Paying vendors

The venue is asking for payment a couple of days after.

The decor company is asking for a few days before the wedding and our photographer is asking as well for some form of payment before the wedding and the remaining balance on the day of.

Hi Kimberely, this is the norm for some vendors. We have two that require payments before the wedding and this something that should be asked before booking and noted in the contract.

None of mine have asked for money in advance however my friend who has a cake business finally gave me her price a week or so ago so I said I would pay her which I did 2 days ago. I honestly am a little uneasy having extra money in my bank account that my dad has given for the wedding so I am happy to make payments right away. That way I won't have to worry about paying her the day of. We are getting married at my school and they are in no rush for me to pay so I am not sure when I will be paying for the use of the ceremony room and the cafeteria. I will most likely pay after the honeymoon or they'll take it off my paycheque. I've tried to pay and they were like no no you can pay later, no rush. My photographer is a friend of a friend so he'll be paid the day of. He is taking pics and then giving us the digital copies after and we'll do photo printing ourselves at some point and my mom will make a photobook so he is not that much money at all. I have a friend coming from an hour away to be our wedding help and I will pay them as well on the wedding day. Unless she asks for it upfront. If so I will email transfer it to her.

But our wedding is not a pricey event. I just have those to pay. We are doing the food ourselves as a potluck so no food vendors.

We have 14 days to go!!!!

It depends on the vendor but most do require payment in advance which was weird to me at first too! Our hair and makeup vendors let us pay the day of but most stuff like photographer, officiant and cake were in advance. Our reception venue charged the minimum and then if we went over, they would have charged the rest after the wedding. Our videographer was due the week after the wedding which was surprising to me. Double check all your contracts so you don't miss a payment. And make sure to have proof of all your payments because with our videographer, we paid on time and then 3 months later they said they never got it. (Even though we confirmed with them when we submitted the payment.)

I think it is for some vendors. It should have been explained to you when you booked. I'd check your contracts and emails. In some ways, I think it's great because you don't have to deal With it on the day of.
I'd still call everyone the week of thigh just to double check it's all in their calendars.

It can be the norm depending on your area. Most will wait till the week before, even right up to the day of but there are some who request payment a month before.