Wedding Planner

1. Location and Date Details.

Realize the contract may have separate charges for travel to the venue on the wedding date itself or may have a provision that if the location or date changes, there might be additional costs.

2. The Planner’s Duties. 

It is important that the contract clearly spell out what the planner’s duties are. Details should be spelled out as much as necessary to make you feel comfortable. Are calls unlimited? Suppose it takes numerous visits before you choose a venue, including repeated visits to a certain venue? What happens if a vendor backs out? What happens if your guest list grows or shrinks, or the budget is revised? Suppose you change your mind regarding the entire theme midway through?

3. The Terms of Payment.

This includes whether it is a percentage, flat fee, or hourly rate. It also includes charges for any extras and how they will be charged, such as travel costs for any meetings or consultations, (sometimes only if they are more than a certain number of miles away or in a different state or under some other condition). It also includes when payments are to be made. This includes the deposit and if it refundable.

4. The Planner’s Cancellation Policy.

Contracts usually provide that the client can cancel at any time, but will provide how much you are required to pay the panner to do so. Similarly, contracts often provide that the planner can cancel at any time but will have provisions regarding what happens if they do. Are they responsible for getting you a replacement and will there be a refund including of the “nonrefundable deposit”?

5. What Happens if There is a Dispute.

Contracts usually have clauses providing what happens if there is a dispute you cannot resolve. Standard clauses are usually included such as: mediation or arbitration only clauses, payment of attorney’s fees in the event of a dispute,  and  which state’s law will control the agreement if there is a dispute.