When your caterer, DJ, florist, or other wedding vendor fails to show up on your special day, you deserve compensation for the breach and the scramble to find replacements. This guide helps you recover what you paid plus additional damages.
Common Wedding Vendor No-Show Scenarios
Vendor Type
Typical Payment
Replacement Difficulty
Damage Potential
Caterer / Food Service
$3,000 - $15,000
Very High - limited last-minute options
Major - affects entire reception
DJ / Band / Entertainment
$800 - $5,000
High - most booked months ahead
Significant - impacts atmosphere
Florist
$1,500 - $8,000
Moderate - grocery stores as backup
Moderate - visual impact
Officiant
$200 - $800
Moderate - can find replacements
Major - ceremony cannot proceed
Transportation (Limo)
$500 - $2,000
Moderate - rideshare as backup
Moderate - inconvenience
Hair & Makeup Artist
$300 - $1,500
High - requires skill and timing
Significant - affects photos
What you can recover
Full refund of all amounts paid to the no-show vendor.
Cost difference for last-minute replacement services.
Emergency delivery or rush fees you had to pay.
Diminished value if replacement was inferior to what was contracted.
In some states, emotional distress damages for wedding breaches.
Immediate steps to take
Document everything: take photos and videos of what was missing.
Get witness statements from venue staff and guests.
Keep all receipts for replacement services.
Screenshot the vendor's website, social media, and reviews.
File a credit card dispute immediately if paid by card.
Time is critical: Credit card chargebacks must be filed within 60-120 days. Evidence fades quickly - document everything the day of the wedding and send your demand letter within two weeks.
Legal Framework for Vendor No-Shows
Breach of Contract Basics
Total breach: A vendor who completely fails to show has totally breached the contract. You owe nothing further and can recover all payments plus damages.
Anticipatory breach: If the vendor tells you before the wedding they will not show, you can immediately seek a replacement and demand refund without waiting for the event date.
Duty to mitigate: You must make reasonable efforts to find replacements and minimize your damages. Document your search efforts.
Damages You Can Claim
Restitution: Return of all payments made to the breaching vendor.
Expectation damages: The benefit you expected to receive - if replacement costs more, you recover the difference.
Consequential damages: Related losses that were foreseeable, such as spoiled food from a refrigeration vendor failure or missed photos due to makeup artist no-show.
Incidental damages: Costs of finding a replacement, including calls, transportation, and rush fees.
Emotional Distress in Wedding Cases
Wedding vendors are one of the few contract contexts where some courts allow emotional distress damages.
The rationale is that weddings are uniquely personal events where emotional impact is foreseeable.
California, New York, and several other states have allowed such claims in wedding vendor cases.
Document how the no-show affected your wedding day, your stress, and any lasting emotional impact.
Small Claims Court Limits
State
Limit
Notes
California
$12,500
$10,000 for businesses; no attorneys allowed
Texas
$20,000
Attorneys allowed
New York
$10,000
$5,000 in Town/Village courts
Florida
$8,000
Attorneys allowed but not required
Pennsylvania
$12,000
Called Magisterial District Court
Credit card chargebacks: Under Regulation Z, you can dispute charges for services not rendered. Most issuers extend dispute rights beyond the normal 60 days when the service was scheduled for a future date. File the chargeback as soon as you realize the vendor will not perform.
Documentation Checklist
Contract Documents
Signed vendor contract with scope of services.
Correspondence confirming the date and details.
Vendor's promotional materials and website screenshots.
Any cancellation or refund policy.
Payment Evidence
Payment receipts, invoices, and confirmations.
Credit card or bank statements.
Payment schedule from contract.
Any partial refunds already received.
Day-of-Event Evidence
Photos and videos showing what was missing or what you had to substitute.
Witness statements from venue coordinators, other vendors, and guests.
Timeline showing when you realized the vendor would not appear and what you did.
Your attempts to contact the vendor: call logs, texts, voicemails.
Replacement Cost Evidence
Receipts from any replacement vendor or service.
Price quotes you received while searching for alternatives.
Rush fees, delivery charges, and premium pricing documentation.
If no replacement was possible, document the impact on your event.
Impact Documentation
Photos showing the gap in your event (no flowers, empty DJ booth, etc.).
Guest complaints or comments captured in writing.
Your written account of the emotional impact, prepared soon after the event.
Any media coverage or reviews mentioning the issue.
Witness statements matter: Have 2-3 wedding guests or venue staff write brief statements describing what they observed. Include their contact information. These statements are powerful evidence in small claims court.
Demand Letter Strategy
Calculating Your Demand
Base amount: Full refund of everything paid to the no-show vendor.
Replacement premium: If the replacement cost more, add the difference.
Incidental costs: Rush fees, emergency purchases, transportation to find alternatives.
Diminished value: If replacement was inferior, estimate the reduction in value.
Consider emotional distress: In appropriate cases, you may add a reasonable amount for the stress and disappointment caused.
Letter Structure
Identification: Your name, the vendor name, contract date, and wedding date.
The breach: Clear statement that the vendor failed to appear and perform.
Your damages: Itemized list with dollar amounts and supporting references.
Legal basis: Brief statement of breach of contract and applicable consumer protection laws.
Demand: Specific total amount and deadline (typically 10-14 days).
Consequences: Small claims court filing, credit card dispute, and consumer agency complaints.
Multiple Recovery Paths
File a credit card chargeback immediately - this runs in parallel with your demand letter.
If the vendor has business insurance, request their policy information.
Check if the vendor is bonded through any professional association.
Report to the Better Business Bureau and state consumer protection office.
Vendor has disappeared: If the vendor is unresponsive or has closed their business, focus on the credit card chargeback. Send the demand letter to any address you have. Skip trace services can locate individuals if needed for small claims court.
Sample Wedding Vendor No-Show Demand Letter
[Date]
Via Certified Mail and Email
[Vendor Name / Owner Name]
[Business Name]
[Address]
[City, State ZIP]
Re: Demand for Damages - Failure to Perform Wedding Services
Contract Date: [Date]
Event Date: [Wedding Date]
Total Demand: $[Amount]
Dear [Vendor Name]:
I am writing to demand compensation for your complete failure to perform the [catering / DJ / florist / other] services contracted for my wedding on [Wedding Date]. Despite our signed agreement and my payment of $[Amount Paid], you did not appear, did not send any substitute, and did not respond to my urgent attempts to reach you.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
On [Contract Date], I contracted with [Business Name] for [describe services: catering for 150 guests / DJ services from 6pm-midnight / floral arrangements including bridal bouquet, 8 centerpieces, and ceremony arch flowers]. I paid $[Amount] on [Payment Date(s)] via [payment method].
On [Wedding Date], I expected your services to begin at [time]. When you had not arrived by [time], I attempted to reach you via [phone calls / texts / emails]. You did not respond. At approximately [time], I was forced to [describe what you did: arrange emergency catering through the venue at premium pricing / use a Bluetooth speaker and Spotify playlist / purchase grocery store flowers].
THE BREACH
Your failure to appear and perform constitutes a total breach of our contract. You provided zero services despite receiving $[Amount Paid]. This breach caused significant damage to my wedding reception and required emergency measures that could not fully substitute for the contracted services.
DAMAGES CALCULATION
1. Refund of payment to you: $[Amount]
2. Emergency replacement services: $[Amount]
[Describe: Last-minute catering from venue]
3. Rush/premium fees: $[Amount]
4. Diminished event value: $[Amount]
[Describe: Replacement flowers were grocery store
quality vs. custom arrangements contracted]
TOTAL DAMAGES: $[Total]
DEMAND
I demand payment of $[Total] within fourteen (14) days of this letter. Payment should be made by [certified check mailed to address / Venmo to @handle / refund to original payment method].
If I do not receive full payment by [Deadline Date], I will:
1. File a claim in [County] Small Claims Court for the maximum allowed amount plus filing costs and service fees;
2. Complete my pending credit card dispute for services not rendered;
3. File complaints with the [State] Attorney General, Better Business Bureau, and [relevant professional association if applicable];
4. Post truthful accounts of my experience on wedding planning websites including The Knot, WeddingWire, and Yelp.
I have attached copies of our contract, my payment receipts, witness statements from my wedding coordinator and guests, and receipts for replacement services.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Email]
[Your Phone]
Enclosures:
- Vendor Contract dated [Date]
- Payment receipts totaling $[Amount]
- Witness statements (3)
- Replacement service receipts
- Call log showing attempts to reach vendor
Personal emergencies do not excuse the vendor from their contractual obligations. A professional vendor should have backup arrangements or notify you with enough time to find alternatives. They still owe you a refund and may be liable for your replacement costs depending on the circumstances.
You can include a reasonable amount for emotional distress in wedding vendor cases, as courts recognize the unique personal nature of these events. Be conservative - $500-$2,000 is more credible than $50,000. Focus primarily on economic damages with emotional distress as a secondary claim.
Attorney Services & Contact
Wedding Vendor No-Show Recovery
I represent couples whose wedding vendors failed to appear, leaving them scrambling on their special day. From demand letters to small claims representation, I help you recover what you are owed.
Email owner@terms.law or use Calendly for a paid strategy session.