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Wedding planning guides
Answers to the questions in wedding contracts, quotes, invoices and plans, with new guides added regularly, newest first.
46 guides
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Wedding venue minimum guest count: what you pay for
How a wedding venue minimum guest count works: the clause wording, what you owe if fewer guests come, who counts toward it, how to lower it and what to ask.
Open the guide Before you book ·Questions to ask a wedding venue before booking
Questions to ask a wedding venue before booking and on the tour: date holds, capacity, inclusions, minimums, sales tax, vendor rules, rain plan, payment plans.
Open the guide Before you book ·What is a date hold at a wedding venue? How holds work
What a date hold at a wedding venue means, how long it lasts and what turns it into a booking, with a hold tracker and a message asking the venue for terms.
Open the guide Money and dates ·What is a food and beverage minimum for a wedding?
What a food and beverage minimum is for a wedding, what counts toward it, whether it includes tax and tip, how a shortfall works, and what to ask the venue.
Open the guide Before you book ·What is an outside vendor fee at a wedding venue?
What an outside vendor fee at a wedding venue is, how it is calculated, exclusive vs preferred vendor lists, insurance rules and how to compare the total cost.
Open the guide Before you book ·Questions to ask a wedding caterer before booking
Questions to ask a wedding caterer before booking and at the tasting: per-person price, staff, service charge, tax, plates and rentals, allergies and the bar.
Open the guide Before you book ·Questions to ask a wedding photographer before booking
Questions to ask a wedding photographer before booking: coverage hours, who shoots, editing and raw files, delivery, who owns the photos, backups and payments.
Open the guide Before you book ·Wedding venue inclusions: what you still need to rent
Wedding venue inclusions vs your rental order: check tables, chairs, linens and tableware line by line, count what your guests need, and avoid paying twice.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·Can a wedding vendor raise prices after booking?
Can a wedding vendor raise prices after booking? How to find price-lock and price increase clauses, surcharges and quote expiry, and what to ask for in writing.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·What to look for in a wedding venue contract: a checklist
What to look for in a wedding venue contract, clause by clause: spaces and hours, exclusive vendors, minimums, fees, deposits, insurance and cancellation.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·Wedding catering proposal: what it includes, line by line
How to read a wedding catering proposal: what the per-person price includes, staffing, the service charge base, tax, rentals, corkage and the final count.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·What should be in a wedding photographer contract?
What should be in a wedding photographer contract: coverage hours, overtime, RAW files, who owns the photos, the backup plan and payments, plus what to ask.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·What should be in a wedding videographer contract?
What should be in a wedding videographer contract: coverage hours, films, raw footage, audio, music, drones, delivery, revisions, backup and payments.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·Wedding DJ and band contract: what to check before signing
What a wedding DJ or band contract should say: performance vs setup hours, breaks, overtime, power, sound limits, song lists, MC duties and substitutes.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·Wedding florist proposal: design, delivery and setup fees
How to read a wedding florist proposal: the design fee and its base, delivery, setup, strike, vase and arch rentals, substitutions, minimums and deposits.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·How much cake to order for a wedding: bakery checklist
How much cake to order for a wedding, and what the cake order should say: serving size, price per slice, delivery and stand fees, allergens and deadlines.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·Wedding hair and makeup contract: trial, fees and timing
What to check in a wedding hair and makeup contract: the trial, per-person prices and minimums, start times, travel and early fees, and cancellation terms.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·What should a wedding planner contract include?
What should a wedding planner contract include: scope as written, hours, meetings, vendor commissions, flat or percentage fees, expenses and exclusions.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·Wedding officiant agreement: what to include and ask
What to put in a wedding officiant agreement, and questions to ask: ceremony scope, meetings, rehearsal, script, fees, travel, the marriage license and backup.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·How does wedding transportation work? Limo contract terms
How wedding transportation works and what to check in a limo or shuttle contract: minimum hours, garage-to-garage billing, overtime, gratuity and fees.
Open the guide Before you book ·Wedding tent rental checklist: size, cost and questions
A wedding tent rental checklist: what size tent you need, floors, sidewalls, heat or air conditioning, power, permits, weather terms, cost and questions to ask.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·Wedding photo booth rental: what the contract should say
What to check before a wedding photo booth rental: rental hours, idle time, the attendant, prints, digital gallery, props, space, power, overtime and payments.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·What is a certificate of insurance for a wedding vendor?
What a certificate of insurance for a wedding vendor is, what should be on it, how to request one from vendors and how to check it against the venue's rules.
Open the guide Money and dates ·Wedding budget spreadsheet template: how to make one
How to make a wedding budget spreadsheet from your own quotes and contracts: a template, the columns, fee and tax rows, payment dates and a worked example.
Open the guide Money and dates ·How to pay wedding vendors: card, check, cash or transfer
How to pay wedding vendors by credit card, check, cash or transfer: find the fees in your contract, pay the right business, verify details and keep receipts.
Open the guide Money and dates ·Service charge vs gratuity at a wedding: is it a tip?
Service charge vs gratuity at a wedding: how a service charge, administrative fee and a gratuity differ, whether staff get any of it, and how to decide tips.
Open the guide Money and dates ·Service charge sales tax: is a wedding service charge taxed?
Is sales tax charged on a wedding service charge? How the tax base changes your total, what to ask the caterer or venue, and how to check your invoice.
Open the guide Money and dates ·Do you tip wedding vendors? Who, how much and when
Do you tip wedding vendors? Check contracts for included gratuity, decide who to tip and how much on your own terms, budget a tip line and plan the envelopes.
Open the guide Money and dates ·Wedding invoice: what to check before you pay it
What to check on a wedding invoice before paying: counts, rates, service charge and tax, duplicate lines, deposits credited, payment terms and how to ask.
Open the guide Money and dates ·Are wedding deposits refundable? How to check your contract
Are wedding deposits refundable? How to read deposit, retainer and cancellation terms, work out what a vendor keeps on a given date, and cancel in writing.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·What is a wedding postponement clause? What to check
What a wedding postponement clause is and what to check: date-change fees, new-date deadlines, price changes, force majeure, and how to tell vendors and guests.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·What to do if a wedding vendor cancels on you
What to do if a wedding vendor cancels or backs out: read the cancellation wording, document it, find a replacement fast and ask for your money back in writing.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·Wedding vendor overtime charges: how overtime works
How wedding vendor overtime charges work: where overtime appears in contracts, billing increments and minimums, who approves it on the day, and a cost example.
Open the guide Money and dates ·Wedding venue security deposit: how to get it back
What a wedding venue security deposit or damage deposit covers, when it is refundable, what to photograph, return timing and how to ask about a deduction.
Open the guide Money and dates ·What to do after your wedding: vendor closeout checklist
What to do after your wedding with vendors: check final invoices, recover deposits, question late overtime, track photo delivery, return rentals, keep records.
Open the guide Guests and decisions ·When should a wedding RSVP deadline be? How to set it
When should the RSVP deadline be for a wedding? Work back from your earliest vendor final-count date, add time for follow-ups and seating, and word it clearly.
Open the guide Guests and decisions ·Wedding guest list spreadsheet template: how to make one
How to make a wedding guest list spreadsheet: template columns for households, addresses, RSVPs, meals, dietary needs, plus-ones and tables, and how to rank it.
Open the guide Guests and decisions ·Do kids count in the wedding headcount? Children's meals
Do kids count in the wedding headcount? Check how your contract defines a child, prices children's meals and counts them toward minimums, with a worksheet.
Open the guide Guests and decisions ·Outdoor wedding rain plan: how to set a backup plan
How to make an outdoor wedding rain plan: backup space wording and fees, tent holds, decision deadlines, who makes the call and how guests and vendors are told.
Open the guide The week of ·Wedding day timeline template: build it from your contracts
A wedding day timeline template and sample for a 4 p.m. ceremony, built from contract times: venue access, vendor arrivals, coverage hours, meals and load-out.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·Do you have to feed wedding vendors? Meals and breaks
Do you have to feed wedding vendors? Find the meal and break terms in each contract, count vendor meals in your catering headcount and plan when they eat.
Open the guide Before you book ·How to compare wedding venues and quotes side by side
How to compare wedding venues at one guest count: rental, minimum spend, service charge base and tax, with a worked example and a free comparison spreadsheet.
Open the guide Vendor contracts ·Wedding contract checklist: what to check before you sign
A clause-by-clause wedding contract checklist for any vendor: scope, parties, price, fees, payments, changes, cancellation and red flags, with a question log.
Open the guide Money and dates ·Wedding payment schedule: a template and how to build it
Build a wedding payment schedule from your vendor contracts: deposits, installments, final balance dates and card fees, with a free template and calendar file.
Open the guide Guests and decisions ·Wedding final headcount: when it is due and who counts
When the wedding final headcount is due, who counts in it (the couple, wedding party, vendors), how to set an RSVP date before it, and what later changes cost.
Open the guide The week of ·Wedding vendor handoff: week-of checklist and contact sheet
What a wedding vendor handoff is, what to confirm with each vendor the week of the wedding, a vendor contact sheet, and a confirmation message to send.
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