The Client Payment Experience

When you send a payment request, your client receives an email with a link to a secure payment page. Here is what that experience looks like from their side, so you know what to expect when clients have questions.

The Payment Email

Your client receives an email with the payment amount, a brief description of what the payment is for (deposit or balance), and a button to pay. Like document links, this does not require your client to create an account. They click the link and land on the payment page.

What the Payment Page Shows

The payment page is clean and straightforward. Your client sees:

• Your business name at the top
• The payment amount — exactly what you quoted, with nothing added
• Payment method options — Zelle or Venmo first if you have set those up (they cost you nothing), then bank transfer and card

There is no fee line and no total-with-fees. Whichever method your client chooses, the amount is the same figure that appears in your agreement.

The methods are ordered by what they cost you, with a Preferred badge on the cheapest one actually on offer. Since the couple pays the same either way, the badge simply states a preference — it never claims they'll save money.

Card Payments

Your client enters their card number, expiration date, and CVC and is charged the amount you requested. Stripe's fee of 2.9% + $0.30 comes out of your payout — on a $2,000 deposit, roughly $58.30, so about $1,941.70 reaches your account.

Card payments are processed immediately. Your client sees a confirmation screen as soon as the payment goes through.

ACH Bank Transfer

Your client enters their bank account and routing number and is charged the same amount as by card. The difference is your fee: 0.8%, capped at $5.00.

On that same $2,000 deposit you keep $1,995.00 instead of $1,941.70 — and the cap means a $5,000 balance still costs you only $5.00. This is why it is worth asking clients to pay by bank transfer.

ACH payments take a few business days to clear, so your client will see a note that the payment is being processed. You will receive the funds once the transfer completes.

Paying by Zelle or Venmo

If you have added a Zelle or Venmo handle, the couple sees a Pay by Zelle (or Venmo) button. It opens a panel with the handle to send to, the amount, and a confirmation step.

For anything over $500, that panel also asks them to check their transfer limit first — banks cap daily Zelle transfers, Venmo caps its own, and the limits are often lower than people expect. A capped transfer doesn't fail; it quietly sends part of the money. The panel suggests splitting it across a few days or using another method on the page.

Once they've sent it, they tap I've sent it and get a confirmation screen saying you've been notified. Nothing has moved in Gilded yet — money sent this way never touches Stripe, so the payment stays open until you confirm it arrived. Their payment link stays live the whole time in case they change their mind or want to pay another way.

On your side, the payment row turns into a Confirm Zelle (or Venmo) button so you know to check your account. See Requesting Payments for what to do next, including what happens if only part of the money arrives.

After Payment

Once the payment is processed, your client sees a confirmation screen with:

• A summary of what they paid
• The payment method used
• A confirmation that the payment was received

On your end, the event workflow advances automatically. Card payments move straight to Deposit Paid or Paid in Full. ACH payments first show as Processing ("bank transfer clearing," usually 3–5 business days), then settle to Paid once the transfer completes. The activity timeline on the event detail page logs the payment with the amount, method, and timestamp.

Common Client Questions

"Is there a fee for paying this way?" No. Your client pays the quoted amount whichever method they choose — processing costs come out of your side, not theirs.

"Can I pay by bank transfer?" Yes. On the payment page, your client can choose between card and bank transfer, along with Zelle or Venmo if you have added them. Bank transfer costs you far less, so it is worth suggesting.

"My bank wouldn't let me send the whole amount." Record whatever did arrive against that installment and Gilded keeps the rest owed — their existing link then asks for the remainder, which they can send again or pay by card. See Partial Payments.

"When will the money come out?" Card payments are charged immediately. ACH transfers take 3-5 business days to process.

"I paid but did not get a confirmation email." The confirmation is shown on the payment page itself. If they navigated away, they can check with you — you will see the payment recorded on the event detail page.

Talking to Clients About Payment

Many planners mention the payment process during the contract review call. A quick heads-up like "After you sign, I will send a payment link for the deposit — you can pay by card or bank transfer, and the bank transfer option keeps fees really low" goes a long way toward a smooth experience.