If you’re planning weddings for a living then the goal is to receive payment from your clients for your professional services.
This episode will walk you through the payment options that are available and provide advice on what you can do to ensure that you are paid on time for your wedding planning services.
During this episode discover:
- Why you need a business bank account for your wedding planning business
- A quick explanation of ‘Doing Business As’
- Best practices for accepting cash, checks and credit cards for your wedding planner services
- Fees associated with a credit card merchant account
- A possible solution that lowers the risk of accepting checks
- Affordable alternatives to a traditional merchant account
- Advice if you’re charging clients a fee for paying you with a credit card
Resources
Evo Payments (formerly PowerPay) – If you’re looking for a new (or better) traditional merchant account, I recommend PowerPay. This is the company I used before switching to Stripe (see below) Great customer service. Visit PowerPay
Square – Here’s a credit card reader that plugs into your smartphone or tablet giving just about anyone the ability to accept credit cards for payment. Visit Squareup.com
PayPal HERE – Not to be outdone, ‘Here’ is PayPal’s triangular answer to the ‘Square’ credit card reader. Visit PayPal Here Card Reader
PayPal Payments – This is the world’s largest online payment processor. As long as your clients and customers have an email address, they can use PayPal to pay your wedding planning fees. Visit PayPal
Stripe – This is my hands-down favorite option for accepting credit card payments online. To use Stripe, you’ll need to purchase an SSL certificate for your wedding business website (making your domain name or website payment page secure; indicated by ‘https’ instead of ‘http’). Visit Stripe.com
If you’re struggling with a wedding planner situation, please give me a call on +1 202-681-2126 or send me a message. I’ll do my best to help.
HAPPY PLANNING!
Responses
I have purchased (learning the hard way) a credit card machine that is hand held. I am able to accept all types of cards, but will charge “fee for use ” for AMEX cards. This machine was purchased from my business bank and has a chip reader. It can be swiped, and cards can be manually added as well. There are no fees to use it currently except for AMEX. My clients can pay monthly installments or all at once. If anything goes awry during the excgange of serices, I can have a deposit held on the credit card, when everything is turned in, we take the hold off the CC. So far this is the easiest and 2nd Most convenient method. First is always cash, but then no backup Just in case
Thanks for supporting the little guys
Hello Dawn,
The ability to place a hold on the credit card is great; especially if you ever need to make any purchases (on the wedding day for example) for your clients. Thanks so much for your feedback.
– Debbie
Is there a way to collect payments other than checks if you do not have a registered business yet with the state? I’m in the middle of still preparing but have received referrals and don’t want to turn down a client just because I am not on the books yet.
Thanks Rae
Rae,
Whatever form of payment you would typically accept for any personal transaction would work – cash, check, PayPal…
Hope this helps.