Should I back down or not?

[Jon McGuffin]

I back you 100% on this Travis and thank you for posting the situation. To suggest it's unprofessional to ask collegues their advice on a sticky position when the customer SIGNED a contract and now wants to back out of their word is absurd. If people want to point out the injustice, it's the customer in this case and just because other people have problems, bigger & smaller, is completely irrellevant to your situation and doesn't make you being wronged any better. Why won't people hold anybody accountable for their actions anymore??!?!

Frankly, I hope the bride and groom find this forum. You never mentioned a name (which was good, that *would* have crossed the line). If they know you are talking about them, they should see that you have support amongst your peers and that YOU are in fact a reasonable person and THEY are in the wrong.

Jon

[Mark Holland]

Travis,

Just to add my 2 cents...

I require a 50% retainer fee at the time of booking. It's non-refundable, and if they "change their minds" or cancel my services for any reason, I still get paid something for the day, as opposed to getting nothing. The balance is payable before I pull my cameras out on the wedding day. For my clients, this gives them weeks or even months to pay the balance as their budget permits, in amounts that they can afford.

Mark

[Glenn Davidson]

Originally Posted by Jon McGuffin

Frankly, I hope the bride and groom find this forum. You never mentioned a name (which was good, that *would* have crossed the line). If they know you are talking about them, they should see that you have support amongst your peers and that YOU are in fact a reasonable person and THEY are in the wrong.

Jon

Well you centantly do seem to have support from fellow wedding videographers. I guess I am alone in my opinion. I come from a commercial broadcast background and really have no experience with 'Bridzilla'. The part where you were hoping that the brides wedding was rained out just bugged me.

I am still confused about the retainer you received. You kept that right? So you walk away with a little change, you avoid dealing with someone you feel is unreasonable and I hope you both live 'Happily Ever After'.

[Travis Cossel]

Originally Posted by Mark Holland

Travis,

Just to add my 2 cents...

I require a 50% retainer fee at the time of booking. It's non-refundable, and if they "change their minds" or cancel my services for any reason, I still get paid something for the day, as opposed to getting nothing. The balance is payable before I pull my cameras out on the wedding day. For my clients, this gives them weeks or even months to pay the balance as their budget permits, in amounts that they can afford.

Mark

I tend to doubt I could get away with a 50% retainer, but my retainer is large enough that people won't walk away from it without a really good reason. That's also why I charge an additional fee 30 days before the wedding, it's just that this couple backed out 31 days before. How long have you been using the 50% retainer?

[Travis Cossel]

Originally Posted by Glenn Davidson

Well you centantly do seem to have support from fellow wedding videographers. I guess I am alone in my opinion. I come from a commercial broadcast background and really have no experience with 'Bridzilla'. The part where you were hoping that the brides wedding was rained out just bugged me.

I am still confused about the retainer you received. You kept that right? So you walk away with a little change, you avoid dealing with someone you feel is unreasonable and I hope you both live 'Happily Ever After'.

Apologies about the "rain" comment. That was for humor's sake. I don't really wish that for them. I'm not that kind of person. However, if it did rain that day, I wouldn't necessarily feel bad either.

And yes, I kept the retainer. It's nice to have that and not have to deal with someone unreasonable, but at the same time it's a substantial loss of income as well. Tough situation.

[Mark Sudfeldt]

Hey Travis, don't feel bad about making the rain comment. . . .I thought it was really funny and exactly the way I have felt when similar things have happened to me.
You never mentioned names and were just venting to your peers. . . . don't apologize for having a sense of humor ;-)

Cheers, Mark

[Travis Cossel]

Originally Posted by Mark Sudfeldt

Hey Travis, don't feel bad about making the rain comment. . . .I thought it was really funny and exactly the way I have felt when similar things have happened to me.
You never mentioned names and were just venting to your peers. . . . don't apologize for having a sense of humor ;-)

Cheers, Mark

Thanks, Mark.