Check your wedding venue contract before you pay the deposit.

The clauses that cost couples money

Eight things to find in the contract, what each one means, and what to ask the venue before you sign.

1. 1

   How much is the deposit, and when is the rest due?

   A venue usually holds your date once a deposit is paid, then takes the balance in one or more instalments before the wedding. The contract should say how much each payment is and the date it falls due. Look for whether the deposit comes off the final bill or sits on top of it, and whether it is refundable in any circumstances at all.

   Watch for a separate booking fee or administration fee that isn't counted as part of the deposit, and for a final balance due months before the day, which leaves you less time to spread the cost.

   What to ask before you sign

   • Is the deposit taken off the final bill?
   • Is any of it refundable, and if so, until when?
   • Can the payment dates be moved closer to the wedding?
2. 2

   What does it cost to cancel or postpone at each stage?

   Cancellation charges often rise in stages as the date gets closer, sometimes up to the whole hire fee in the last few months. Read each stage and work out the figure in pounds, not just the percentage.

   Check whether moving the date counts as cancelling, and whether the venue will refund some of what you've paid if it sells your date to another couple.

   What to ask before you sign

   • What would we owe, in pounds, if we cancelled at each stage?
   • Can we move the date instead, and what does that cost?
   • If you re-book our date, do we get anything back?
   • Do the charges apply whatever the reason, including illness or bereavement?
3. 3

   Is there a minimum spend, and what counts towards it?

   A minimum spend means you pay at least a set amount on food, drink or both, whatever you actually order. If fewer guests come than you planned for, the shortfall is usually invoiced to you anyway.

   The contract should say what counts towards the figure. Room hire, the bar, service charge and VAT may or may not be included, and that can change how close you are to it.

   What to ask before you sign

   • What exactly counts towards the minimum spend?
   • Is the minimum before or after VAT and service charge?
   • If our numbers drop, can the minimum come down too?
4. 4

   Can the price go up between booking and the wedding?

   Weddings are often booked a year or two ahead, and some contracts let the venue raise its prices in that time, for example each January or in line with inflation. Others fix the hire fee but not the menu or drinks prices.

   If there is a price-rise clause, look for a limit on how much and how often, and for which parts of the bill it covers.

   What to ask before you sign

   • Is the price we've been quoted fixed until the wedding?
   • If prices can rise, by how much at most, and how much notice do we get?
   • If it rises beyond that, can we cancel without a charge?
5. 5

   Do you have to use the venue's approved suppliers?

   Some venues only let you book suppliers from their own list, such as caterers, bands or florists. Others allow outside suppliers but charge a fee to bring them in, or a corkage charge for each bottle of your own drink.

   These rules can decide how much of the rest of your budget is up to you, so read them before you book anything else.

   What to ask before you sign

   • Which suppliers must come from your list?
   • What is the fee for an outside supplier, and what is corkage per bottle?
   • What do outside suppliers need to provide, such as insurance, before they can work here?
6. 6

   What happens if the venue cancels, or something outside anyone's control stops the wedding?

   A force majeure clause covers events neither side controls, such as a fire, flood or government restrictions. Read what it says you get back. Some contracts refund everything you've paid; some offer only a new date; some keep the deposit even then.

   Check what happens if the venue itself cancels for a reason of its own, such as being sold or double-booked. A deposit described as non-refundable in all circumstances can be read to include theirs.

   What to ask before you sign

   • If you cancel, do we get back everything we've paid?
   • What counts as force majeure here, and what do we get back if it happens?
   • Do you recommend wedding insurance, and what would it need to cover?
7. 7

   Is there a damage or security deposit?

   Some venues take a refundable deposit against damage, cleaning or breaking house rules, such as confetti, candles or a music curfew. It is separate from the booking deposit and is usually returned after the wedding.

   Look for what counts as damage, who decides, and how long the venue has to return the money.

   What to ask before you sign

   • When will the damage deposit be returned?
   • Which house rules could cost us part of it?
   • Will you show us what was charged for, and why?
8. 8

   Are VAT and the service charge included in the price?

   A quote may be given before VAT, and the standard rate of VAT in the UK is 20%. A service charge may be added on top, and it may be charged on more of the bill than you expect, such as the drinks or the room.

   Check that each figure in the contract says whether it includes VAT, and whether the service charge is optional.

   What to ask before you sign

   • Do these prices include VAT?
   • Is there a service charge, on what, and is it optional?
   • What will the total be, with everything added?

This page is general information, not legal advice. Every venue’s contract is different, and none of the above replaces reading yours. If a contract matters to you, take proper legal advice on it.