Vendor Contract Advice

When Nicole and I first started thinking about where we wanted to celebrate our union the very first place that came to mind was the beach. It was the place where we spent a lot of time in college and also the place where we had our very first kiss! We toured only three places before falling madly in love with a location.

The runner-up: Daddy O’s in Long Beach Island, NJ

DADDY O'S - View of the dining room

We contacted the owner to see if they were open to hosting a civil union ceremony. They were very friendly and welcoming, so we decided to go undercover and have dinner there to scope it out. They have an outdoor balcony with a beach view that we could use for the ceremony and the reception would be in the restaurant downstairs. The decor was 50′s style (which we love) but the room itself was very small and lacked the all important dance floor. The food, however, was sooooo delicious!

DADDY O'S - Amazing Sea Scallops

The winner: Tim McLoone’s Supper Club in Asbury Park, NJ

This location was the last one we visited, and our favorite from the moment we stepped foot inside. It has a touch of a 50′s vibe with big round booths, 180 degree ocean view, and a nice dance floor. We ate dinner there that night sampling some of the dishes they offer in the banquet menus, and the food really was amazing. It was such a chill vibe eating there in the big round booth listening to the jazz band that was playing that night. We both knew this was exactly the mood we wanted to have for our wedding.

The only thing left to do to make it all seem real, and not just a dream, is to set it in stone with the venue. The moment I saw the email with the contract attached I was excited! So I put on my amateur lawyer hat and got ready to comb through every word! What I was expecting to be a lengthy jargon-heavy document turned out to be one page of generalities like “lunch buffet.” It is a beach town, and I know things are a bit more relaxed there, but just to be on the safe side I asked for some changes.

So here are some tips on what SHOULD be in a contract for those of you going through the same thing.

• the basics: both you and your partners names along with dates, times, and location of the event.
• the money: a full breakdown of exactly what the fees are, tax rate, and tip if it is predetermined. as well as the cost of going over your allotted time.
• the goods: a detailed list of exactly what services and/or products are being provided. If you have arranged for anything special make sure it is clearly listed.
• the payments: know what you are expected to pay and on what date it is due.

No one wants to think about the what ifs when planning a dream wedding, but make sure before you sign you know what payments you are responsible for or refunds you can get if the event doesn’t happen – for whatever reason.

Keep in mind that vendors are going to write contracts that cover their butts not yours so don’t be afraid to speak up!