How to avoid getting SCAMMED when Planning Weddings & Other Events
- Kathy Buskett
- Mar 18, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 13
Scams are on the rise!
This bride just had her money taken by a wedding planner who claimed to own a venue but didn’t:
So now she's out of her money and she cant afford to hire someone else. What a nightmare ! This shouldn't happen to anyone and doesn't have to happen to you!
How to avoid getting SCAMMED:
1. ALWAYS get a contract BEFORE giving anyone money, ever,
when hiring a vendor.
That’s the most important tip.
How I wish more people knew
and followed this rule!
It’s true in all of life, too.
If you dont want to kiss your money goodbye, always get a contract first!
2. ALWAYS Use a credit card or debit card when paying so that if things don’t work out you can dispute the charges. NEVER pay cash!!!
I've seen people trust vendors and give them cash up front only to be ghosted completely. This is sad but it's the world we live in. And you need to be wise and guard yourself.
And without a contract, you have no recourse.
3. ALWAYS READ THE CONTRACT carefully before signing and make sure that you’re ok with the terms. If you feel weird about something, ask if they’re willing to change it.
Make sure that the contract stipulates what happens to your deposit/retainer of the vendor doesn’t show up or cancels (you should get all of your money back if it’s the vendor that cancels). It should also stipulate that they do their due diligence to help you find a replacement.
4.If you dont like the terms on the contract, DO NOT SIGN. Ask for them to be changed. If they refuse, RUN! Now of course this needs to be within reason. But most people I see err not on the side of being too picky, but not picky enough when it comes to contracts.
5. Vet your vendors carefully by checking out reviews online from MANY sources, not just one. One big tip to avoid getting scammed that you probably don’t realize:
Many vendor sites are not trustworthy when it comes to reviews.
For example, one of the biggest wedding sites, the knot, is in the middle of many lawsuits for unethical behavior.
There are many brides who complain that their bad reviews were taken down from The Knot.
These sites do this to protect their vendors who pay top dollar for advertising with them. They cant have the vendors looking bad - even if they are - so they take Down the bad reviews which gives a false impression about vendors who get lower ratings in other places.
The solution: cross-check reviews. Google the vendor and a host of social media sites should pop up. (If they don't this is another red flag).
Then you can check and see if their rating is similar across platforms, and even check the reviews on their website to see where they came from.
It's ok if the vendor takes snippets from longer reviews to make them smaller and easier to read.
What's not ok is making up reviews, changing them significantly, or having vastly different star ratings on different platforms.
It's against FCC regulations to create fake reviews, but it happens. So be careful and do your due diligence.
If youre a bride, be wary of the Knot/Wedding wire!
Did you know that The Knot gets an F from the better business bureau?
And
The Bash and The Bump are both Subsidiaries of the Knot
So Check out your vendors site on the better business bureau. What you find may surprise you!
CHECK THEIR WEBSITE Reputable vendors have legitimate websites! The website URL speaks for itself., Look for the padlock next to it to make sure it's a trusted site.
Follow Your Gut
If you still dont trust them after doing your due dilligence but you aren't sure why, trust your gut!
BONUS TIP
This one will keep you from losing relationships and getting scammed and ghosted by friends and family.
No matter how good your relationship, DO NOT hire family or friends to plan your event, be your entertainment, do your cake or flowers or anything else. Even if you trust them.
As a wedding pro and entertainer, I have seen SO many horror stories about how relationships have been ruined by the practice of hiring family and friends.
Avoid it by not asking. If they offer, say graciously, "we want you to come and enjoy yourself at our event. Not be working the whole time." If they insist, be more insistent.
I know a woman whose aunt made their wedding cake. She had never made a wedding cake before. Needless to say It wasn't up to professional standards (Actually it wasn't up to any standards at all. If I still had the picture I would post it).
Thankfully my friend is pretty easy going and she brushed it off. But that aunt never forgave herself.
This was BEFORE I became a wedding pro. I've seen people trust friends to be photographers who then botched the entire day and the bride had no decent photos.
I’ve seen sisters separated for life by things that ruined wedding days.
Dont let this happen to you.
DO NOT hire friends and family
To work at your wedding!
If you follow these tips, you’re sure to avoid being scammed by vendors for your events.
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My name is Kathy Buskett. I’m a wedding caricature artist with 26 years of experience. I travel to you to help make your events more Fun & successful and to help YOU get rave reviews about your events. I do all kinds of events but I specialize in WEDDINGS
And I also have worked for some of the biggest companies and events in the world including Samsung, the PGA golf tournament and Hyundai as well as events like CES & WOC.
I also have a 5 star rating across the internet from ALL of my actual costumers.
What this all mean is : Your event is in good hands with me.
If you’d like me to come draw my flattering, fast and fun caricatures for your party, wedding, corporate event or other special event, contact me at Kathybuskett@gmail.com to see if your date is available.
Learn more at www.caricaturesbykathy.com
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