Vendors · 8 min read
31 questions to ask a vendor before you sign anything
Booking goes wrong in the gaps between what you assumed and what was written down. These are the questions that close those gaps.
Published July 28, 2026
Nearly every event horror story traces back to an assumption nobody wrote down. The vendor assumed setup started at three. You assumed the price included staffing. Both of you were reasonable. Neither of you asked.
Before the first call — about their business
- How long have you been doing this, and how many events like mine did you do last year?
- Are you the person who will be on site, or will you send an associate?
- Do you carry liability insurance, and can you provide a certificate naming my venue?
- Are you licensed and permitted for the work you'll be doing in this county?
- Have you worked at my venue before? If not, will you do a site visit?
About the price
- What exactly is included in this number, itemised?
- Is the figure before or after service charge, staffing, tax and gratuity?
- What is your overtime rate, and at what point does it start?
- What are your travel, delivery, setup and strike charges?
- What would you charge for the two upgrades you'd most recommend for this event?
- Is there a minimum spend, and does it change by day of week or season?
- Do prices hold until the event, or can they be adjusted?
About the contract and money
- What is the deposit, when are the balances due, and how do I pay?
- Is the deposit refundable at any stage?
- What happens if I cancel at 12 months, 6 months, 30 days, or a week out?
- What happens if you cancel or can't attend?
- Do you have a named backup, and who pays the difference if their rate is higher?
- What is your force majeure clause, and does it cover weather, illness and venue closure?
- Can I change the date, and what does that cost?
About the actual day
- What time do you arrive, and how long do you need for setup?
- How many staff will be on site, and what will they wear?
- Do you need a meal, a power supply, parking or a changing space?
- What is your weather plan, and when is the call made?
- Who is my point of contact on the day, and what number do I call at 6am?
- What do you need from me two weeks out?
- How do you handle a timeline that has slipped 45 minutes?
After the event
- When do I receive the finished work, and in what format?
- How many images or hours of footage should I expect?
- Do you retain rights, and can I print, post and share freely?
- Will you use my event in your portfolio or on social media? Can I decline?
- What is your process if I'm unhappy with something?
The one question that matters most
"What has gone wrong at an event like mine, and what did you do about it?" A vendor who answers that specifically and calmly is worth two who say nothing ever goes wrong.
Send the same shortlist of questions to several vendors at once from an EventCloud board, and keep every answer attached to that vendor so you are comparing like with like when the quotes come back.
Plan it in one place
Budgets, vendors, timelines, invitations and registries live on the same event board.
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