The summer months bring with them the busiest time of year for churches and other venues licensed to hold wedding ceremonies.

Organising a wedding should be an enjoyable experience, but often the stress of making the arrangements can put a dampener on the big day. There are so many details to remember and worries about things that could go wrong. It is therefore important to make sure that you are well prepared and know your rights in case anything doesn't go to plan.

The Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 protects consumers who are buying services together with any goods supplied as part of the service. All services have to be carried out with reasonable care and skill. This means, for example, that your florist, photographer, or hairdresser should do a reasonable job and you are entitled to a professional standard of work. Any goods supplied as part of the service must be of satisfactory quality, fit for their purpose and correspond with their description. So table decorations should not be shoddy in appearance and your wedding cake should arrive in the colours requested.

It is always best to agree costs before you employ someone to provide goods or services for the wedding. If you do not agree a price beforehand, the law states that you must pay a reasonable price. What is "reasonable" depends on the circumstances of each case, but the local industry rate is a fair indication of what you should expect to pay. It is vital that anyone providing you with either goods or services is aware that they are needed for your wedding day. If they are unaware of the importance of the delivery or collection date this may affect any compensation claim should things go wrong.

York Trading Standards offers the following advice to ensure that your big day runs as smoothly as possible:

Make sure you have written contracts which include important points such as the date, time and place for any deliveries or collections.

Write to everyone who is supplying you confirming the details at least eight weeks before the wedding so that you have time to make alternative arrangements if you need to.

Always agree prices beforehand to avoid unforeseen expense.

Be as specific as you can when asking businesses to provide you with goods or services for your big day. If a business knows exactly what you want then you are less likely to be disappointed. Remember it is wise to give your chosen DJ or band a list of "do's" and "dont's" if you feel strongly about the music at your reception.

If you require advice on this, or any other consumer matter please call at 9 St Leonard's Place, York or telephone us on 551562. The fax number is 551590 and the e-mail address is trading.standards@york.gov.uk