Celebration & Event Contract Plain-English Summary

A service fee is an administrative charge kept by the venue or caterer to cover operational overhead and is typically not distributed to the serving staff. A tip or gratuity is a direct payment to the waitstaff for their service during your event. Your contract summary will clarify whether gratuity is already built into the service fee or if you need to budget extra for it.

Whether your deposit is transferable depends entirely on the contract's specific rescheduling clause, which is often different from the cancellation policy. A good summary highlights the exact window of time you have to move your date without forfeiting your money. Some vendors allow a one-time transfer within a calendar year, while others require a rescheduling fee.

Standard force majeure clauses only apply to extreme, unpredictable events that make hosting physically or legally impossible, such as a natural disaster or government shutdown. Standard bad weather like rain or heat does not qualify unless it causes a safety emergency. Your summary will help you identify if you need to purchase separate event cancellation insurance to cover weather risks.

Venues mandate vendor liability insurance to protect their property from damage during setup and to shield themselves from lawsuits if a guest is injured by a vendor's equipment. Your summary will flag these specific insurance requirements so you can ensure your florist, DJ, or decorator has the correct coverage before you hire them.