Five questions to ask before signing any venue contract
Overtime rates, vendor unloading, power clauses — the fine print that surprises hosts.
After a decade of hosting, we have seen every contract surprise there is. Whichever venue you choose, ask these five questions first.
The five
- Overtime: what is the hourly rate past the contracted time, and when does the clock actually start?
- Vendor access: how early can decorators and caterers load in? Some venues charge by the hour for setup.
- Power: is DG backup included, and is there a cap on kilowatts your DJ can draw?
- Corkage & kitchens: if outside food or cake is allowed, what exactly does the corkage cover?
- The cancellation ladder: what is refunded at 90, 60 and 30 days out — in writing.
We answer all five up front in our own quotes — ask us for a sample contract at your walkthrough.