The problem
Planning fees are usually paid in installments over a year or more, and chasing them is awkward when you're also the couple's friendly organizer. With 15 weddings a year each paid in 5 installments, about 6 payments fall due a month; at 40 minutes each to raise, check and chase, that's 4 hours a month, and a late payment can leave you covering supplier deposits.
What the AI does
Dubsado's invoice page says you can create custom payment plans, schedule installment payments with set due dates, add autopay and send automatic payment reminders. It doesn't say when reminders are sent, so set them up and check the timing in the app. Payment plans are on both Starter and Premier. Once the contract is signed, send the invoice with its payment plan, and the remaining installments follow on the agreed dates.
A worked example
A wedding planner in York runs 15 weddings a year, each paid in 5 installments: about 6 payments due a month. Installments were tracked in a spreadsheet and every invoice raised by hand.
Before
About 6 installments a month at 40 minutes each to raise, check and chase: 4 hours
After
If scheduled invoices and reminders leave 10 minutes per payment: about 1 hour
What it's worth
About $140£105€125A$202C$197 a month saved, against $28£21€25A$40C$39 to $35£26€31A$50C$49 for Dubsado Starter. About 3 hours a month saved, worth about $140£105€125A$202C$197 at an assumed $47£35€42A$67C$66 an hour, if couples pay on the reminders without a personal chase. Cost: Starter is $35 (about $35£26€31A$50C$49) a month, or $335 a year (about $28£21€25A$40C$39 a month). Fewer late installments also means supplier deposits aren't paid from your own pocket, which isn't counted here.
How to set it up
- Set up your standard payment plan in Dubsado, such as a booking fee then equal installments, matching what your contract says.
- Connect your payment processor and test a small payment to yourself.
- Turn on automatic payment reminders and check their timing and wording in the settings.
- Offer autopay to couples who are happy to use it.
- Once a month, look at what's paid and pending, and contact anyone who has ignored two reminders yourself.
What goes wrong
- Card fees add up on large planning fees. Check Dubsado's card fees for UK accounts; on a $3,990£3,000€3,570A$5,760C$5,640 fee, every 1% is $40£30€36A$58C$56.
- Reminders only go out for invoices sent from Dubsado. Installments agreed by text or paid outside it still need tracking by hand.
- A reminder can land at a bad moment, such as after a bereavement. Pause the plan when you know something's wrong.
- Prices are in dollars, and the cheaper annual plan is paid up front.