It's a nightmare scenario but one that, in this current economic climate, is all too possible. None of us can be certain, when we book our wedding vendors that they will still be in business when the big day comes around. In fact how many of us would even give it a second thought? But with many businesses going bust everyday how can you try to protect yourselves & your wedding day?

You have no way of knowing the state of the business you are about to hire for your wedding. Short of asking to see the books, you trust them to be a viable business, at least until after your wedding day. So what happens should that business go bust? Well, your rights will vary according to state law & a lot could depend on how much money you have handed over at the time of booking or in the build up to your wedding day. If the firm has applied for bankruptcy you can apply to add your names to the list of unsecured creditors & hope that you will get some of your money back. However, unsecured creditors will have to wait in line behind the secured creditors who will take precedence. Usually they are paid off first & then the remaining money (if any) is shared out between the unsecured creditors. Chances are you will get very little, if anything back.

If administrators are appointed to the business then your booking may still go ahead. For example, if your reception venue when into administration & you had paid some or all of your fee's then they may insist that your reception still goes ahead, as it does mean there is still money coming into the business. However, some companies, such as reception venues, can outsource many of the services/products it provides within it's packages- things such as glass & china hire, table linens, catering, entertainment etc; these firms maybe reluctant to extend credit to this business seeing as they are in administration. An alternative scenario may see your deposit/fees refunded by the company or administrators, but this is unlikely.

If the chance of a vendor going bust before your wedding day is of real concern to you, then here are some tips to try & help you stay one step ahead.

* Pay all your deposits & fees with a credit card. Credit cards will usually offer payment protection on purchases (as basically you are borrowing the bank's money!) they will refund all payments made to the business back to you. It is then up to the credit card provider to claim that money back from the company in question.

* Visit you local district attorney general's office should a vendor go bust (or visit them before you make any bookings at all). They will be able to advise you of your rights & what you should do next.

* Make sure you have true business information - company name, proprietors name, a bricks & mortar address & a non-0800 telephone number. Generally this applies to the smaller firms, larger national companies are easier to find, but smaller independent firms can be difficult to track down if you don't know all their contact details. Having all the correct details will help you build a case with your state attorney general's office & get your money back.

* Draw up a plan ?B?. If one of your vendor's goes bust go back to your planning notes & look for another alternative from your original list. When vendors go bust, similar businesses are more than happy to pick up the customers left high & dry. They may honor the package you had with the original company or give you other incentives to book with them.

* Take out wedding insurance. Check the policy details to make sure you are covered should a vendor go out of business. If your chosen insurance company won't provide insurance against a certain vendor you have booked with, it may be a good indicator as to the state of the business.

It is a sad fact that no-one is immune to the global credit crisis, even the biggest firms are going out of business, whilst the small ones struggle along. Consumers & vendors alike are having to make difficult choices & I would strongly recommend you pay all deposits & fees by credit card, make a ?plan B? list of vendors & make sure you get the best advice possible should the worst happen.