General Event Planning Contract

- Names of Parties to Agreement: Identifies you and your clients to clarify who is entering into the contract.

- Fees & Reservation Retainer Clause: Clarifies your payment terms, including retainers, installments, late fees, and no downgrades. Includes three clause options for (1) percentage retainers with one final payment, flat fee retainers with installments, and commission percentage fees.

- Coverage Clause: Details the services, including pre-planning hours and day-of hours you’ll provide to your clients.

- Cancellation by Client Clause: Explains your policy and penalties if clients cancel, and the amount that your clients will be held liable for if they cancel within a certain time frame.

- Rescheduling by Client Clause: Lays out the process and what happens to the retainer and additional payments if clients reschedule.

- Planner Responsibilities Clause (ability to modify your specific planning procedures): Lists out all of your responsibilities AND what you are not responsible for, so your scope of work is clear.

- Client Responsibilities Clause: Explains that your clients are responsible for booking directly with other vendors, your guidance, items to be purchased, vendor cancellations, etc.

- Completion of Coordination Services Clause: Details how long after the event your services will be deemed completed.

- Event Vendor Responsibilities and Performance Clause: Covers your ability to not work alongside vendors who may not meet your standard or are difficult to work with.

- Modifications and Changes to Event theme and Style: Explains when you will complete a mood board and then what happens to any changes to the event theme.

- Use of Event Images Clause: Explains you may request photos from the photographer.

- Posting on Social Media Clause: Tells your clients to please tag you in any photos they post of their event.

- Inclement Weather Clause: Covers your approach to handling bad weather conditions (with an indoor and outdoor option).

- Intellectual Property Clause: Explains that the work product you create is copyright protected.

- Venue and Location Limitations Clause: Ensures any location limitations or restrictions at the venue are not your fault.

- Permits Clause: Explains that clients must secure any necessary permits.

- Travel Fees Clause: Details any additional fees for your travel and related expenses.

- Clients' Responsibility to Secure Insurance Clause: Clarifies that clients can get their own day-of insurance coverage for the event.

- Communication Clause: Encourages clear and ongoing communication between you and clients, with the ability to unilaterally terminate if a client ghosts you.

- Confirmation of Day-of-Schedule Clause: Confirms your planning schedule and timeline for the event day.

- Model Release Clause: Allows you to use your images and videos from the event on your smartphone for your portfolio and marketing.

- Intellectual Property Clause: Explains that the work product you create is copyright protected.

- Harassment Clause: Protects you from any form of inappropriate and harassing behavior during the contractual period.

- Safe Working Environment Clause: Promotes a danger-free work environment.

- Indemnification Clause: Protects you from third-party legal liabilities and claims.

- Maximum Damages Clause: Limits claims to the cost of the agreement.

- Limitation of Liability Clause: Caps your liability in case of issues. Also limits the liability for exemplary damages.

- Force Majeure Clause: Covers unforeseeable, unpredictable events that make it impossible to perform under the contract, like natural disasters and war.

- Cancellation of Services by Planner Clause: States your rights and terms for canceling services and the clients options for a backup service provider.

- Sales Tax Clause: Clarifies any applicable sales tax applied to package price.

- Entire Agreement Clause: Confirms this contract is the full and complete agreement between the parties.

- Venue and Jurisdiction Clause: Specifies the legal venue and interpretation of law for any disputes or claims.

- Arbitration Clause: Requires disputes go through arbitration first.

- Transfer Clause: Details that the contract cannot transfer to another party without consent.

- Severability & No Waiver Clause: Ensures the contract remains valid even if some parts are unenforceable or waived.

- Headings Clause: States that headings are for organization, not legal interpretation.

- Notification Clause: Explains how you’ll handle official notifications to clients.

- Counterparts & Facsimile Signatures Clause: Allows for electronic signatures to deem the contract valid.

- Signature Lines: Provides space for you and your client to sign and make it official!

Every template is prepared by The Legal Paige, LLC, attorney-drafted and reviewed, and created specifically for your industry.

Every template is created with easy-to-use fill-in-the-blanks for your unique business. We make it simple to identify what information you need to input with highlighted, editable sections.

Once you’ve finished, you can quickly copy/paste into your client management software, Google Docs, or Microsoft Word to send to clients in a snap.

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All template documents are drafted using general U.S. contract principles and are not state-specific. Our products are easy to use and have highlighted, editable sections with commentary on what to amend according to your business practices and local and state laws. You may modify the document on your own or find an attorney in your state to help you.

Some template documents are available in Canada, have been reviewed by a Canadian lawyer, and are drafted using general Canadian common law contract principles (not for use in Quebec due to civil law jurisdiction). Thus, if you purchase a Canadian template all language in the document will be applicable to your business operating in Canada. If you need assistance modifying the document, please find a lawyer in your territory/province to help you.