Items for your wedding venue contract

When you inform your chosen venue that you wish to book your wedding with them and you pay your deposit, they should draw up a contract to be signed by both parties. This document should contain detailed information about your wedding, and you should check carefully to make sure everything is on order before you sign it.

Your venue contract plays a vital part in your wedding insurance, and you won’t be able to claim for anything that isn’t mentioned in it. Here are some of the items you should expect to see in the contract between yourself and your reception venue:

• Your full names and the exact date and time of your wedding to give you some recourse if your venue double books you.
• The total amount you will be paying the venue and an itemized list of what is included and how much each element costs.
• A payment schedule showing the deposit amount and when it was paid, along the amount outstanding and when that needs to be settled.
• Details of the venue’s cancellation and refund policy, and preferably the latest possible cancellation date for your specific wedding.
• The actual location of your wedding reception, and the ceremony if applicable. For example, are you holding your reception in the grounds of the hotel or the main ballroom? Is your ceremony taking place in the library of the stately home or the dining room?
• An itemized list of every piece of equipment the venue will provide on the day, from the top table to the cake knife.
• The name and contact details of the venue’s representative who is responsible for your wedding reception, and who you should contact with any questions.
• Details of any insurances or licenses the venue is obliged to hold such as public liability insurance or a license to serve alcohol.

There will be certain aspects of your wedding that you won’t arrange with your venue until well after your initial contract is signed. They should still provide you with details of these in writing as you agree them. You should ask your venue to provide the following four pieces of information:

1. A detailed itinerary of your day, including when you can access your reception rooms, when drinks will be served to your guests, what time your wedding breakfast will be served and how long it is expected to last, what time your band or DJ are able to set up and complete a sound check, and what time you are expected to vacate your reception rooms.
2. A list of the suppliers that the venue are using including the caterers, florists, entertainers, crèche workers, and photographer, along with contact details for each supplier.
3. A final copy of the menu for your wedding breakfast, including any special dishes for vegetarians or guests with specific dietary requirements, and the type of drinks that will be served with each course.
4. A specific description of the parts of the venue that you have access to including reception rooms, a storeroom, the cloakroom, bathrooms, and sections of the grounds, and whether or not you have exclusive use of those areas.

You may talk to your venue about various aspects of your wedding reception, and agree them verbally, but unless you actually get the arrangements in writing, you won’t have a leg to stand on if they don’t honour your agreement.

If you don’t want to seem too pushy, simply write down the details you have agreed in an e-mail, and send it to them asking them to confirm what has been said. Their conformation is as good as a signed contract.