Paying a caterer in full a month before event?!?

Usually people want to be paid, yes. All my vendors had to be paid in full before the wedding (between 1 month to 1 day before, depending. Caterer/venue were earliest).

For a vendor doing a dessert bar, she has to buy tons of ingredients, wrappers, display dishes, etc, so I don't think it is weird for her to want that payment up front. She is going to do all the work BEFORE your wedding, so, she should be paid so she can complete that work.

For May 31st wedding I have to pay bakery in full by the 3rd and caterer (venue) half by march 24 and half by may 24

I'm in the UK and things might be different here, but our venue wants the full balance both for the venue hire and for the catering 6 weeks in advance. The lady making the wedding cake also wants the balance 4 weeks in advance and I think the DJ is the same.

Personally, I've never heard of this. It sounds a little soon.

I've paid a X deposit to hold the date

Another X 3 months later just because it was part of the schedule

6 months before the date I had to pay another X.

I don't have to pay the remaining balance until 10 days before the wedding date.

Do you have a contract with woman? As in, if she doesn't give you everything you signed and agreed to, you get your money back?

Most of our vendors did have to be paid before the wedding. Our cake person was only 2 days before the wedding. Everyone else, except our venue was about a month before hand.

I would maybe talk to her and see if you can pay 75-90% of the cost before the wedding and then pay the remaining balance the day of or a few days prior.

I also agree with OTW, do you have a contract? What happens if something happens? Can you get your money back?

Before hand yes, but you can't have a final price until you have a final count and committing to a final count a month before isn't realistic. If, on the other hand, you contracted for a set amount of stuff regardless of the rest of your headcount, then it's not so unusual. What is your confidence level in this person?

What does your contract say? We take a deposit to hold the date. We ask for 50% between now (when you sign the contract) and your wedding date. We ask for the balance 1 week prior when we get your final count. In an ideal world, every person you invited will tell you in advance if they are coming and then stick to their answer. I don't live in a perfect world and I am guessing you don't either. Because of that, I would talk to her. I would tell her when you expect your final guest count and go from there. If you invite a 150 and end up with 100, you don't want to pay for 50 extra people.

All of my vendors have required payment in full before the wedding. For my venue, which includes the catering, they wanted full payment 2 weeks before the wedding date. I think your situation is normal.

Thanks for the input everyone! It gives me peace to know there are other vendors out there that do this and especially because she has to pre-order and prepare everything weeks in advance. I haven't actually seen or talked with her about the contract, my future MIL is taking care of it but she told me about the money thing and we both thought it was weird. But i get to meet with her today and go over things.

All of my vendors want to be paid a month before the wedding. I think its completely normal. What does your contract say? Most of mine had the dates in it.

I think it's normal for them to ask...and it's normal for me to ask to change it! when vendors ask for full payment ahead of time (a few but not all of mine), i counter with another timeline that allows me to withhold something until the day of the wedding. everyone has agreed to my adjustments.

remember that when you're presented with a contract, you have the ability to negotiate changes!