A good vendor will not mind clear questions. The risky moment is paying a deposit while the job still lives in a voice note. These ten questions work for photographers, caterers, decorators, musicians, planners and other event vendors. Send them in one note, and keep the replies.
The FCCPC guidelines on buying goods and services (opens in a new tab) encourage you to compare more than one seller and to obtain a receipt after paying for a service. Use that as the minimum, then ask the questions below.
The ten questions
- Have you done this type of event, and can I see similar work? A wedding of 80 people is not the same job as a corporate dinner of 400.
- What exactly is included, and what is not? Ask about hours, people, items, transport, setup and pack down.
- Are you free for the whole window, including arrival and clearing up? A ceremony time is not the same as a working day.
- Can you send a written quotation with a total and a price for each part? Our guide to comparing quotes shows why the headline figure misleads.
- How do you want to be paid, and in what stages? Agree the deposit, the balance and the dates. There is no single correct split.
- What happens if I change the date or cancel, and what happens if you cannot come? Ask before you pay, not after.
- Who do I contact, and how quickly do you usually reply? One named person is easier than a group chat with no owner.
- What is the plan if you are ill, or if a key piece of equipment fails? You are asking about a backup, not accusing anyone.
- What will we both have in writing before I pay? The agreement, the quotation and the account name should match.
- How can I check I am paying the person I think I am paying? Compare the account name with the business or person on the quotation.
If something later goes wrong
Talk to the vendor first and show what you both wrote down. The FCCPC complaint FAQ (opens in a new tab) says the commission expects you to have contacted the provider before you complain to it. The same page says a complaint is free, and that you should include the amount, the redress you want, and proof of the transaction. None of that promises the money will come back.
What SkillConnect actually does
On the SkillConnect app, vendors show a profile and a portfolio, and they can apply to jobs. A Verified badge means the vendor has completed identity checks and filled in their profile. It does not grade their work, and it is not a review from a customer.
If you pay in the app, you review the payment request before you pay. Paystack processes the payment. The record of an amount that has been paid and not yet released does not say who holds the money. After delivery, you have seven days to approve the work or ask for changes. If you do not respond, SkillConnect reviews the case and may authorise release. Payment is not released automatically just because those seven days have passed. An open dispute is dealt with before release. A refund is not guaranteed. Read how payments work before you rely on any of those steps.
The event planner on the website is separate. It helps you keep a budget, guests, a checklist and a timeline in this browser. It does not hire a vendor for you, it does not match you automatically, and it does not take payments. Only a payment made in the app follows the app's payment steps.
