Pressure from vendors to put down a deposit

I am having this same issue, my wedding is January 9 2021 in Canada, not exactly a common date to get married and I still have over a year, but am getting pressure from the photographer and DJ to book which are important yes, but not the most important, I am way more concerned with getting the caterer booked and the venue which we just secured. Not to mention some of the deposits are pretty crazy! My venue is only $200 deposit, Caterer $500 deposit, meanwhile the photographer wants a $950 deposit.

Do they have a wedding expo or show coming up maybe? I know that this would make them want to secure your date so they don't look bad if they book it with somebody else :/

Otherwise I would say 10 months before the wedding isn't that long away and they might actually book up if you don't book now (at least for the videographer).

A Lot of vendors book up fast and need to be booked way ahead of time. I booked my venue 19 months out. Also my photographer a year out.

Every single one has said "pay on the day". That way if something goes wrong theres not a huge headache. My officiant flat out refuses to take money until the day of but the venue and stuff said i can pay before hand if i want to

While it is annoying, I sort of get where the vendors are coming from.

Lots of them use the deposit to officially book you. There could be other couples asking about your date and the vendor has you lined up but isn't sure if you are going to book. It isn't necessarily fair to everyone to have a potential booking that may or may not happen. (I saw on your profile that while your date is on a Sunday, it's September 20, 2020 and couples might love the 20/2020 so it became a popular date).

I would reach out to those vendors that have been contacting you and see if you can explain the situation more. Yes i'ts December and everyone needs money, that also includes you! If you are going to go with them, see if they'd accept smaller deposit, with promise to pay the remaining deposit in the new year, once things calm down. If you are unsure if you are booking them, say that! Do give follow up dates no matter what, so even if you are unsure, say you'll make a decision by ___ date and let them know.

Also, if you are between two cake bakers and the other one isn't nagging and you like their work, I'd book with the non-nagging one. Always trust your gut!

I had a couple vendors send me the "I have another couple interested in your date" email. Not sure if that was true, or just them trying to get us to put down the deposit to secure the date out of panic. Even if it was a lie, I guess I'm fine with it because we knew we wanted to book them.

If you're not sure that you want to work with this vendor, just email back and let them know that you're not ready to make a decision just yet, but you'll let them know when you are.

If you know you want to book them, maybe just let them know that there are other things on your priority list that are more pressing at the moment.

Either way, just let them know where you're at. I know its annoying and feels like they're pressuring you, but they're a business, and they're trying to fill their books.

Thats so annoying. i get following up with a potential client but come on. i didnt book with anyone who was pressuring me. i dont like that

They do assume you want their business when you haven't confirmed yet to put the money down or ask for the contract.
It would be best to reply back to say i will call you to know i'm interested. If you don't hear from me, I'm not intereted. Thats what i told the vendors when i spoke to them personally.

It is a little assuming that you are going to book with them because you contacted/been negotiating with without you or your other half actually saying that. I can see once to politely follow up from a business perspective. It's definitely frustrating this time of year to have another stresser.

If they are someone you are truly considering hiring, it might be good to contact them, if you haven't already, to tell them you are waiting until a certain time (new year?) to pay or to check they aren't trying to poke for the deposit because they have another couple interested in booking that date, especially the videographer. Not sure about your area....Where I live, you have to have booked and paid the deposit for a photographer/videographer 18 months in advance because the fill up FAST. They won't hold a date more than a week without the deposit because there are usually a few people lined up for it by then. They might be trying to solidify the booking or find out if you are going with another vendor to get back to the other couple without trying to make you feel like it is a pressure selling tactic.

I was getting automated emails from one photographer every week asking if I still wanted to book them and put down a deposit, which I told him no since there was no way that I thought he needed 3 assistants for a 60 guest wedding on top of having to pay for a meal for him plus the 3 assistants. Just wasn't going to happen. But yeah, I got those emails forever even though I straight up told him no, so now they just go straight into my spam folder and have no idea if I'm still getting them😬
I had one other pushy vendor (decorator) and I just had to tell her that while I loved her work, I just had other pressing wedding matters that had to come first so if she got another bride wanting to book for my date then go ahead. No deposit down, then no foul and I understand it's a business. I feel like I dodged a bullet with her though, seeing how pushy she was now, I can only imagine how she'd be on the days leading up to the wedding, and that's really when you don't want added stress. The decorator I went with in the end is amazing and totally understanding and I just jive with her really well, which I think is important when looking at vendors. It's the same with the photographer I ended up with too. She also had a small intimate wedding so she knows the exact feel I'm wanting.

I agree with Kelsie. It's nice that they are reaching out (and it'll be great if you book them, it should mean they check their email lots of you need to hear from them!)


If you aren't ready to make a decision I would let them know. Or be honest and say you hope to book them but are making sure you can afford the deposit with all your other wedding expenses. If you didn't love that Baker or videographer by all means keep looking, but if you did it is probably a good idea to book soon so you don't lose them.

I think they’re making a bold assumption that you are going to be booking with them and they want you to secure the date.


We booked a lot of our vendors over a year out cause they honestly book up fast! Our venue was booking for 2021 when we booked last October and our photographer was almost booked solid for 2020 when we booked them. It’s crazy!!
I can understand why you see them as being money hungry but it’s also good they’re following up at all. Some places we checked out never followed up at all!
You can always tell the vendors that are following up and asking for deposits that you’re still considering your options and thank them for following up.