Wedding & Event Planning Assistant contract template
A wedding/event coordination agreement needs to be explicit about what you are and aren't responsible for on the day itself, since weddings involve dozens of third-party vendors you don't control and a date that, unlike most services, can't simply be rescheduled to next week if something goes wrong.
Scope of services
Spell out exactly what's included (e.g. day-of timeline creation, vendor confirmation calls, on-site coordination for a stated number of hours) and what's explicitly excluded (e.g. full planning, budget management, design/decor sourcing) so the couple doesn't assume 'coordinator' means 'full planner.'
Coverage hours and overtime
State the exact start and end time covered by the package price and the per-hour rate for any time beyond it — wedding days routinely run long, and this is the single most common source of scope-creep disputes.
Payment schedule and retainer
Industry-standard is a non-refundable retainer/deposit (commonly 50%) at signing to hold the date, with the balance due 30 days or so before the event — state this plainly since a wedding date, unlike most services, can't be resold on short notice if a client cancels late.
Cancellation and postponement policy
Distinguish cancellation (client cancels the event entirely) from postponement (date changes, event still happens) and state what portion of fees are retained or transferable in each case — postponements are common enough in this industry to need their own clause, not just a generic cancellation policy.
Vendor coordination, not vendor liability
State clearly that you coordinate and communicate with vendors booked by the client but are not liable for a vendor's own performance, quality, or no-show — the contract with each vendor is between the client and that vendor.
Rehearsal attendance
State whether rehearsal-day coordination is included in the package or billed as a separate add-on, and what time commitment it assumes.
Liability insurance and venue requirements
Note that you carry general/professional liability insurance and will provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) to the venue on request — many venues now require this before allowing an outside coordinator on-site.
Force majeure
Cover circumstances outside anyone's control (severe weather, venue closure, government order) separately from a standard cancellation, including how retainer and rescheduled-date fees are handled if the event itself becomes impossible on the planned date.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Consider having a local attorney review your final agreement.