
This might seem like overkill but having a solicitor present to overlook contracts, important meetings pertaining to payment plans and anything that involves large amounts of money and stress is a small price to pay in advance to avoid much higher costs farther down the line.
- Grainne