Wedding Planner Contract

What Is a Wedding Planner Contract Used For?

A wedding planner contract template is a formal legal document used to outline the terms of service between a wedding planner and a client. It helps to define a clear and firm scope of cooperation while planning and organizing the wedding day. The document outlines the following provisions:

• scope of services (in other words, what is covered and what is not);
• detailed list of a wedding planner’s duties;
• details of the event (e.g., date, time, number of guests);
• payment details;
• cancellation policy; and
• termination clause.

The present document is a type of services agreement, according to which the client orders professional services from the wedding planner. The present document should not be confused with a catering service contract. The catering service contract is used to order catering services. Contrary to that, a wedding planner contract sample outlines a large scope of various services, including organization of a reception, reservations and booking, management of the guests, etc.

A sample contract for wedding planner can be useful in either of the following situations:

• a couple that wishes to enter into a contractual arrangement with a wedding planner; or
• a wedding planner who wishes to have a tailored sample of a wedding contract template for their professional needs.

The parties to a contract are the client and the wedding planner. The client is usually a couple or a couple’s parents.

The wedding planner can be a professional event agency, freelancer, or self-employed. Since the provision of wedding services requires a lot of effort, the wedding planner engages additional staff and employees. A good example of sample wedding planner contract makes the wedding planner fully responsible for any actions performed by their staff or employees.

How to Draft a Wedding Planner Contract Template?

A solid sample wedding planner contract should include as many details as possible to be a comprehensive and clear document. Besides that, without certain mandatory clauses, this contract cannot become a legally binding contract. Below we prepared a breakdown of the most important clauses every wedding planner contract sample should have:

Information about the Parties

That might not look that important at first sight, though this is the first impression only. A party that signs a contract becomes legally obliged to perform that contract. Therefore, the names of a couple who sign this contract are the names of individuals who have to pay for provided wedding planner services. Make sure the sample wedding planner contract includes the following information:

• full names and addresses of both parties;
• contact email addresses and phones;
• signatures (either by hand or using online e-signature tools);
• dates on which either party signs the contract.

Scope of Services

This clause serves a dual purpose. First, it shapes the client’s expectations with regard to the services they wish to get. Second, it establishes the list of exact duties the wedding planner should perform for the client. Therefore, the list of services should be as clear as possible.

Besides the services, the client may wish to order the list of additional activities, including entertainment of guests, first dance, games, etc. All this should also be defined directly in the text of the wedding planner contract template. It is a good practice to include one more additional clause stating that the wedding planner and their staff remain fully responsible for all the negative consequences that may arise as a result of the provision of such activities.

Details of the Event

This is the key clause for every sample contract for wedding planners. The details of the event should include the following:

• date and venue;
• timing of the event;
• number of guests;
• any other additional information related to the event.

It is a common practice for a wedding planner contract agreement template to include the deadline by which the client may change the details of the event.

Any change in the event after the deadline triggers additional compensation from the client.

Cancellation Policy

Every wedding planner contract example should include a cancellation policy clause. This clause defines what will happen if the event is being cancelled by the client or by any force majeure event (e.g., war, social unrest, etc.).

Once the event is cancelled, the wedding planner may receive a partial compensation for all the expenses already made. If there is a retainer fee, the wedding planner may keep it as well.

Payment Terms

A wedding planner contract sample may also include details of the wedding planner’s remuneration. The service provider could be paid in various ways:

• per guest fee (in that case the final check could be adjusted based on the actual number of guests on the event date);
• fixed fee;
• per-hour fee;
• daily fee.

Despite the type of payment model, some wedding planners may require payment of a so-called retainer fee upfront. This fee is also known as a reservation fee for a wedding planner on the specific date.

The parties should also discuss how exactly the payment should be made (e.g., cash, bank transfer, etc.).

Termination clause

A termination clause defines the way and circumstances in which either party can end the contract.

A contract is being terminated automatically once executed in full by both parties. In this case the wedding planner rendered all the agreed services on the wedding day, and the client made the payment.

At the same time, either party may proceed with earlier termination of the contract (i.e., before the wedding day). For instance, the wedding planner may terminate a contract if the agreed amount of a retainer fee has not been transferred on time.

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