We are contemplating changing our payment policy... Now we require a set deposit to hold the date and the remaining balance 2 weeks before the wedding. This has worked for us and most clients and I am nervous about changing ("fixing something that isn't broken"). BUT...

I tried something for a nervous bride and I am happy how it worked out. She didn't want to pay in full because her sister had been burned by another fellow videographer here in my area and never got her video after paying in full. So I told her I understood her concerns and did a 1/3 deposit, 1/3 2 weeks before the date and 1/3 upon delivery... only for this one instance. It went great and was actually nice to have the "reward" after the final product was delivered instead of putting in all the grueling hours of editing after already putting the money to... eh... other use.

Okay, I am rambling here, but I am wondering if anyone who has done the final payment upon delivery has had any problems. I would (I think) require it to be a cashier's check or cash, so no worry about bounced checks, but what else am I overlooking here. I know payments have been discussed here, but I don't recall seeing the plusses and minuses to either.

Dawn,

IMO, I think you should keep to your older ways instead of the new one but that's similar to how I do things. Payment must be made prior to wedding date(10 days prior) to be exact.

I have had VERY LATE payments made to me when I didn't have the policy of payment in full prior to wedding date which was a long time ago and I would never go back to those ways.

One of my current clients used to work for a credit-fixing company and she told me that one of the most common stories she heard from clients was that they way over spent on their wedding to the point of not being able to make credit card payments and such. Now, that is just a story she told me but I don't doubt it. I think it's easy to over spend and go over budget on a wedding....especially when a bride has been thinking of what her wedding should be like since she was a little girl.

My point is, I don't want to be a "collector"...not fun.

In the end, it could work out fine for you so do what's best for you.

I'm sure you'll get a lot of mixed replies with your question.

Best of luck...

No mixed reply here... full payment up front before the day. Non-negotiable.

No mixed reply here... full payment up front before the day. Non-negotiable.

...or else John will throw you in a Zorb and toss you down a black diamond ski run!

Although I haven't had as much experience (less than 10ish deliveries, most of them being friends), I have never had a problem with payment upon delivery, but then again, my clients have been very good about it so maybe I've been lucky.

Payment on delivery likely works for them as it helps with their probably-tight budget during wedding planning. It works for me because, like you, I like that reward feeling that I get money again! Also it motivates me more to work harder and deliver on time.

I believe that if your client isn't ready to pay you, you're not obligated to deliver the product until they are...

I believe that if your client isn't ready to pay you, you're not obligated to deliver the product until they are...

Once you start cranking out weekly weddings, the reality of relationship breakups, wedding budget blowouts, and brides trying to trim back their spend will catch you out eventually.

...or else John will throw you in a Zorb and toss you down a black diamond ski run!

I have NEVER "tossed" anyone inside a Zorb! :) (Except myself)

I have NEVER "tossed" anyone inside a Zorb! :) (Except myself)

of course....we need one of those things here in Cali!

I would also agree with keeping it as you have it now...collect the full balance prior to the wedding. There are too many potential problems with waiting until delivery of a product. I have never done it any other way but know a few other guys that do and they'll wait 6 months for some people to get their videos and finish paying for them. It may be a nice reward at that time, but it's better business sense to collect before.

Matt

What is likely to happen is that you will end up sitting on many of your customers' final product and receivables until they get around to picking it up and paying. Could be weeks, could be years and you've just reduced your cash flow.

I would be firm in getting full payment before or on the day of the wedding. I use to be so lenient that my scheme is 50 % deposit, 50 % upon delivery. Right after the wedding, couples usually ran out of money & in some instances gets divorced. I just had a couple last season who got divorced 1 month after the wedding, had I not collected the payment in full, I don't see myself collecting from them anytime soon.

You could always give them references if they think you'll burn them after the shoot.

Once you start cranking out weekly weddings, the reality of relationship breakups, wedding budget blowouts, and brides trying to trim back their spend will catch you out eventually.
This is the kind of information I was looking for... I didn't even think of that. I had 2 weddings this year that didn't even intend to watch their DVD because of divorce. So chances are, if they still had owed me money, I wouldn't have gotten it.

I really like this discussion. Thanks for all of your input. I think I may be convinced to stick to the way we did it.

You could always give them references if they think you'll burn them after the shoot.

I have done that in the past... works pretty well. Payment up front it is!

I think it really depends on what your turnaround time is and the expectations relating to that wait. If they are informed of the wait and are willing to give you the payment upfront then all is well. For some people dealing with substantial backlogs with long turnaround times taking 100% upfront can get you into trouble.

You just need it to happen once where you deliver and they dont pay for some pittiful reason and your asking yourself "Why did I change"

We had problems early on with people not paying after the work had already been put in, or paying late and causing lots of hassle on our end. We've been doing the pay before we show up thing and haven't looked back.

I'd keep the full payment up front policy for everyone, but be flexible enough to accommodate the skiddish bride now and again. I don't see why this wouldn't work out.

Actually just came across this issue with our client's dad ..One of his family members have been burned by a videographer who received full payment b4 but didn't deliver the DVD until 3 years later...our policy is deposit and balance due b4 the wedding..he said no he wants to do 3 payments..just like the photographers...deposit, day of the wedding and on the delivery of the DVD... We are reluctant but want the business for exposure.

I've heard horror stories from other videog in my area whose client's either has no money, moved away, watched the DVD and didn't like it and refused to pay..or worse copied the DVD and tried returning it after for a refund...

old thread but here's my $.02 worth.
Payment in full BEFORE the wedding.
I get it 30 days before so if the check bounces (it has happened) I have enough time before the job to get it straightened out.
I started this policy about 15 years ago after being burned by a couple that got the marriage annuled BEFORE I finished the edit and of course I didn't know. Actually I just got rid of the VHS tape about 3 years finally.
I can't speak for other areas of the country but around here most (probably 99%) of all vendors get paid in advance. Here's my comeback to anyone that doesn't want to do that.

I've been doing video weddings for going on 26 years and if I didn't show up at the job OR took more than my scheduled delivery time as stated in my service agreement I wouldn't be in business for almost 26 years.

Burn me once, shame on you...burn me twice, shame on me.

I'd keep the full payment up front policy for everyone, but be flexible enough to accommodate the skiddish bride now and again. I don't see why this wouldn't work out.
Exactly what I was going to say. I did this once for a customer. It turns out they decided to just pay the full amount anyway 2 weeks before their wedding.

This has been discussed before, as I have mentioned back then, I use to have have 50 % DP, balance upon delivery scheme and I have been burned 2 times, sometimes client just disappear for some reason. I have implemented a Full payment on the day off and I am happy with the result. I have a client who divorced 2 weeks after the wedding, I am pretty sure I won't be able to collect on the remaining had I stuck to my the old payment scheme.

yeah it's kind of a rite of passage in the business. If you haven't been burned at least once, stand by, you will be.

This has been discussed before, as I have mentioned back then, I use to have have 50 % DP, balance upon delivery scheme and I have been burned 2 times, sometimes client just disappear for some reason. I have implemented a Full payment on the day off and I am happy with the result. I have a client who divorced 2 weeks after the wedding, I am pretty sure I won't be able to collect on the remaining had I stuck to my the old payment scheme.

But Noel, you didn't put any time into editing did you?

But Noel, you didn't put any time into editing did you?

Hey Joel, I did not but where I am getting at is this, they did not call me right after they divorced ( I don't think the Video guy will be on top of their call list) .So I have finished the edit, printed the Album and it became a tug of war as to who gets who. Imagine if I have done all the edit, printed the Album and the discussion is who pays the bill.

Hi Don,

I agree . however how do you respond to a client when they say " i do not have the final product yet so paying in full before i get th DVD doesn't make sense?"

Oh also we make them sign an agreement stating all significant information (delivery date 6-12 weeks, amount paid, recourse if something terrible happens..etc.....etc...)

Thanks,

We require payment in full before the wedding.

There is to much work that has to be done not to be paid up front. Everyone in my area has the same policy. Photo guys and video guys. There are many unseen cost the consumer just doesn't under stand.

Hi Don,

I agree . however how do you respond to a client when they say " i do not have the final product yet so paying in full before i get th DVD doesn't make sense?"

Oh also we make them sign an agreement stating all significant information (delivery date 6-12 weeks, amount paid, recourse if something terrible happens..etc.....etc...)

Thanks,

My service agreement also states clearly, delivery, insurance, acts of God etc etc.

As for the scenario you stated, honestly it has never and I mean never happened. As I said before, in this area, virtually EVERY vendor be it video, photo, DJ, band, reception venue florist, ceremony musicians, get paid 100% up front be it 1 day or 1 month. It's pretty much a way of life here. However, IF a client WERE to bring that up to me, it's quite simple. While I understand where they are comig from they too have to understand where I'm coming from and that is this. First, I've been burned before. Second, I've been doing video for 26 years and some of my clients have been the children of some of the first weddings I did years ago and I wouldn't be in business for that long IF I ripped people off. Thirdly and to me, the most important, I have a reputation that took me years to build and there is NO amount of money that can buy your reputation, so if a client were to feel that strongly about paying in full prior to the event and if I couldn't convince them I wasn't a con man and wasn't going to rip them off, then we have no business doing business together and frankly I would pass on the job. This "job" HAS to have, I'll say again, HAS to have trust between the vendor and the client, if not, then honestly I can't think of any good reason to do the job.
Now having said that, I will say again that it has never happened to me and perhaps because of the length of time I've been doing first, still photography and then video (37 years in total) and my age (62) I have reached a place in life that if I pass a job because of a trust issue, well, so be it. That would be another day I get to spend with my wife, my kids and my grandkids BUT keep in mind, that's just me and my personality.
YMMV ;-)

So.. do any of you offer a sort of "pay it all now, we'll knock $200 off" up front policy.. so that you get the contract signed and paid for up front day 1?

Second, what is your refund policy on situations like.. your camera got broken by a guest.. who pays for the break? How do you work that into the contract? Or.. if your batteries die (really that should never happen.. but I am new so I am bound to make a mistake or two), etc.. do you do full refund or partial? What if weather turns bad.. especially if you're already shooting.. you don't want your gear ruined.. how do you handle that situation.. naturally most people move inside so I would assume you dont refund any portion for that reason? What about unruly people getting in your way.. not working with you despite your best efforts and you miss some key important shots.. they see the video and are upset you missed the cutting of the cake or the speeches.. or your audio goes out or your audio solution is not allowed (wireless in some settings for example) and so forth?

Thanks.

So.. do any of you offer a sort of "pay it all now, we'll knock $200 off" up front policy.. so that you get the contract signed and paid for up front day 1?

Second, what is your refund policy on situations like.. your camera got broken by a guest.. who pays for the break? How do you work that into the contract? Or.. if your batteries die (really that should never happen.. but I am new so I am bound to make a mistake or two), etc.. do you do full refund or partial? What if weather turns bad.. especially if you're already shooting.. you don't want your gear ruined.. how do you handle that situation.. naturally most people move inside so I would assume you dont refund any portion for that reason? What about unruly people getting in your way.. not working with you despite your best efforts and you miss some key important shots.. they see the video and are upset you missed the cutting of the cake or the speeches.. or your audio goes out or your audio solution is not allowed (wireless in some settings for example) and so forth?

Thanks.

Can't speak for anyone else but for me to answer your first question the answer is NO. I don't offer it. If THEY do, we'll talk.
As for refund policy, it depends. My service agreement states very clearly that if they cancel the services more than 90 days prior to the event they receive their retainer back in full. If it's less than 90 days they get 1/2 of the retainer back. PERIOD! I'ts in writing and they signed it. I do go over the terms and conditions with them when we meet or on the phone before I send the paperwork out.
As for gear getting broken, first I have insurance BUT my agreement also states that if the gear is damaged by a guest the person who breaks it buys it. Now this has never happened but you need to protect yourself.
I have never run out of battery power ever. Shooting small form factor camera I have 6 batteries all the Sony 960 and 970 so I could go for a very long time. When I used full sized cameras, I had 4 AB Dionic 90s and 2 Hytron 50s and even powering the light and receiver off that I could go for up to 16 hours.
I can't control the weather but I have rain covers for my cameras. Last week was a good example. It rained before, during and after the ceremony. They did a walk out and everyone got wet but my camera stayed dry. You work with what you got. We didn't do anything else outside except the walkout even though the original plan was to do so. No reason to even think of refund, you don't control the weather and they know it.
As for people getting in the way, if you're talking about the recpetion, well, there again, there isn't much you can do except changre position. I'm there to document their day and if someone gets in the way I move. Now during the ceremony most times it doesn't happen except during the processional when people stand for the entrance of the bride but I know thery're going to do that so I move a bit closer towards the aisle to get her comeing down the aisle without heads in the way.
If you miss the cake or a speech SHAME ON YOU!. Sorry but there is no excuse for that. In all my years I have never been blocked out of that and IF people get in my way I move THEM out. I'm getting paid for the job and I need to get that.
I use both a wireless and a hypercaroid and the only time I have an issue is when the person speaking (best man, maid of honor, dad...) hold the mic down by their belly button and even then it's not a hugh issue. A little work in post and it's fixed.
I don't know what else to tell you but it sounds to me like you might be overthinking some things.
Listen, things happen and they happen fast and always at the wrong time but that's the way the cookie crumbles. It's a live event that NEVER goes quite as planned but 99.5% of what you'll do will be fine as long as you relax, breath and do what you know how to do.
Shooting a wedding is like being in combat (I've been there so I can say this) Hours of boredom and moments of terror. You learn to deal with it.
Relax, have fun.
HTHs