When a Wedding or Event Supplier Lets You Down: Your Rights (UK)

Few things sting like a supplier ruining a once-in-a-lifetime event — a photographer who vanishes, a caterer who under-delivers, a venue that cancels. The good news: UK consumer law gives you real rights, and the size of the loss often justifies pursuing them. Here is how.

The standard your supplier must meet

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, any service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill and match what was agreed and described. If a supplier delivers poor work, fails to turn up, or provides something materially different from what you booked, they are in breach.

If the supplier cancels

• You are entitled to a full refund of what you paid for the cancelled service.
• You can also claim reasonable additional losses — for example, the extra cost of booking a last-minute replacement at a higher price.
• A force majeure clause may limit this, but it must be clearly written and genuinely apply; it cannot be used to keep your money for any inconvenience.

If the work was poor

You can require the supplier to redo the service where possible, or claim a price reduction reflecting how far short they fell — up to a full refund for a service that was effectively worthless (for example, unusable wedding photos).

Deposits: refundable or not?

A "non-refundable deposit" is not always enforceable. A deposit (or cancellation fee) must be a genuine pre-estimate of the supplier's loss, not a penalty. If you cancel and they keep a sum far larger than their actual loss, that term may be unfair and unenforceable under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 — and if the supplier cancels, they cannot keep your deposit at all.

Pay by card for extra protection

If you paid a deposit of over £100 by credit card, Section 75 makes the card provider jointly liable — useful if the supplier goes bust. For debit cards, ask about a chargeback.

A complaint letter template

Dear [Supplier],

Re: [Event type] on [date] — complaint

I booked you to provide [service] and paid £[amount]. [You cancelled / the service
fell short because…]. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 I am entitled to [a full
refund / a price reduction of £[amount] / the cost of arranging a replacement].

Please respond within 14 days. If we cannot resolve this, I will pursue a Section
75 or chargeback claim and, if necessary, a small claims court action.

Yours faithfully,
[Your name and contact details]

Document everything — the contract, what was promised, and what actually happened. For high-value events, the small claims court is well used to these disputes, and a clear written claim often prompts a settlement first.