How to Track Wedding Vendor Deposits and Payment Schedules

Most wedding vendors don't get paid all at once. You pay a deposit to book the date, sometimes a middle payment, and a final balance close to the day. With several vendors on different schedules, the last month can bring a pile of balances due together. A simple payment tracker prevents that.

1. Read each contract for four things

• Total price, including service charges, gratuity policy and tax
• Deposit: the amount, and whether it's refundable
• Payment schedule: the dates and amounts of later payments
• Cancellation and change terms, including guest-count deadlines for caterers

Terms vary widely between vendors, so take them from the contract, not from what's "typical".

2. Give every vendor a row

Record the vendor, category, contracted total, deposit paid and date, each later payment with its due date, and the balance remaining. Add a column for how you paid. Card payments can carry purchase protection, so keep receipts.

3. Track three numbers per vendor

Estimate (your budget for that category), actual (the contracted total) and paid (what's gone out so far). Estimate vs actual shows where you're over budget. Actual minus paid is what you still owe.

4. Put due dates on one calendar

Sort every upcoming payment by date and total it by month. If one month carries several final balances, you know ahead of time how much cash you need ready. Many final payments land in the last few weeks.

5. Plan for the extras

Tips for vendors, delivery and setup fees, overtime if the event runs late, and alterations often aren't in the main contracts. Keep a contingency line in the budget for them.

6. Watch cost per guest

Catering, rentals and stationery scale with the guest count. Total cost ÷ guests is a quick check on whether adding a table is affordable. For splitting the overall budget, see our wedding budget breakdown.

Our Wedding Budget Planner suggests a split of your total budget and tracks estimate vs actual vs paid, the balance due and cost per guest, with a vendor payment log.

General information only. Always follow the terms in your vendor contracts.

Wedding Budget Planner: instant download for Excel and Google Sheets.

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