Day-Of Wedding Coordinator Contract: What to Put in Writing

Define day-of coordination scope, timeline handoff, covered hours, vendor boundaries, payment, rescheduling, and disruption plans before the event.

Day-of wedding coordination can be interpreted differently by couples, venues, vendors, and coordinators. A specific agreement defines the work that begins before the event, the information the couple must hand over, the coordinator’s event-day responsibilities, and the services that remain outside the package.

The name of the package matters less than its written scope. The agreement should match the coordinator’s actual process, staffing, insurance, local requirements, and the venue and event involved.

Clauses worth including

1. A narrowly defined scope

List the included work, such as a final planning meeting, timeline review, event-day timeline execution, vendor communication, setup oversight, ceremony cues, and handoff. Separately list excluded planning, sourcing, budgeting, design, purchasing, and production tasks.

2. Timeline and vendor handoff

Set the date by which the couple must provide the final timeline, vendor list, contracts or contact details, venue requirements, layout, setup instructions, and outstanding decisions.

3. Covered hours and staffing

Record the coordinator’s start and end time, included assistants, breaks, travel, rehearsal coverage if any, and the rate and approval process for additional time.

4. Vendor communication boundaries

Explain what communication the coordinator will handle, who retains authority over vendor contracts and payments, and how vendor delays, no-shows, or performance issues are escalated.

5. Payment schedule

State the booking payment, balance due date, accepted payment methods, approved expenses, overtime, add-on services, and the process for written changes.

6. Cancellation and rescheduling

Describe notice, retained and refundable amounts, date-change availability, replacement arrangements, and the treatment of committed expenses.

7. Disruption and contingency terms

Record the process for weather, venue restrictions, emergencies, unsafe conditions, government orders, vendor failures, and other events outside either party’s control. Avoid promising outcomes the coordinator cannot control.

Use a complete event handoff

Support the agreement with an event brief, run-of-show plan, vendor responsibility matrix, change authorization, readiness checklist, event-day log, completion handoff, and incident record.

Template Pro-Suite’s Day-of Coordinator Starter Kit includes the Day-of Coordinator Service Agreement and the event brief, timeline, vendor, change, readiness, activity, handoff, and incident documents that support it. Explore the Day-of Coordinator Starter Kit.

Editorial note: This article provides general operational information, not legal, insurance, tax, safety, venue, employment, or regulatory advice. Contract and event requirements vary by location and circumstances.