The MOB wants "just a few more family portraits." The MOG wants the photographer to stay an extra hour to get her guests arriving. The father wants his grad-speech recorded on video. You contracted for 8 hours; you''re at hour 10. Who''s the one who says no?
The contract signer is the point of authority
In Texas contract law, the person who signed the contract is the one whose instructions count. If the bride signed, her mother''s asks are requests — not orders. The vendor has no obligation to perform them.
The challenge: this is hard to navigate emotionally on wedding day. Here''s how professionals handle it.
The vendor''s professional move
The cleanest script: "Happy to do that — let me just confirm with [the contract signer] real quick."
This does three things:
- Routes the decision to the authorized person.
- Creates an opportunity for the bride/groom to say no without being the direct target.
- Documents the moment in case disputes arise later.
The bride''s pre-emptive move
Before the wedding, have a 60-second conversation with the vendors and with your family:
- To vendors: "If anyone but [partner] or me asks you to change anything, please check with us first."
- To family: "All day-of changes have to come through us or the coordinator. It''s a legal thing with the contracts."
This protects everyone. The vendor has a clear line of authority. Family members don''t feel shut down — they''re told the process.
When family demands become expensive
- Extra hours: photographer overage rates in San Antonio range $200–600/hour.
- Extra prints / album upgrades: $200–1,500 depending on package.
- "Can you stop by the reception hotel tomorrow to get Grandma on video?" — often a separate-session fee ($400–1,200).
Vendors who agree to these without written authorization from the contract signer can end up in chargeback disputes.
The coordinator''s role
A good day-of coordinator handles family asks. If you''re paying $2,500–5,000 for day-of coordination, this is literally what they''re for — running interference so you and your partner don''t have to navigate MOB requests at your own wedding.
What to put in the contract
For vendors: "Changes to the scope of services must be authorized in writing by [name of contract signer]. Verbal requests from third parties are not binding."
For brides: "I authorize my day-of coordinator to make real-time decisions on non-material changes up to $[amount] without further approval."
When it blows up later
If a vendor performed extra work on a family member''s instruction and is now invoicing the bride:
- The bride is not obligated to pay unless she authorized the extra work.
- The vendor''s recourse is to the person who directed the work, which is usually a non-party to the contract.
- Texas courts have ruled multiple times: third-party instructions do not bind the contracting party.
If the vendor is invoicing you for work you did not authorize: refuse politely, point to the contract, and offer to pay the fair value if you did benefit from the work. Do not pay the full invoice as a reflex.
Sources: Texas Business and Commerce Code — Contracts, general Texas agency and contract principles.