Legal
Terms of Service
Last updated: April 2026
1. About Novia
Novia is a curated platform that connects engaged couples with wedding venues and vendors across South Africa. We provide tools to help you discover, compare, and book the right suppliers for your special day.
2. Using Our Platform
By creating an account, you agree to provide accurate information and use the platform in good faith. Couples can browse listings, send enquiries, and use our planning tools. Vendors who are approved can manage their listings, respond to enquiries, and receive payments through the platform.
3. Vendor Listings
All vendor listings on Novia are curated. We review every application to ensure quality and reliability. Vendors are responsible for keeping their listing information, pricing, and availability up to date. Novia reserves the right to remove any listing that does not meet our standards.
4. Payments
Payments made through Novia are processed securely via Stripe. A platform fee of 5% is applied to transactions made through the platform. This fee covers the cost of payment processing, platform maintenance, and customer support. All prices shown on the platform are in South African Rand (ZAR).
5. Payment Protection & Escrow
All milestone-based payments are held in escrow by Novia until the couple confirms delivery. Standard payments are processed directly via Paystack split payments. Novia charges a 2.9% processing fee to couples and a 5% platform fee to vendors. Couples can choose milestone or standard payment when paying invoices.
6. Escrow Release Policy
Funds are released to the vendor upon couple confirmation of milestone delivery. If no action is taken by the couple within 14 days of payment, Novia will send a reminder. If no action is taken within 21 days, a second reminder is sent. After 30 days with no dispute raised, funds are automatically released to the vendor. Couples are encouraged to confirm delivery or raise disputes promptly.
7. Dispute Resolution
Either party can raise a dispute through the Novia platform. Novia will acknowledge the dispute within 2 business days, and investigation will be completed within 5 business days. Possible outcomes include:
- Full refund to couple (vendor did not deliver)
- Partial refund (vendor partially delivered)
- Funds released to vendor (couple’s dispute unfounded)
Novia’s decision is final and binding for disputes under R50,000. For disputes over R50,000, parties may seek independent arbitration. Repeated dispute losses affect a vendor’s Trust Score and may result in suspension.
8. Vendor Obligations
Vendors must deliver services as described in their quotes and invoices. Vendors must respond to enquiries within 48 hours and maintain accurate portfolio and pricing information. Failure to deliver booked services may result in:
- Full refund to the couple
- Trust Score reduction
- Suspension or removal from the platform after 3 upheld disputes
9. Couple Obligations
Couples must confirm delivery within 14 days of receiving the service. Disputes must be raised in good faith with supporting evidence. Frivolous disputes may result in account restrictions.
10. Cancellations & Refunds
Cancellation and refund policies are set by individual vendors. Please review the vendor’s terms before making any payments. Novia is not responsible for disputes between couples and vendors, but we will assist in resolving issues where possible.
11. Limitation of Liability
Novia acts as a platform connecting couples and vendors. We do not guarantee the quality of any vendor’s services. Contracts and agreements are between the couple and the vendor directly. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of vendor services booked through our platform.
12. Changes to These Terms
We may update these terms from time to time. We will notify registered users of any significant changes via email. Continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.
13. Contact
Questions about these terms? Reach out to hello@novia.wedding.