Planning your wedding? Here are 10 questions brides wish they'd asked their venue and suppliers sooner, from hidden fees to who takes the gifts home.

Nobody plans a wedding perfectly. Not your cousin with the colour-coded spreadsheet. Not the friend who "loved every minute of planning". Not even the professionals.

Somewhere between choosing the flowers and arguing about the seating plan, something slips through. Usually it's small. Sometimes it's the venue manager switching the lights on at 11pm while your uncle is halfway through his signature dance move.

The good news? Most of these moments are completely avoidable. You just need to ask the right questions early. So we've rounded up the ten things that catch couples out most often. Learn from everyone else's "oh no" moments so you don't have any of your own.

Grab a cuppa (and maybe your wedding planner). Let's go.

The money surprises

Weddings are expensive enough without surprise extras landing on the final invoice. These are the ones that sneak up on people the most.

1. "Does this quote include VAT and service charge?"

This is the big one. A quote that looks perfectly reasonable can suddenly grow by 20% once VAT is added. Some venues and caterers also add a service charge on top, often around 10% or more.

Always ask: "Is this the final price or will anything else be added?" Then get the answer in writing. Your future self (and your bank balance) will thank you.

2. "What happens if we run over time?"

Photographer booked for eight hours? Band finishing at 11? Lovely. But weddings run late. Speeches go on. The first dance starts 40 minutes behind because someone lost the bride's shoes.

Ask every supplier about their overtime rate. Then ask whether they can actually stay later if needed. Some can't because they have another booking the next morning.

3. "When is each payment due (and what's refundable)?"

Deposits are usually non-refundable. That's normal. What's less obvious is when the rest of the money is due. Some suppliers want the final balance weeks before the wedding, which means several big payments can land at once.

Jot down every payment date as soon as you book. It turns a scary surprise into a boring calendar reminder. Boring is good here.

The timing surprises

Everyone says the day flies by. They're right. These questions make sure the clock works for you, not against you.

4. "When can we set up and when do we need to clear out?"

You might picture yourself breezing in on the morning of the wedding to add the finishing touches. Your venue might have another event until 10am. Or a strict "everything out by midnight" rule.

Ask about set-up and clear-down times early, especially if you're doing your own decorations. Then decide who's actually doing it. (Hint: not you. You'll be busy getting your hair done.)

5. "What time is the curfew?"

The music stopping at 11pm isn't a problem. Finding out at 10.58pm is. Ask when the music has to finish, when the bar closes and when guests need to leave. Then plan your evening backwards from there so the night ends with a big finale, not a sudden silence.

While you're at it, ask if there's a noise limiter. Some venues have one. If the band gets too loud, the power can cut out mid-song.

6. "How long will the photos actually take?"

Group photos always take longer than you think. Rounding up Great Auntie Pat from the bar can take ten minutes on its own.

Ask your photographer how long they need for the formal shots and how they'd plan them. Keep your list short. Give a loud friend or usher the job of gathering people. Your drinks reception will thank you.

The people surprises

Your guests aren't the only people you need to think about on the day.

7. "Do we need to feed our suppliers?"

Your photographer, videographer and band are often with you for eight hours or more. Most will expect a meal and it's often written into their contract. If you haven't added them to your numbers, you'll either be scrambling for extra plates or dealing with a hangry photographer. Neither is ideal.

Check each contract, then include them in your final numbers. They don't need the full three courses. They do need to eat.

8. "Who's in charge on the day?"

This is the one most couples forget completely. When the florist can't find the entrance or the cake turns up early, who do suppliers call? If the answer is "the bride", you'll be answering your phone in your dress.

Ask your venue if they have an on-the-day coordinator and what they actually handle. If not, pick one calm, organised friend and give them every supplier's name and number. Ideally someone who won't be three proseccos deep by 4pm.

The little things

Small, easy to forget and somehow always the cause of last-minute panic.

9. "Who's taking the gifts and cards home?"

At the end of the night you'll be tired, happy and possibly shoeless. The last thing on your mind will be the card box sitting on a table in the corner.

Choose someone you trust to collect the gifts, cards and any leftover bits. Tell them in advance, not at midnight. It's also worth asking the venue whether things can stay overnight or need to go that evening.

10. "Who's returning the hired items (and where's the cake knife)?"

Chair covers, a borrowed cake stand, the hired neon sign... someone has to return them. Often by a set date if you want your deposit back.

Then there's the cake knife. Every wedding has a moment where nobody knows where it is. Check whether your venue provides one or if you need to bring your own. Then decide who's packing it. Small detail, big moment.

How to avoid all of it

Here's the secret: none of these questions are hard. The tricky part is remembering to ask them. Then remembering the answers six months later.

That's where most couples come unstuck. The answers end up scattered across emails, WhatsApp chats, voice notes and the back of a receipt in your handbag.

A few simple habits make a huge difference:

• Ask early. Ideally before you sign anything or pay a deposit.
• Get it in writing. A quick "just to confirm..." email saves a lot of back and forth later.
• Keep everything in one place. Supplier details, quotes, payment dates, phone numbers. The lot.

That last one is exactly why we created our Wedding Planner Binder. Your supplier details, budget and payment dates all live together. So when the venue asks for final numbers or you can't remember if the photographer needs feeding, the answer is right there. Not buried somewhere in your inbox.

Planning a wedding should feel exciting, not like a pop quiz you didn't revise for. Ask the questions now so on the day, the only thing you need to do is enjoy it.