Before You Sign that Event Contract... - An Association Management Company

December 2018 – Lauriane Lebrun, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Ah, contracts – everyone’s favorite reading material. While they can often be lengthy and less than thrilling, reviewing your venue contract is a critical component of managing any event for your nonprofit. The last thing you want to do is sign on to something you don’t really agree with, so it’s important to read the fine print… and doing so will be a lot easier if you know what to look for. Below, I’ll describe some items to consider before you sign a contract with any event venue.

Double-Check the Key Details – Does the contract list the correct event date and time? While these basic details may seem too simple for any venue to get wrong, errors and miscommunications do happen, so always double-check.
Taxes and Fees – If you are booking a conference room for lunch and a presentation, the costs can go far beyond the price of food and the room rental. Additional fees may include, for example, sales tax on the room and food, gratuities, and admin fees. Adding a slideshow presentation to your luncheon could also mean audiovisual fees, whether you need equipment or just a WiFi connection.
Special Requests – If any of your requests of the venue are critical to the success of your event, ask for them to be written into the contract. Verbal agreements will not necessarily be remembered or correct, so it is best to get everything in writing.
Headcount Guarantees – What happens if you anticipate 100 guests, but only 80 show up? Or what if 125 show up? All venues need at least a rough estimate of your headcount when you first book the event, but many can wait until later to get the exact numbers. Work with your Event Manager to understand when the expected number of guests needs to be communicated, and find out what the penalties are if the actual turnout is not what you anticipated.
Don’t Forget Set-Up and Break-Down Time – Your event starts at 10:00, so you booked the venue for 10:00… but what about set-up time? Make sure your contract specifies not only when your guests will be arriving and leaving, but ALSO when you plan to set-up and break-down the event.

These tips should help you get started the next time you have to review an event venue contract; nevertheless, please keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list. For additional considerations to take into account, check out the links below.