The short answer
An outside vendor fee at a wedding venue is a charge a venue contract may add when you hire a vendor who is not the venue itself or on its list, written as a flat fee, a per-guest charge or a percentage. To compare, add that fee, any required insurance, approvals, rentals and venue staff to the outside quote, then set the total beside the venue option.
What is the difference between an exclusive and a preferred vendor list?
An exclusive arrangement means the contract makes the venue, or a company it names, the only provider of a service. Wording might read: "Venue is the exclusive caterer. No outside food or beverage is permitted, with the exception of wedding cake from a licensed bakery." A preferred list is a set of suggestions; the contract may let you hire someone else, sometimes with a fee or an approval step.
The label on the list does not settle it; the sentence in the contract does. A list called "preferred" in a brochure may be written in the contract as "Client must select from the approved vendor list," which limits your choice. A venue may also be exclusive for catering and bar while leaving photography open. Record the wording for each service separately.
- Catering and bar
- Cake and desserts
- Rentals, tents and lighting
- DJ, band and sound equipment
- Florist and decor
- Photographer and videographer
- Planner or coordinator
- For each: venue only, must choose from list, list suggested, or open
How is an outside vendor fee calculated?
Look for three forms: a flat amount per vendor ("$500 per non-approved vendor"), a per-guest charge ("$10 per guest for outside catering"), or a percentage ("15% of the outside caterer's invoice"). For a percentage, find the base: the vendor's food total, their whole invoice, or their invoice with tax. The same fee may also go by another name, such as a kitchen fee, facility fee, buyout fee, plating fee, corkage or cake-cutting fee.
Then find who is billed. A contract may add the fee to your venue invoice or require the vendor to pay it, and a vendor who pays it may include it in their own quote. Ask both sides so the fee is counted once, and check whether the venue adds its service charge or tax on top.
- Fee name as written in the contract
- Flat, per-guest or percentage
- The base any percentage is applied to
- Billed to you or to the vendor
- Applied per vendor or per service
- Service charge or tax added on top
What does bringing in an outside caterer involve?
An outside caterer raises questions a photographer does not. Ask what kitchen space and equipment the caterer may use, whether the venue's own bartenders or staff are still required, and whether a minimum spend still applies to the bar. Ask what permits or food-handler certificates the venue wants to see, and who handles trash and cleanup. Share the answers with the caterer before they quote so the quote reflects the venue's rules.
- Kitchen access and available equipment
- Venue bar or venue staff still required
- Minimum spend on the bar or other services
- Corkage and cake-cutting fees
- Permits or food-handler certificates
- Trash and cleanup responsibility
- Arrival and load-out window for the caterer
What insurance and approval does an outside vendor need?
A venue may require an outside vendor to send a certificate of insurance with set limits, list the venue as an additional insured, and deliver it by a deadline. It may also ask for business or liquor licenses, an approval form, a site visit or a walkthrough. Collect the venue's requirements in writing and send them to the vendor before they sign, so they can confirm they are able to meet them.
Ask what happens if paperwork arrives late. A contract may say an unapproved vendor can be refused entry, which would leave you without that service on the day. Whether a vendor's policy meets the requirement is for the vendor's insurer and the venue to confirm; ask the venue to acknowledge each certificate in writing.
- Certificate of insurance limits and deadline
- Names to list as additional insured
- Licenses or permits required
- Approval form, site visit or walkthrough
- Load-in route, times and parking
- What happens if paperwork is late
How do I compare the total cost of bringing my own vendor?
Compare totals, not per-person prices. For example, take hypothetical figures for 120 guests. The venue caterer charges $85 per person, 120 x $85 = $10,200, plus a 20% service charge of $2,040, for $12,240. An outside caterer charges $70 per person, 120 x $70 = $8,400, plus $1,200 for staff and $900 for plates and glassware, for $10,500.
Now add the venue's outside catering fee of $10 per guest (120 x $10 = $1,200) and four required venue bartenders for five hours at $40 an hour (4 x 5 x $40 = $800). The outside total is $10,500 + $1,200 + $800 = $12,500, which is $260 more than the venue option despite the lower per-person price. Tax is left out here; add it on the base each contract uses, and add any minimum-spend shortfall the change would create.
- Outside vendor quote, with staff and rentals
- Venue outside vendor fee
- Venue staff the venue still requires
- Extra rentals the venue would otherwise supply
- Insurance or permit costs
- Any minimum-spend shortfall
- Service charge and tax on each side
What should I ask the venue about outside vendors?
Ask before you sign the venue contract, while the answers can still shape your decision. If the venue agrees to reduce or waive a fee, or to allow a vendor not on its list, ask for that in the contract or a signed addendum. The venue decides; your part is to ask clearly and keep the answer in writing.
- Which services are exclusive, and which are open?
- Is the vendor list required or a suggestion?
- What is the outside vendor fee for each service, and on what base?
- Is the fee billed to us or to the vendor?
- What insurance, licenses and approvals are needed, and by when?
- Which venue staff or services are still required if we bring our own?
- How do vendors get on your list, and do they pay to be listed?
- Can you confirm these terms in the contract or an addendum?
Outside vendor cost comparison
Use one row for a decision or deliverable. Keep unanswered items visible. Download the blank worksheet to open in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
On a small screen, swipe the worksheet sideways to see the remaining columns.
| Line | Venue option | Outside vendor option | Source (page or email) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vendor quote with staff and rentals | — | — | — |
| Venue outside vendor fee | — | — | — |
| Venue staff still required | — | — | — |
| Extra rentals | — | — | — |
| Insurance or permits | — | — | — |
| Corkage or cake cutting | — | — | — |
| Minimum-spend shortfall | — | — | — |
| Service charge and tax | — | — | — |
| Total | — | — | — |
A message you can make your own
Add your document reference and the questions that apply. You decide what to send and send it yourself.
Thank you for sending the contract. We are considering bringing in our own [service] and would like to understand the terms before we sign. Is that service exclusive to the venue or limited to a list? If an outside vendor is allowed, what is the fee, how is it calculated, and is it billed to us or to the vendor? What insurance, licenses and approvals do you need, and by what date? Are any venue staff or services still required? Could you confirm these terms in the contract or an addendum?
Common questions
What is considered an outside vendor at a wedding?
An outside vendor at a wedding is any vendor you hire who is not the venue itself or a company the venue contract names as its own or approved provider. The contract's definition decides, so check whether it treats a caterer, bartender, DJ, planner or rental company as outside, and whether a vendor on a preferred list still counts as one.
What is an open vendor wedding venue?
An open vendor wedding venue is one whose contract lets you hire the vendors you choose rather than requiring its own services or a list. Read the contract rather than the brochure: an open venue may still set insurance, approval, kitchen or cleanup rules, and may charge a fee for a particular service, such as outside catering or bar.
How much are outside vendor fees at a wedding venue?
Outside vendor fees at a wedding venue have no single figure you can rely on, because each contract sets its own amount and form: a flat fee per vendor, a charge per guest or a percentage of an invoice. For example, a hypothetical $10 per guest for 120 guests is 120 x $10 = $1,200. Ask the venue to state its fee and base in writing.
Can a venue charge a fee for an outside photographer or DJ?
A venue contract can apply an outside vendor fee to any service it names, not only catering. Read which services the fee covers, and ask the venue to confirm in writing whether your photographer, DJ or planner is subject to it, and whether the fee is per vendor or per service.
Is an outside vendor fee negotiable?
You can ask a venue to reduce or waive an outside vendor fee, and the venue decides. Asking before you sign gives you the clearest position. If the venue agrees to change or waive the fee, have the change written into the contract or a signed addendum.
Who pays the outside vendor fee, me or the vendor?
The venue contract says who pays the outside vendor fee. It may appear on your venue invoice, or the venue may bill the vendor, who may then include it in their own quote. Ask both the venue and the vendor, so the fee is counted once in your budget and not twice.