Vendors not giving full refund back

If the contract states the deposit is non-refund then there isn't much you can do about it. Unfortunately, I have seen other brides with the same problem.

I understand how this is frustrating for you, but depending on the vendor and their circumstances I can also understand their perspective. I liked my daughter's wedding HMUA so much that I started going to her as my regular hairstylist after the wedding 18 months ago. I saw her a couple months ago for a haircut (during a brief phase in our state where she was allowed to reopen) and I asked her about her HMUA business during the closures. She is extremely successful, and under normal circumstances is booked for more than two weddings a week -- year round -- in addition to her regular salon clients. She is typically booked at least a year in advance. During the initial two-months our state was on lockdown, she lost 18 weddings; the majority of those brides asked her to reschedule, which she did. Many also asked to reduce the number of services (anticipating smaller weddings, etc.) and she did her best to accommodate those contract changes. However, then she started having brides want to cancel altogether and they were upset with her that she wouldn't refund their non-refundable deposits. She told me she'd had brides yell at her, threaten to take her to court, etc. She's a young, self-employed business owner, a wife, and a mom of a preschooler. This is her livelihood. Especially for brides who rescheduled, she held two separate dates for them -- meaning she couldn't accept reservations from other brides who might have wanted to contract with her -- so, no, she's not giving refunds for cancellations. She's struggling to survive. This might not be the story of your uncooperative vendor, but it's another perspective. Good luck to you.

Most likely you signed a contract that stated the deposit was nonrefundable. Which means if you cancel for any reason whatsoever (your fault or not) you will not receive your deposit back. It is a very common practice. Although it’s a bummer to lose money, you have to remember it’s not your vendor’s fault you are cancelling your wedding. And they have held your date for you. It would likely mean financial ruin & loss of business if vendors refunded every couple who decided to cancel their weddings.

Typically deposits are nonrefundable (unless THEY cancel on you). Is the new location in an area where your original vendors can easily travel to? If so, you can just keep those same vendors and transfer dates if they are available. We didn’t change locations but we changed dates and all of our vendors easily applied their deposits to the new date. It was seamless

What vendor is it? Also, what’s the driving distance between the original venue and the new one? Depending on the specific vendor maybe they’d be willing to travel? Like your photographer or DJ, the often travel for weddings, and might have an upcharge But better than losing your deposit.

I think it’s absolutely selfish and horrible of vendors to keep your deposit. We are in a global pandemic... you didn’t just say, “hey you know, I don’t want you as my vendor anymore!” We lost some money as well. The island was closed...

View Quoted Comment We were able to keep our photographer and DJ, they were willing to travel. This vendor is a massive worldwide tent company. A lot of people are now doing tented weddings in the State we were originally getting married so I think they are doing okay now.

View Quoted Comment I agree. We had no control over it. In the email the vendor sent to me, he didn’t respond for two weeks by the way, he spoke more about how much money he was losing. All of my other vendors, except one other, gave me a full refund no questions asked. I even attached the email to all the vendors emails from the venue. I completely understand what you’re going through!

I see both sides of what people are saying. We had no control over cancelling our wedding (HI is requiring a 14 day quarantine) and our vendor from the beginning had in their contract we could cancel up to 90 days before and lose a $500 non refundable deposit. We then as we got closer to the 90 days asked if we had to cancel due to COVID would we get our money back less the $500 even if we were less than 90 days out they said yes which was AMAZING (apparently refunds are taking 90 days tho). We cancelled 60 days out roughly due to COVID. My hair stylist had a non refundable $300 deposit. I emailed her and said we cancelled because of COVID and didn't ask for any money back and she gave me back $200, again AMAZING. Moving forward with replanning a local wedding that is one of the first questions we ask, what is your refund policy if cancelling because of COVID. Everyone has come back and said we would get a full refund.


If the place cancelled on you per the contract I would verify if it says should the venue cancel you will get a refund. Typically that is in a contract. Putting all that aside I know one person commented about seeing it from another perspective, have people thought about the brides and grooms who have potentially lost their jobs and can't afford the wedding anymore and people now won't give a refund to someone who might not be able to afford the final bill. It is sad all around.

View Quoted Comment The first time we postponed it, it was easy. Just a change of date. This company doesn’t travel unfortunately.

View Quoted Comment Within a certain time frame, some of the deposit is refundable. We didn’t cancel, the venue did for the rest of the year. However, in that state, they are still doing weddings under tents. The vendor was a tent company that’s all over the world so they are doing alright. He told me how much money he’s going to be losing more than what he can do to help so much. We put a big deposit down for it so it would be a total bummer to lose out on that deposit for something we couldn’t control.

View Quoted Comment Unfortunately even if the company is “doing alright” financially during this pandemic (which you said he repeated that they were losing tons of money, so apparently they are not), it still doesn’t negate the fact you signed a contract. If the contract says a portion of the deposit is refundable during a certain time frame and you are within that time frame, then you should get that portion back. If you are outside that timeframe, then you are subject to the contract you willingly signed. I know it’s a bummer, but this is exactly why vendors utilize contracts- so it is spelled out in black & white what would happen to payments already made in the event you should cancel your wedding, regardless of reason. You have to remember that vendors are victims in this pandemic also. It’s not their fault there is a pandemic, and it’s not their fault you have chosen to move your wedding out of state.

I will also add that we have experienced the same thing with one of our vendors. Our baker refused to refund the money we paid for our cake (paid in full), and also refused to put that money towards another date. She said we either had to pick up our cake on our original date, or forfeit the entire amount. And if we wanted the cake on our new wedding date, we would have to pay for the entire thing a second time. I found this horribly inconsiderate! I was completely shocked. She was even super rude to me on the phone. Needless to say, I was irate. However, upon checking our contract, it did say the deposit was non-refundable and non-transferable. So despite my disappointment, I had to accept it because I had willingly signed the contract. (And this experience has made me much more diligent about making sure I read contracts throughly!)

Don’t listen to anyone who says you won’t/can’t get the money back. We are experiencing same, except with our venue. Long story but basically they made it impossible for us to go through with our original date and back-up date. Had nothing to do with Covid, had everything to do with they werent willing to work with us to come up with a solution on how we could still have our wedding. I’m assuming if its not your venue but just a vendor, theres not tens of thousands of dollars at stake but honestly a really bad review may work wonders in your favor. Yes, the wedding industry is taking hit but THEY should be taking the hit, not us! Thats’s the career they chose and stuff happens lol

In part, they did their part by holding the date (i.e. turning away other potential business) and worked through consultations, etc. That time is money to them. This is the reason businesses have cancellation policies and typically why deposits are non refundable. If they can’t book the date to someone else it’s money lost. You cancelling is also causing them to lose money because you’re not fulfilling your contract. That’s the business side of it. I could see if they were unable to offer you a service but since you are taking your business elsewhere and booking with another venue, that is your choose, and you are choosing to walk away from this.

View Quoted Comment I see. That’s unfortunate.

View Quoted Comment Well we didn’t cancel, it was the venue. They cancelled all 2020 events for the remainder of the year. I do get both sides again. However, it wasn’t our fault here.

There's really not much you can do unfortunately if the contracts say no refund. Sorry this is happening to you, but I'm sure it will work out for the best.

I am going through the same. I totally understand non-refundable deposits but we put $500 down for our ceremony venue, and $500 down for our reception venue - both non-refundable deposits. Our ceremony venue immediately offered a refund of our NON-refundable deposit once they realized our wedding would be effected by the virus. Why? Because that's the right thing to do. Whereas, our reception venue, won't even reply to my emails or my mothers texts. Just left us high and dry and won't even discuss a refund. Pathetic. Like others said, it's not like we wanted this to happen, or are cancelling because we found a better venue - um no. We're cancelling because there's literally a chance an outbreak could happen from our wedding and people *could* die.

View Quoted Comment Oh my goodness!! I can’t believe they’re not replying!! I’m so sorry, that’s such bad business!! I am with you girl!! I hope everything gets resolved on your end!! I’m glad the ceremony venue gave a refund back!!