Two things decide what happens to a wedding deposit in the UK: the written terms you agreed, and consumer law, under which unfair terms are not binding on you. If you cancel, a vendor can usually keep a deposit that is a small part of the price. Anything more should reflect their real loss. And the 14-day cooling-off period often does not cover catering or leisure services booked for a set date.
This is general information, not legal advice.
The law in plain words
Three pieces of law and guidance do most of the work for couples in England and Wales.
| Law or guidance | What it says, in short | Why it matters for a wedding |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer Rights Act 2015, services | A trader must perform a service "with reasonable care and skill". What they tell you about the service can become part of the contract. | If a photographer promised two shooters in a message, that can count. |
| Consumer Rights Act 2015, unfair terms | "An unfair term of a consumer contract is not binding on the consumer." | A term letting the vendor keep everything, whatever happens, may not stand. |
| Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 | 14-day cancellation right for contracts made online, by phone or off-premises, with exceptions. | Catering and leisure services for a specific date are excluded. |
| CMA and gov.uk guidance on unfair terms | How the regulator reads fairness in deposits and cancellation charges. | Tells you what a fair deposit and cancellation charge look like. |
Deposits and cancellation charges
The government's guidance to businesses on unfair terms, last updated on 22 July 2026, says a business "may legitimately keep a deposit in full if it's no more than a small percentage of the price", as long as it makes clear when the deposit becomes non-refundable. Beyond that, non-refundable prepayments and cancellation charges should "reflect a genuine estimate of what you will lose directly because of the customer cancelling".
In September 2020, when lockdowns cancelled weddings, the Competition and Markets Authority set out its view for the wedding sector. It said terms stating that no refund is available in any circumstances are "likely to be unfair (and unenforceable)", and that a business cannot charge an admin fee for making a refund that is due because the wedding could not go ahead. Parts of that statement were specific to the pandemic, but the principles on fairness still help you read a contract.
Citizens Advice puts it simply: after the cooling-off period, a business could charge a cancellation fee or "hold some or all of your deposit to compensate for their financial loss".
The 14-day cooling-off period
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, you usually have 14 days to cancel a service you arranged online, by phone or by mail order, or when the business approached you away from its premises. If you cancel in that window you should get back what you paid, less the cost of any service you asked to start during the cooling-off period.
But regulation 28(1)(h) excludes "catering or services related to leisure activities, if the contract provides for a specific date or period of performance." Citizens Advice gives "catering for a wedding or party" as an example. Other wedding services may or may not fall in the exception, depending on the facts. And the cooling-off period does not cover a booking you make face to face at the vendor's premises. Some vendors offer one anyway, so read their terms.
If the vendor cancels
The government's guidance tells businesses they can cancel "only where circumstances genuinely beyond your control make it impossible to carry out the contract as agreed", and that they should then refund any prepayments if the customer is not at fault. If a vendor does turn up but the service falls short, the Consumer Rights Act gives you the right to ask them to put it right, or to a price reduction.
What to get in writing before you pay
Before any money moves, ask for these in one written quote or contract. Our deposit and booking checklist has a version you can download.
- The vendor's full business name, address and contact details.
- Each event, date, venue and start and finish time.
- An itemised list of what is included, per event.
- The total price, and whether it includes VAT.
- The deposit amount, and exactly when it becomes non-refundable.
- The balance amount and the date it is due.
- What happens if you cancel, at different points before the date.
- What happens if the vendor cancels, or can't attend.
- What happens if the date moves, or guest numbers change.
- Any extra charges: overtime, travel, breakages, late finishes.
The gov.uk guidance says terms that could have a significant effect on the customer should be made prominent, not buried. If the cancellation terms are hard to find, ask the vendor to point to them.
How to read a cancellation policy
A sliding scale is common and usually easier to defend than a flat "no refunds" line. Here is how different terms might look against the guidance. These are illustrative examples, not real vendors' terms.
| Term | How it reads against the guidance |
|---|---|
| "The deposit of 10% secures your date and is non-refundable once paid." | A small percentage, stated clearly. More likely to be fair. |
| "Cancellations more than 6 months before: deposit kept. 3 to 6 months: 50% of the total. Under 3 months: 100%." | Could be fair if it reflects the vendor's real loss at each stage, for example if they can't rebook the date. |
| "All payments are non-refundable in all circumstances." | The CMA said terms like this are likely to be unfair. |
| "We may change the menu or staff at our discretion." | The guidance says a term that lets a business reduce what you get without your consent is unlikely to be fair. |
What counts as a "small percentage" isn't defined in the guidance, and fairness depends on the facts. If a lot of money is at stake, get advice.
If something goes wrong
Read the terms again
Find exactly what you agreed about deposits, cancellation and changes.
Put it in writing
Email the vendor, say what went wrong, what you want and by when. Keep copies of every message, quote and receipt. Citizens Advice's long-standing advice is to "get what has been agreed written down" from the start.
Get advice
The Citizens Advice consumer service can explain your options and pass your report to Trading Standards.
Check how you paid
If you paid any part of an item costing more than £100 and no more than £30,000 by credit card, Citizens Advice says you may be able to claim under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. For debit cards, ask your bank about chargeback. These don't usually apply to bank transfers, which is one reason to avoid paying strangers that way.
Consider the small claims court
For unresolved disputes, a court claim is the last step. Get advice first.
How bookings work on Nodus
Nodus acts as booking agent for vendors on this platform. Each vendor sets its own prices and its own deposit, balance and cancellation terms, as long as they don't conflict with the Nodus terms. Nodus gives vendors guidance and a standard template, so the terms you see are easier to compare.
- Terms before you book. You can download a vendor's terms from their storefront, and they are shown alongside every quote, so you can read them before you accept.
- A deposit to confirm, then the balance before your event, each paid directly to your vendor through Stripe. Nodus never holds your money, and every payment is completed before the service is delivered.
- One price. You see the vendor's quoted price and nothing on top.
- In writing. Every booking is confirmed in writing, with the vendor's name, the event, the date and the total.
- If a vendor cancels, Nodus steps in to help you find a replacement.
For more, see how payments work, quotes and bookings and our comparison of booking in the app vs WhatsApp and bank transfer.
Before you sign anything
- Read the whole contract, not just the price.
- Work out what each deposit and balance means for your cash flow with the free wedding budget planner.
- Ask what happens if you need to move the date. It is more common than cancelling.
- Ask the vendor whether they have insurance, and consider wedding insurance for yourselves.
- Check the business is real: a registered company on Companies House, a food hygiene rating for caterers, reviews you can trace.
Our guides on vetting a wedding caterer and paying wedding vendors safely go further.
Sources
Checked on 30 September 2026.
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, Part 1 Chapter 4 (services) and section 62 (unfair terms), legislation.gov.uk
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28, legislation.gov.uk
- Unfair terms explained for businesses, GOV.UK, updated 22 July 2026
- Wedding services affected by COVID-19: the CMA's position on cancellation and refunds, CMA, 7 September 2020
- Cancelling a service you've arranged, Getting your money back if you paid by card and Reporting to Trading Standards, Citizens Advice
Questions
Often, yes, if the deposit is a small percentage of the price and the terms made clear when it becomes non-refundable. Government guidance says anything a business keeps beyond that should reflect a genuine estimate of its direct loss. Terms that are unfair are not binding on you.
Not always. The 14-day period usually applies to contracts made online, by phone or away from the business's premises. But the law excludes catering and leisure services booked for a specific date, which can cover many wedding bookings. Check the vendor's own terms, which may offer more.
Government guidance says a business should only cancel where circumstances genuinely beyond its control make it impossible to carry out the contract, and should then refund any prepayments if you are not at fault. Put your request in writing and keep copies. If a vendor you booked through Nodus cancels, Nodus steps in to help you find a replacement.
A modest non-refundable deposit can be fair if it is a small part of the price and clearly explained. A term saying you get nothing back in any circumstances is likely to be unfair and unenforceable, according to the Competition and Markets Authority.
Start with a written complaint to the vendor. The Citizens Advice consumer service can explain your options and pass your report to Trading Standards. If you paid by credit card, ask your card provider about section 75. For larger sums, get legal advice.
No. Each vendor sets its own deposit, balance and cancellation terms, as long as they don't conflict with the Nodus terms. Nodus gives vendors guidance and a standard template. You can download a vendor's terms from their storefront, and they are shown alongside every quote.
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