Wedding Scams, and how to avoid them…
It’s the time of year when people are booking their wedding suppliers. And that must be a scary thing for couples. I mean you are going to spend a lot of money on a lot of different things and with it being the age of social media there are a lot of people out there offering their services – I mean side-hustles are a thing now aren’t they...and there is a lot of potential out there for people to take your money and give you a shoddy service/product – or indeed nothing – back in return.
So how do you, the punter, the person shelling out their hard-earned cash, avoid those who over-promise and under-deliver, the rip-off merchants, or just those frauds who are going to take your money in a wedding scam?
Buy Cheap, Buy Twice
This is one maxim I’ve learnt over the years as a photographer when I have been buying my gear. Some things in the gear world are expensive. And they deserve to be – a new lens, a new camera body – the technology crammed into them makes that a given, but what about a camera bag, or a different type of camera strap to hold your gear?
Why should a bag cost £350 – it’s just going to carry my gear from car to venue? Well, it’s nice to have nice gear, but it’s also nice to know that your gear is going to be safe in a well-built bag, with lots of people using it, lots of positive reviews and a bombproof construction. And there is the crux – you are paying more for the knowledge that the bag is going to last, that the supplier is going to offer a warranty, and that the bag is of a quality construction.
You could be buying some artificial flowers from somewhere on the internet, and find them really cheap, only to buy them and when they turn up the quality just isn’t there.
Rather than looking like they are going to last forever, they look fake, cheap, tacky and start to fall apart as soon as you start to make buttonholes or bouquets. You end up biting the bullet and throwing them away and panic buying some more expensive ones a few days before your wedding day. Not only have you spent twice on the flower; you’ve had the added stress of hoping for a timely delivery and panic DIY-ing the flowers at the last minute. And you’ve ended up spending more on the flowers than if you had bought the higher priced ones in the first place.
If It’s Too Good To Be True…
We all know this one – we all know it’s true, but we often get caught by it. If the price and the offer and the promises seem too good to be true…then they often are. The price is really low. The promises are huge. The vendor is going to do ALL this stuff. They promise the world and then...the day comes, and they pitch up late and their promises are dust...
What you need to do here is check reviews. But then you have to wonder…are the reviews real? Are they believable? Are they actual people who’ve used the supplier and offering a real review on what they did?
This is why it’s a nightmare out there!
Are You For Real?
Is the supplier a real person? Are they offering a real service? Are they going to show up? This is where social media is your aid…do they post regularly; do they tell the world what they are doing on a day-to-day basis? Is what they are doing believable?
This is you checking their social. Spending some time looking at what they are up to and looking at what they have been doing. Someone who only posts adverts and never follows up with what they are actually doing following through on their jobs raises a red flag…and when that flag comes up, it’s always a good idea to take notice of it.
Money, Money, Money
Here's the big one. What are the terms and conditions of payment? There are lots of red flags that can fly on this one. Most vendors – reputable vendors – want payment in advance, but when do they want that payment? If it’s a year in advance then it’s flag time, if it’s a month before then that’s pretty much the industry standard. Why does a florist need your money 13 months before your wedding day? Why does a photographer want you to pay £1500 for their services at time of booking a year out from your do? Are they offering a discount for paying upfront in full?
These are red flags that should set your spidey-senses off big time! These are often the real scammers. They are looking for the money cos they have a cash-flow problem, and it means they might not be about when your wedding comes around. They might not have those cash-flow problems, and they might just want to run off with your hard-earned…
It's A Matter Of Trust
Ultimately, when it comes down to it…The wedding industry is a trust-based industry; without trust, the relationship between the vendor and the couple – indeed all the guests – just isn’t going to work. You need to feel that you have made the right choice when booking someone for your wedding. Even more so as your photographer – after all I am going to spend most of your wedding day with you. You need to know what I am like, how I do things and how I make you feel. You need to know you have made the right choice...
Whilst I’m not perfect, and I have and will continue to make mistakes – I am proud of the little business I have made for myself. I am proud of the reviews I have and the lessons I have learnt along the 7 years of working in this business.
I am completely transparent about my prices and about when you need to make your payments. The invoice I create for you means that the price will be fixed and written down and will never change. You will know exactly what you are getting for the money you are paying. You will know when I am going to do things, and you will know when you are going to get your pictures delivered to you. My aim is to always under promise and overdeliver. I post my address and phone number on my website. You know I exist and where I live.
I keep my socials updated about what I am doing, I share my editing list showing where people are on that list and roughly how long it takes them to move up it. If you want to see reviews, they are there on Google. And if you want testimonials, I am happy to put you in touch with previous brides and grooms who can give you the low down on what I do on your wedding day directly. I am more than happy to show you any previous galleries you want, as long as the couple themselves don’t mind me sharing them.
My aim is to provide a quality work at a price that reflects the quality of what I offer and that is in line with the quality of my overall service on your wedding day – not just pictures. I genuinely want you to have the best day you can – and take as much of the stress away from it all as I can. I’m more than a photographer, I’m a groomsman/bridesmaid that you are paying to be there to advocate for you, work for you and help you.
You book me for my pictures, but I am there on your wedding day to make your life easier, more fun, and less stressed. You pay me to go to your party, I return that by taking kick ass non-boring photos, and by trying to do as much as possible on your wedding day to make it flow and run as simply as possible.
