When is Balance Due?

[chimera_h]

<p>I've always had a policy that the final balance for an event is due 30 days before the event. I got this from other photographers. I have a client (who after signing the contract) is questioning why it's due 30days before when all the other vendors for the wedding are receiving their balance the day of.</p>

<p>What is your policy on this isuue?<br>

Thanks</p>

[irusan]

<p>50% non-refundable deposit to hold the date and final payment one week before the wedding day.</p>

<p>So far, no issues. I have yet to find a vendor that doesn't want final payment before the wedding day. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen but, from my experience, everyone gets paid before the bi day.</p>

<p>Most importantly, do what works for you and works for your business.</p>

[fuccisphotos]

<p>The photographer for our wedding required 50% at the signing of the contract and the balance one week prior to the event. So that's what I adopted for our company.</p>

[katrin_d.]

<p>20% to reserve the date, the remaining 80% the day of. I adopted this system since I didn't want to deal with reminding people to send in the remaining balance X days before the wedding, the current system makes it much easier and I haven't run into any issues as of now. That being said, no work leaves the house until the check for the remainder clears.</p>

[william-porter]

<p>Chimera,</p>

<p>There's no universal policy. Different photographers do it differently. It isn't even the case that all photographers insist on getting paid in full before the wedding. I haven't always required that myself.</p>

<p>If you you are getting paid in full before the wedding (in other words, before you've done a thing), the reason to ask for the balance PRIOR to the day of the wedding, is so that you have time for them to have a problem (usually nothing more than forgetting) and so you have time to react reasonably to that problem. If you show up on the day of the wedding looking for a check, and the father of the bride has simply forgotten, what do you do? Walk away and refuse to shoot the wedding? Nah. I tell clients that they are going to be very busy on the day of the wedding and I will be too and neither of us wants to think about this.</p>

<p>Thirty days prior to the wedding seems a bit extreme, but I'm not sure it makes a huge difference. I've always asked for one week before, and two weeks before would be even safer. </p>

<p>The absolute latest I can imagine getting the balance would be at the rehearsal. But I think that is practically the same as the day of the wedding.</p>

<p>So you figure out what works for you and for the client.</p>

<p>Will</p>

[anna_bravington]

<p>I do £150 deposit then balance 1 month before the wedding.</p>

<p>Why 1 month before? Because I like to allow for:</p>

<ul>

<li>Couples forgetting the payment deadline, I can often be paid late by a week or so</li>

<li>If there is something wrong with the cheque there is time for another to be sent</li>

<li>If payment gets lost in the post theres time to send another</li>

<li>If a cheque bounces, I know before the wedding and we can sort it out</li>

<li>Couples seem to get busier the closer to the wedding, so it's good to get it out the way in advance (don't want them having to think about paying me on the wedding day)</li>

<li>Gives cheque time to clear, even if they pay it a bit late</li>

</ul>

<p>Most of the photographers I know here in the UK do 28 days / 1 month before the wedding, I think it's just something we've picked up off each other and I like getting the balance then. But there are others that choose various lengths of times.</p>

<p>Similar to how long photos take to edit after the wedding, this can be anything from 1 week to 1 month from the people I know - different things work for different people.</p>

[daverhaas]

<p>I personally do a $250 retainer - at time of contract signing with the balance due the day of. </p>

<p>The only time I had a problem with this was when 1 client had 1 check left at the reception and had to pay both the DJ and myself. Since the DJ was providing service that day and won't be seen again by them, I agreed to accept payment at a later date... My mistake - it took me almost 2 months to get paid, but I was firm on the client not getting previews or proofs until payment in full.</p>

<p>The excuses ran from don't have checks with new name on them, checks don't have correct address on them, credit cards not in both names, etc.... to we don't want to pay until we see the images (which I think was their point all along). At that point I finally said - look at the contract again - "Photographer shall not provide any images finished or proof to the client until any outstanding balance is paid in full. " and they both signed it.</p>

<p>Dave</p>

 

[michaelchadwickphotography]

<p>Actually, mine is a little odd, I guess. 33% to hold the date, 34% due two weeks before, and 33% due two weeks <em>after. </em>I never liked taking money on the day, and I actually found that when I reminded them that two weeks after their wedding they would have extra gift money to spend, it increased either the package or the number of items they were ordering.</p>

<p>I haven't really had any problems (yet) with anyone not paying promptly. But, they also know they won't get a single image until they do. No one has had an attitude about it so far, at least.</p>

[adamphoto]

<p>50% non-refundable retainer on booking, remainder due 6 weeks before. For ordered products, 50% non-fundable on design sign-off, 50% on delivery.</p>

[mitch_w1]

<p>30% due at booking, balance due 45 days before wedding.</p>

[mark_t5]

<p>I keep it simple.. 50% upon signing, rest 2 weeks before the wedding.</p>

<p>Have I lost clients that wanted to argue for a different payment option..only 1 so far.<br>

Did I loose sleep over that client? Nope. If they need to argue about something like a payment deadlines, they didn't really wanted me too much anyway, and chances are greater that they'll complain about something else later on. </p>

<p>I don't need the headache. I got other clients that are fine with what I do and how I do it.</p>

[savagesax]

Do a search titled "deposits" Lots of past posts with many different ways that people set up their conracts.

 

It's pretty interesting.

 

For our studios we ask for 1/2 down at the sign of the contract and the rest at the time the wedding is over. This has worked for us for over 20 years.

[tangibleimages]

50% down due at time of mutual acceptance of contract, 50% upon receipt of final images. I use Paypal and accept credit

cards, so I don't have any problems with bad checks, etc.

 

I don't take money the day of the event because my work isn't done that day. Other vendors are finished on the day of, but

I'm just starting. I don't want to take final payment before I've done my work, which includes post production.

[mariosforsos]

<p>As a rule I don't do weddings, but the few I actually do, I have a 25% deposit (non-refundable) at the time of booking, 50% a week before the event and the remainder 25% on delivery of the photos and album.</p>

<p>In this cash-strapped economy, it seems reasonable and fair and has worked for years, and not just for weddings...;-)))</p>

[tina___cliff_t]

<p>We always ask for our payment 30 days before also. The way we look at it...We don't want to hold someones wedding photos hostage if they don't pay up. We also travel more than 4-5 hours to all of our weddings, having to book a hotel, etc. So getting the full payment ahead helps make sure we don't show up to a wedding, just for them to say "Oh we decided our cousin could take the photos" etc. Now...thats all in our interest.</p>

<p>For the couple, most of them are relieved that we are done and paid early. Less for them to worry about closer to the wedding, when they have little details everywhere piling up for them to deal with.</p>

<p>We made an exception once for a couple, who didn't want to pay before, and insisted that they should pay after we are at the event (the day of). They apparently had problems in the past with a photographer who canceled and then hadn't given them their money back yet. So we took a leap of faith, switched our contract for them to pay us the day of. We show up, and they said they didn't need a photographer anymore...so we just wasted our time, and pretty much most of the retainer to cover our travel.</p>

<p>So now we just stick with our policy of 30 days before. We haven't had a problem though, except for the one I mentioned above. I would just explain to your client that this policy has been the easiest on both you and the couples getting married.</p>

[benjamin_tapper]

<p>We get 75% before wedding and rest when they pick up pictures, a lot of people find it quite comforting, and it's some extra incentive to get editing done.</p>

[jnina]

<p>Almost as everyone! 20% to book date - 50% before wedding - 30% to complete payment upon delivery of finish job.</p>

[cathy_and_david_bock]

<p>30 days before. No exceptions. If they didn't like that they shouldn't have signed the contract. I PROMISE YOU the florist required payment before, the reception hall required payment in full and the DJ required payment in full BEFORE the wedding. They're playing BS on you and when you show up they'll OOPS forget the payment. This is why we require payment in full before we shoot anything, even sessions. It's for your security.<br>

We tell anyone who asks this: "Are you guys going to break up? No. And what happens if I don't show up? Well I breach your contract and you can sue me for not delivering services for payment." That usually solves any problems. :)</p>

[gregory_c]

<p>Mine is the day of wedding. </p>

[chimera_h]

<p>You know I think I will keep it at 30 days. Like I said, the father of the bride was questioning this and I'm thinking he was stalling. She said he was in Italy and had to wait for him to return, then she said he forgot to send it. So 30 days gives time for people who stall or people who truly forget, etc. Thanks again! </p>