Wedding Vendor Contract Template: How To

wedding vendor contract template

Last Updated on December 31, 2021 by Guillermina

Today, we’re going to be looking at a wedding vendor contract template and everything you need to know about them. Whether you’re the vendor yourself and unsure where to start, or you’re planning your wedding and not sure what a wedding vendor contract should include – we’re here to help. Let’s take a look at all things wedding vendor contracts before you sign on the dotted line!

What Is A Wedding Vendor Contract?

We all know what contracts are – but what does that have to do with a wedding? More than you might think, actually! A wedding contract is important for any services that you’re using at your wedding. Whether it’s a photographer, the florist, the videographer, the caterer, even the wedding planner – a wedding contract lists in detail the services you’re offering, and when those services will be provided by.

Why Have A Wedding Vendor Contract?

It’s extremely important to have a contract with every vendor with any involvement in your wedding. This is not only to protect you but also to protect them too. Even if you’re friends with the individual – it’s still best to draw up an informal contact. Not only are they great for highlighting all of the important parts of their services, but it’s also legally binding.

If there are any issues (such as a global pandemic!), there should be a cancellation/refund policy to protect both parties – whatever the circumstances. It’s important to discuss any queries you have before signing, and once both parties are in agreement, sign away!

What Should Wedding Vendor Contracts Include?

Depending on the vendor, all contracts will look completely different. Some will be formal, while others will be very informal and may not have too much information at all. However, it should always cover the basics. These are the bare minimum of what should be highlighted on a wedding contract, whether it’s a food vendor contract, or a wedding planner contract – they will all follow the same general template.

Wedding Information

This goes without saying, but one of the most important things to include is a list of details of all the services that the vendor is providing. This will include points such as:

  • Names of everyone involved in the agreement
  • Times and dates of when all services will be provided (this goes for when photos will be ready after the wedding too – that’s an important one that people often forget!)
  • Deposit amount and full payment details
  • Wedding date
  • Description of everything provided in detail
  • Plan B (just in case!) – for example, if a certain food or flower isn’t available, is anything else acceptable?

Finalization Of Details

You may have a wedding date, but you may not know a time and venue – but you know the general area, and you have your heart set on a certain photographer; many photographers will be more than happy to book with you, but it needs to be mentioned in the contract. And then updated once you have the final details. Most vendors do not expect you to have all details available instantly, but be sure to keep them up to date on the situation.

Payment

Are you paying upfront? How much is the deposit? Can you pay off the amount in installments? These are all important terms that need to be decided and laid out clearly in the contract before it’s signed by either parties. There should be a list of monetary amounts, and when each amount is expected by. Do not sign unless you’re satisfied with the information you have.

Refund/Cancellation Policy

With the pandemic still causing chaos around the world, refund and cancellation policies are more important now, than ever. Usually, there’s a clause which lets you know how much you will receive as a vendor, and how much you will receive back as the customer depending on how much notice you give. There may even be an exchange policy in there too if the new date you request is available.

Most businesses will have a refund/cancellation policy in place, but if there’s any doubt – be sure to raise any queries. Particularly for smaller businesses, as this may not be as common for them.

Receipts

I can not stress this enough, but receipts are so important for anything you buy. Once you pay any amount of money for a service (even a deposit), you should receive a receipt confirming so. It’s important to keep all of these safe in case there are any issues, such as the business going into liquidation – hey, that’s what wedding insurance is for, guys! So whatever the amount, be sure to keep a stash of receipts someplace safe, just in case you need them.

Wedding Contract Templates

Whether you’re looking for a food vendor contract template, or a wedding planner contract template – they’re super easy to make yourself or find templates online. If you’re dealing with a vendor that doesn’t present you with a contract (even an informal one), send a template over yourself with all the necessary details! As long as you both sign, it’s a legally binding contract.

There are a few great wedding contract templates online. I particularly like this generic one on Pinterest. But if you’re looking for more vendor-specific contracts (such as food, photography, or retail), wordstemplates has a brilliant selection to get you started. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy – just something clear, descriptive…and signed!

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you to become more familiar with a wedding vendor contract template, and how easy it is to draw up your own. And what exactly you should be looking for when signing any contracts in regards to your special day. For my own wedding, I barely signed any contracts at all…so it was lucky nothing did go wrong really!

Did you sign many agreements for your own wedding? I would love to hear your experiences when booking vendors for your own wedding!

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