SPINOFF: Written vs verbal contract

Always have it in writing when money is involved!!!!

Even if they are friends, family or a recommendation, its so important to have it written out so everyone understands what they are agreeing to! There is no room for misunderstandings is everyone signs the dotted line!

The last thing you want is someone bumping up the cost because they feel they've put in more time than expected, travel cost, etc.

Verbal is never sufficient. There's basically no proof of a contract: ie, there is no contract.

"A verbal agreement is worth the paper it is written on."

A contract protects both parties. Expectations on each side are spelled out.

Agreed! At a minimum in writting in an email to confirm what they are going to do for you.

Agreed with the above - always, always in writing!!

Sometimes the biggest issue is that each party has a different understanding of what they are agreeing to provide, and when you're doing things verbally it is easy to gloss over things that end up being a big deal down the road. Even the act of putting it in writing is helpful, because it clarifies what you are both expecting from one another - no surprises down the road. It doesn't have to be a full on contract, but something written down that you both review and agree to.

I have a verbal contract with my officiant right now. I thought it was weird, but if it's how she roles, it's how she roles. She basically said, "Your date is on my calendar! Enjoy your summer and we'll talk in the fall." Ok I guess. I'm just trusting her.

edit: There was an email back and forth confirming date, location and cost, just no signed contract or deposit.

With all my wedding vendors, I definitely did signed written contracts for all of them! The only verbal contracts I've really done were for parties that we catered through family friends. I guess my opinion was that if you had a verbal contract, you can't complain that services weren't rendered 100% to your liking because there isn't solid proof?

Um NO! Never, ever in a million years. I would never work with a vendor without a written contract. And that contract needs to state what's expected from both parties. E.g. my floral contract specifies exactly what flowers my florist intends to use. It's all good and well when you're a trusting person, but not everyone else is good. You should be protecting yourself.

A written contract is best. BUT in the wedding industry their is a lot of TALK of what we can do for you or will do for you and when you sign the contract its the standard contract that doesn't mention all the stuff you talked about. Depending on how big a deal it is I would try to add those things in. OR keep a running email where you are reminding them of the verbal things. Like "just wanted to make sure we will have X for our wedding like we talked about today, can you confirm?" and always reply back with all of the information in the email thread so they can't say they forgot.

There's no such thing as a "verbal contract". . .

Nope. I didn't have a written contract with the girl who took our first engagement photos and she ended up not giving me the files to use for print things...like save the dates. So I ended up using another photographer. Have a written contract

Yeah this is a weird question. I don't know anyone who would say "Oh yeah speaking verbally about something that I can't prove in a court of law in shit happens" is okay. lol

ETA: Wait apparently based on previous comments, I should correct.

I don't know anyone who isn't naive or out of their mind who would say....

I wouldn't feel comfortable with a verbal contract, especially for something as big as a wedding. If I want thing professionally done, then they need to be professional about it and get everything in writing. I'm one of those people that has the mentality of "if something can go wrong, it will go wrong." So having something on paper the states the goods/services that person is to provide helps put a little peace in my mind that they need to fulfilled what has been agreed upon.

Just want to point out that a verbal agreement can be an enforceable contract, especially for the sorts things we're talking about in the wedding context.

Not to lawyer y'all, but unless your state law specifically says otherwise, oral agreements are valid unless they are agreements for: (1) Promises in consideration of Marriage ("if you do this thing, I promise to marry you"); (2) Promises where the terms physically cannot be completed within a

Year; (3) Promises for interests in Land; (4) Promises where an Executor promises to pay the deceased's debts; and promises for Goods over $500.

For the lawyers in the group, M-Y-L-E-G-S.

No. You get a contract from everyone, money or not...

We have signed contracts with our photographer, dj, and venue. Our caterer and officiant are just "verbal contracts" and email correspondence. I trust them though, because I know them. I wouldn't accept a verbal agreement from a stranger.

It's best to have it in writing - trust me! Verbal contract are binding but it's always good to have it on paper or in an email.

That's a big...NO!