What is Mediation?

Weddings are stressful enough for couples and suppliers without having to worry about disputes leading up to or following the big day. Wedding related disputes can take up a significant amount of time, emotion and financial resource. Taking immediate court action to obtain redress can often be expensive and the parties are generally encouraged to try and resolve the dispute before a claim is commenced in the courts.

Our team of commercial mediators specialise in wedding disputes available to assist couples and suppliers with a wide array of disputes in a confidential, professional, quick and cost effective manner.

Depending on the complexity and size of the dispute or claim it is possible for it to be resolved within two hour.

Examples of where mediation can assist:

Suppliers

1.     Business-to-business payment disputes.

2.     Business to consumer payment disputes

3.     Business to consumer supply of services disputes

4.     Business to consumer supply of goods disputes

Consumer

1.     Disputes arising from your supplier failing to return a deposit

2.     Failure by a wedding supplier to deliver satisfactory goods

3.     Failure by a wedding supplier to deliver satisfactory services

4.     Interpersonal disputes between family members

5.     Interpersonal disputes between the wedding couple

 What is mediation?

Mediation is a process for resolving disputes where an intermediary helps conflicting parties have a dialogue to jointly resolve their concerns.

Mediators must be totally impartial which means they will facilitate the mediation in a neutral and impartial manner. A mediator is not an adjudicator and neither party will be forced into an agreement. The process is entirely confidential and so is the outcome. The outcome can be drawn up as a legal document or remain an informal document.

Mediation works most effectively where:

1.     The parties want to retain control of the outcome – rather than have an arbitrator or judge to decide the outcome for them.

2.     The parties are willing to participate voluntarily.

3.     Legal or other formal action should not have been commenced.

4.     There a negotiable issue in dispute (e.g. can one ascertain a potential way to resolve the issue).

5.     There should be no great power imbalances between the parties (the mediator will be trained to maintain equilibrium between the parties in the event of a power imbalance.

6.     There is a commitment from both parties to resolve the case, rather than one party delaying the onset of litigation.

7.     Both parties feel safe.

8.     Both parties are acting in good faith.

9.     The issues are specific and can be resolved by the parties themselves.

10. Neither party have extreme or hardened views.