12 points to check before signing a venue contract: the total price, service charges, cancellation and insurance
In a US wedding venue contract, the total price most often gets out of hand in three places: the minimum spend doesn't include the service charge and tax, the service charge gets mistaken for a tip, and the deposit can't be recovered if you cancel. The 12 points below follow the order they appear in the contract. Go through them one by one before you sign, and have the venue put the answers you get into the contract or a written addendum.
Every venue's terms are different; this covers "what to ask," not standard answers.
The total price must include the service charge and tax on top of the minimum
1. Whether the food and beverage minimum includes the service charge and tax. The minimum on a quote usually covers only the food and drink. Once the service charge and sales tax are added on, what you actually pay ends up well above the minimum. Ask the venue to work out a total for your estimated guest count, including the service charge and tax.
2. What the service charge is, and whether you need to tip separately. The IRS defines a tip as an amount the customer freely decides whether to pay and how much; a mandatory charge on the bill, such as a percentage automatically added for large parties, is a service charge, not a tip (IRS, checked 2026-10-22). So the service charge in the contract doesn't necessarily reach the staff working the event. Ask directly: how is this money distributed, and do we still need to prepare tips separately?
3. Which items are taxed. How sales tax applies, and whether the service charge is taxed, varies by state. Ask the venue to list food and beverage, service charge and tax separately on the quote.
Hours of use, setup and teardown times
4. How many hours are included, and how overtime is charged. Spell out the hours you can use the venue, from what time to what time, how much each overtime hour costs, and whether overtime has to be requested in advance.
5. Setup and teardown times. What time the florist, lighting and DJ can come in; what time teardown must be finished, who cleans up, and what happens to anything left behind. Teardown time is usually counted within your hours of use.
6. The deadline for the final guest count. Most venues require you to confirm the final headcount by a certain date before the wedding; after that, you can only add guests, not remove them, and the bill is based on the confirmed count. Write down the confirmation date and the guaranteed count.
Preferred vendor lists and extra fees
7. Whether you can use outside vendors. Some venues only allow caterers, florists or DJs from their approved list; those that allow outside vendors may charge an outside vendor fee. Ask first, then book the other vendors.
8. Cake cutting fees and corkage. If you bring your own cake, the venue may charge a cutting fee; if you bring your own alcohol, it may charge a corkage fee, or not allow it at all. See ordering a cheap cake yourself doesn't necessarily save money.
Deposit, payment schedule and cancellation terms
9. The deposit and payment schedule. How much the deposit is, whether it's refundable, how many installments the balance is split into, and how many days before the wedding the last one is due. Deposits are mostly non-refundable, so before signing, work out "what's the most we lose if we cancel" (see item 125 of the checklist, and deposits are almost never refundable).
10. Cancellation and rescheduling. Cover both sides: if you cancel or reschedule, how much you owe depending on how far out from the wedding it is; if the venue cancels (for example, a double booking or repairs), how much is refunded and how quickly. Also spell out whether rescheduling counts as a cancellation.
11. What force majeure covers. Whether natural disasters, government orders, pandemics and power outages count, and if they do, whether you get a refund, a new date, or the deposit is kept. A clause that only says "force majeure" without defining what it covers is as good as not having one.
Proof of liability insurance required by the venue
12. Insurance the venue requires. Many venues require the couple or the vendors to provide proof of liability insurance (a certificate of insurance, COI) that names the venue as an additional insured. The contract will state the minimum coverage and the deadline for submitting it, and if it's late, you may not be allowed in. This clause is often near the end of the contract; see wedding liability insurance is often buried deep in the contract (item 42 of the checklist). This site doesn't recommend any particular insurance company.
How you pay is also a form of insurance
Paying the deposit and the balance by credit card gives you one more option if something goes wrong. What the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says (checked 2026-10-22):
- Goods or services on your credit card bill that were "not delivered as agreed" count as a billing error you can dispute.
- Write to the card issuer so the letter arrives within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was sent; send it to the billing inquiries address, not the payment address.
- Disputes over unsatisfactory quality have extra conditions: the amount must be over US$5, the purchase must have been made in your home state or within 100 miles of your billing address, and you must first try to resolve it with the merchant.
- This dispute process applies to credit cards and other revolving credit; this FTC page doesn't say debit cards have the same protection.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommends calling the card issuer first, then sending written notice, keeping copies and noting the date of every follow-up (checked 2026-10-22).
Payments by cash, check or Zelle are hard to recover once they're sent. Keep the contract, receipts and all email exchanges.
Common questions
Is the service charge at a wedding reception a tip?
No. The IRS classifies mandatory charges as service charges; only an amount the customer freely decides counts as a tip. Ask the venue directly whether you should tip separately.
Can I get the venue deposit back?
It depends on the contract. Most venues' deposits are non-refundable, so read the cancellation terms before signing and work out how much you'd owe if you cancelled at each point.
What is the COI a venue asks for?
A certificate of insurance, proof that you carry liability insurance. Venues usually state the minimum coverage and the deadline for submitting it, and sometimes require the venue to be named as an additional insured.
The vendors you have to book early, like the venue, photographer and hair and makeup artist, are put in order in the wedding planning chapter of My Wedding Plan, along with what to watch for when signing. The checklist has a free version, and you can start without giving an email address.
Sources (checked 2026-10-22)
- IRS: Tip Recordkeeping and Reporting (the distinction between tips and service charges) (checked 2026-10-22)
- FTC: Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges (checked 2026-10-22)
- CFPB: How do I dispute a charge on my credit card bill (checked 2026-10-22)