15+ Sample Event Planner Contracts

What Is an Event Planner Contract?

When planning an event, professionals are often essential. Both parties need assurance that nothing will go wrong with their business relationship and discussions over the specifics of the event will be required. Though some may just prefer to talk things out, a verbal agreement is almost never enough. In fact, you will be needed to provide a written contract for you and your client. An event planner contract is a contract that provides terms and conditions in which both parties agreed and approved. It also protects both parties involved in several ways. It consists of several terms and details for both parties to be informed of their duties and responsibilities. It ensures a clear understanding for both parties of the agreements. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook of meeting, convention, and event planners is projected to increase 8% from 2019 to 2029. People with a bachelor’s degree in meeting and event management, hospitality, or tourism management are the most capable and best candidates for these job opportunities. With this fact, there will be numerous choices to choose the best event planner for your big event. Therefore, you will need a high-quality and strong event planner contract for you to sign.

What Are the Types of Event Planners?

You might be wondering why there are a lot of different types of event planner contracts above. They are actually based on what type of event you are planning. It could be a corporate or a private event. Most planners have their own type of profession and some have multiple. You will need to find the right event planner as you are looking for the right contract template above. Here is a list of some of the common event planners.

Wedding Planner: What a memorable moment to watch someone close to you walking down the aisle or perhaps you, yourself, are the one to experience it. In addition, a romantic wedding song played during the wedding procession, the cuteness of the flower girls and the ring bearer walking through the aisle, the sound of the wedding bells ringing, and white doves flying are also the most splendid moments to see in a wedding ceremony. But nothing beats an organized and successful wedding event. That is why wedding planners are there to guide and help you organize your upcoming wedding event. They are also best in organizing an event according to your budget. They will be the ones to help you decorate the venue, talk with the caterers, and update the program flow. Check out also our Wedding Planning Checklist Templates that you might find useful.Birthday Party Planner: Birthday parties are one of the most wonderful and fun days of the year. It celebrates the person who has grown another year older and spending time with their closest friends and loved ones. However, an organized and planned birthday event can make the party even joyful and memorable. So that is why a birthday party planner adds a little blast to your party event. It will be worth it even if you spend a certain amount of money. They will be the ones to organize the program flow, the catering services, and many more.Corporate Event Planner: Employees, board members, admins, stakeholders, and such also need some time off and entertainment. A corporate event is any form of event or social activity which is held or organized by the business organization. Corporate event planners are the ones who will organize such said events. They have their expertise set in corporate events and gain a lot of experience with it. Champagnes and wines are the most common drinks served in these such events. Check out also our Corporate Proposal Templates that you might find useful for your business.Baby And/or Bridal Shower Planner: Most people love to give gifts to babies and brides. A baby shower is a tradition of celebrating and giving gifts to a woman expected to give birth tsoon. A bridal shower, on the other hand, is an event that takes place before a bride’s wedding exclusive for her closest friends and family. The baby/bridal shower planner comes in handy in these types of events. They tend to accommodate your needs to organize the event.Holiday Party Planner: Most of us need to take a rest and escape from working too hard and do a little party during the holidays. Holidays are one of the most wonderful days of the year that every person celebrates. The Holiday party planners take place to handle and organize such big events. They will be the ones to decorate the venue and create the most fun and memorable program for you to enjoy on the holiday night. Make sure to create a checklist for you to check if all is set for the big event.Conference Event Planner: A conference event is another corporate event where people with common interests are gathered and it is typically organized for business, academic, or political purposes. It is when speakers discuss issues and ideas of a specific topic. A conference event planner will make sure everyone is having a good time during the event. They are also the ones to make sure these types of events go smoothly and choose the perfect locations, caterers, and other vendors.

How to Make an Event Planner Contract?

If you are making an event planner contract, there are two ways which are starting from scratch and editing from a ready-made template. It really depends on you which you can work on with less hassle. When making an event planner contract, you must also consider some things which will be mentioned in this step-by-step guide. Refer to the steps below on how to make an Event planner contract and additionally, we provide some tips that you might need. 

1. Discuss with the Client

First things first. By discussing the agreements of both parties is the first thing you need to do. The discussion will cover the payment policy, the duties and responsibilities, the cancellation clause, and many more. This way, it will help you to outline the terms in the contract. There is also another way to start the contract which is to download a template and edit some of it the way that you and the client discussed. In this way, it is less hassle and also provides you with high quality. You can check out our sample and printable ready-made templates that are provided above.

2. Get It in Writing

If you start from scratch, then you should probably prepare your writing instrument to start writing. List down all the things you and your client discussed for the event. You should specify first the general information such as the client’s basic information, the type of event, the event date and time, the venue, the venue contact person, the services offered, and the event start and end times. On the other hand, if you started with a template, make sure to delete those details that are not included in you and your client’s agreement, and add some of those details that are not written in the template.

3. Keep It Simple

In a contract agreement, you don’t need some fancy words or legalese to make the contract legal and enforceable. Instead, write short, concise, and clear sentences and an organized numbered list of paragraphs. In this way, both parties will have a clear understanding of the terms and conditions and less risk of a misunderstanding that might cause an argument of both parties. 

4. Remember to Include the Clauses

Clauses are also the most important things to include. They are the ones that address specific aspects of the agreement and define both parties’ duties, privileges, and rights under the terms of the contract. There are several types of clauses you need to provide in the contract depending on both parties’ needs, such as the payment schedule and policy, terms of cancellation, termination clause, an indemnification clause, cancellation-by-you clause, confidentiality, ownership rights, and many more. These clauses can also provide the terms for unforeseen events, such as pandemics, natural disasters, and illness/tragedy.

5. Recheck the Contract

Make sure to review the contract before submitting it to the other party so there will be no vague and missing terms. With that said, make sure to clarify every term, and include all the things you discussed with the other party. If you are done writing and editing the contract, print it out and take it to both parties to review every term. Rewrite if there are some errors or if there are changes that both parties approved. If everything is clear, it is time for the next step, which is to sign the contract. Both parties should get their pens ready to sign that event planner contract.

What Are the Clauses to Be Included in the Contract?

Here are a few examples but are not limited to that you need to consider writing in the contract as it protects both parties. 

1. Payment Schedule

Most planners tend to request an initial deposit before they will start working. So, in the contract, you should also include the due date of the deposit. Make sure also for the planner side have their agreement as they will not work until the initial payment is done. 

2. Terms of Cancellation

There are some cases where the client unexpectedly just cancels the event in the middle of planning. That is why in the contract you need to include the terms of cancellation so it can protect you, the event planner, from monetary losses. State that all the event costs which are non-refundable must be covered by the client and not the event planner. 

3. Cancellation-by-You Clause

Another thing to include in the contract is the term when the event planner opts to back out. This happens sometimes and there are a few reasons why such as getting a last-minute request from a higher-profile client, an unexpected health emergency, or a vendor hired by the planner backed out. In the contract, make sure to include the possible causes that the event planner allows them to opt out of. Provisions such as finding another third-party planner for the client or reimbursing the client for the initial deposit are also needed to be included in the contract.

4. Termination Clause

The termination clause is another important thing to include in the contract. Weather-related incidents, a pandemic, or a natural disaster are some of the examples of the reasons why the contract is terminated. Termination is not only limited to the examples given and it happens if neither party can be held liable for these unforeseen scenarios. It can also happen upon expiry or completion of the contract.

FAQs

How much do event planners get paid per event?

Depending on how much your experience in a certain type of event will take part in the decision. For beginners, a common hourly rate can fall within $25 per hour and up to $100+ per hour for the top event planners with numerous top-rated portfolios. 30% more can be charged for a corporate event than a social event. This is according to EventPlanning.

Where do event planners make the most money?

According to Indeed, the ten states where event planners receive the highest salaries are Virginia which falls to $9.88 per hour, Washington with an average of $17.23 per hour, Hawaii which has $17.36 per hour, New Jersey which falls to $17.50 per hour, Massachusetts which has an average of $17.85 per hour, Columbia has $18.50 per hour, Pennsylvania has an average of $41,225 per year, California which falls to $20.83 per hour, Texas which has an estimated of $43,824 per year, and lastly, New York which has $51,407 per year.

How much money do event planners make per year?

The CareerExplorer states that $53,100 per year is the average salary for an event planner in California. Indeed, however, states that event planners can make up to an average of $16.07 per hour and it can vary depending on the client, event types, and hours worked. It can also depend on their experiences and portfolios which can boost their chances to get hired.

Is Event Planning stressful?

According to Eventops.com, yes, it is one of the top 5 most stressful jobs in the world. It also mentioned that they often serve as a courier between hosts, vendors, attendees, speakers, and their event staff. Communications, working with third parties, budget management, and deadlines are the things many people struggle with every day and on which event planners depend on.

Can you be an event planner without a degree?

Yes, you don’t really need a degree to become one according to the Social Tables. However, there are certain qualifications and certificates that can help you boost yourself from getting noticed and getting hired. You can apply for degrees in related fields and certificate programs. There are dozens of colleges and universities you can choose from. Also, an amazing portfolio with great feedback can make you a top-rated event planner and greatly increase your chance to get hired by some bigger companies.

Planning an event is never an easy job. That is why we need those event planners to help us on our way. To those event planners out there, keep doing the best job and make sure to provide a contract for you and your client’s safety purposes. Aside from the event planner contract, we also provide you various types of contracts which vary depending on the type of agreement you have and that is also available on our site. You can check out our commission contracts, real estate contracts, model contracts, and many more. Make sure to find the right one like you choose the right client.