A Brief Introduction About Wedding Planner Contract
What is a Wedding Planner Contract? A Wedding Planner Contract is a legal document that is created between two parties when a wedding event needs to be organized. This contract is a legal document which outlines all the details of the event such as the arrangements to be made, the date of the event, number of guests invited and most importantly the amount of funds that will be invested in the same. This legal document is created between the party who has initiated the wedding event and the party and or the vendor who has been hired to organize the same.
Who Takes the Wedding Planner Contract – People Involved
This legal document is created between two parties; the first party is usually the bride and groom who are being married and the second party is the wedding planner who has been hired to organize the wedding. This legal contract must include all the necessary details in regards to the wedding, such as when the same should take place, where the event will be organized, the number of guests who have been invited among other finer details. All this information needs to be documented in written format, and the same should be signed by both parties so that it is executed well.
Purpose of Wedding Planner Contract– Why Do You Need It
The main objective of this agreement is to establish a legal understanding between both the organizations and to make sure that the interests of the individual parties along with the collective are protected at all points in time.
Some of the essential aspects to note about a Wedding Planner Contract are the following:
One of the most important aspects of a wedding contract which differentiates it from other legal contracts in the industry is the presence of a cover letter on the very first page of the legal document. This cover letter serves as a creative letter of gratitude and is designed by the wedding planner with a thought to thank the bride and groom for choosing their service and also put forward their ideas regarding how the wedding will take place and vice versa.
After the cover letter, the actual documentation of the legal contract begins to take shape. One aspect to be noted here is the fact that the Wedding Planner Contract should be designed and printed in a manner that is professional and not solely creative. If the vendor in context has a letterhead and or official logo, the same should be included in the contents of the contract. At the beginning of the contract, the vendor should also give clear instructions to the bride and groom as to what they should do with the contract, as in reading it thoroughly and then only sign the same.
Some of the most important details that needs to be present in the contents of the contract include, the date of the wedding along with the time, the location where the wedding event will be organized, the credentials of both the bride and groom along with both their contact information, the responsibilities of the wedding planner and his or her team, as well as the expectations of the bride and the groom and also the wedding planner fee.
Among all those mentioned above, one of the most crucial sections of the contract for the wedding planner is that which outlines the responsibilities of the planner, the wedding planner services that they need to render, along with the goals and milestones they need to meet. In this section, it is crucial that none of the details be left out, as this might lead to some or confusion later on. Finer details such as floral arrangements, interior as well as the exterior decoration of the venue, music, catering for the event, photography services, and videography of all the events, ceremonies, receptions, as well as decoration of the entire event need to be covered in this section.
The amount of funds or the charge of the wedding planner for all the services that are being rendered also needs to be mentioned in a separate section of the contract. Along with this, the stipulation of how the charges need to be paid, as in cash, cheque, demand draft or online payment needs to be mentioned upfront. In most cases, wedding planners charge the bride and groom an advance amount depending on the total budget of the event and the payment of this needs to be made once the booking is confirmed; the details of the same needs to be shared in this section.
Most wedding planners in the industry today charge a nonrefundable deposit and or cancellation charges, which is usually a part of the total budget for the event. While it is common knowledge that such a charge will be levied, the details of the same needs to be mentioned in the contract.
Contents of Wedding Planner Contract – Inclusions
Parties Involved: In this legal agreement, there are usually two parties involved; the first being the bride and groom who are getting married and the second being the wedding planner who has been chosen to organize the entire event. The first party is known as the Couple and or Party, and the second party is known as the Wedding Planner. The agreement which outlines all the terms and conditions along with all the rules and regulations is simply referred to as the Agreement.
Effective Date: This section of the agreement outlines the date from which this contract will stand legally binding and also the date on which the same can be dissolved.
Where does it Apply: This agreement is legally applicable within the boundaries of the state, city, or county where it was originally drawn at.
How to Draft the Wedding Planner Contract
A Wedding Planner Contract can be drafted by simply following the steps mentioned below.
Organize a meeting both the parties and discuss upon the terms and conditions of the agreement, such as the details of the wedding, how the decorations will be made, the location and venue of the event, the number of guests that will be invited, the amount of staff that will be needed to coordinate the entire event and most importantly the amount of funds that will be invested in the same.
Once both the parties have mutually agreed to all the terms and conditions, reach out to a lawyer and ask him to draw up a Wedding Planner Contract according to the specifications discussed.
Get both the parties to sign the contract and get it registered in a house of law as suggested by your lawyers.
Negotiation Strategy
While negotiating the formation of a Wedding Planner Contract, it must be taken care that the individual interests of both parties must be addressed along with the collective cause.
Benefits of Wedding Planner Contract
The most significant benefits of having a Wedding Planner Contract are as follows.
- The contract clearly outlines the individual responsibilities, duties, and limitations and therefore makes sure that both parties are well aware of them at all points in time.
- This is document acts as legal proof and thus can be produced in court if there is a need in the future.
- In the absence of a Wedding Planner Contract, neither of the parties have legal proof of an understanding taking place between two entities, and thus if the matter is ever brought to court, both parties stand to lose.
What Happens In Case of Violation
Although the cases of a Wedding Planner Contract are far and rare, there are of course cases where due to the voluntary or involuntary action of either party, the terms and conditions may get violated. In such a scenario, it is always recommended that the parties sit down for a discussion and resolve the matter at hand via a constructive talk(1).
If the matter is deemed to be more serious, either of the parties can seek the help of a legal counsel and take the matter to court. This document is a legally binding(2) one can be presented in any court of the country as a documented proof of a transaction taking place.
A Wedding Planner Contract is created with the thought of initiating and conducting a smooth and efficient wedding for the bride and groom and also a profitable transaction for the wedding organizer. With such a contract in place, the same can be safely and skilfully executed.
[Also Read: Event Planner Contract]