Wedding planner issues

@Kirackle could have really made this teachable moment without calling PP ignorant

@futureMrs I actually think @kirackle did a really good job giving advice without calling names, way more than other people in these forums. And what she actually said was that brides and grooms (general, not specific PP) were ignorant of what constitutes a binding contract, which is true and I put myself in that category because I was unaware of the legalities of oral contracts before her post.

What Kirackle said is correct in a lot of places, however the poster who talked about Ohio laws is correct, so OP and others will want to check how their laws compare. I just texted my lawyer and asked about it to confirm.

No contract, no money

I say this because I had a situation where the work was not promised. Payed a deposit but did not sign a contract. He wanted me to pay more money for work that was not delivered. I did get my deposit back, sometimes you just need to argue smart without yelling or becoming hostile. Because I know people who do that as well. But in the end it worked out for me. I'm only speaking from personal experience.

Nope

@Kirackle, OP has decided to go with a different vendor. She doesn't want to keep the old planner so doesn't need him "on retainer" anymore. Wouldn't the deposit be just liquidated damages? It's a sunk cost to her, but she no longer is asking him to to perform the service.

Again, a hypothetical, not asking for legal advice.

OP, do not pay him without getting some legal advice. where i live this contract would have to be in writing to be enforceable. i'm not sure where your wedding is but this could vary.

additionally, if he breached the contract by failing to provide the agreed upon services (it is unclear from your post), you would not necessarily owe him the additional money.

--also an attorney licensed in two states

Kinda after the fact but why did you shell out money without any formal contract in writing. That just spells disaster waiting to happen to me.

Depends on the state. To be clear, I'm not an attorney but I do work frequently with attorneys in contract law. In some states, an oral contract is NOT enforceable.

There are a lot of really knowledgeable people here, which is awesome! I've also seen a lot of amateur "doctors" around here. Sad.

For lurkers, advice on the internet is always worth checking out in real life. No offences to Kirackle, honestly I know she's a lawyer.