Ten Questions to Ask Any Event Vendor Before You Sign

Most vendor problems are visible in the contract before they show up on event day. These ten questions surface them early.

The questions

1. What's included in the quoted price, and what isn't? Ask specifically about overtime, gratuity, transport and setup/teardown.
2. Is there a backup plan if you can't perform as booked? Illness, equipment failure, anything.
3. What's the cancellation and rescheduling policy? For both sides, yours and theirs.
4. How is the deposit structured? What it covers, and what triggers additional payments.
5. Do you carry liability insurance? Many venues require vendors to have it.
6. Is setup and teardown time included in the booked hours? Or billed separately.
7. Who's my point of contact on the actual event day? A name, not just a company.
8. What happens if equipment fails mid-event? Backup gear, backup plan, or neither.
9. Can I see reviews or talk to a past client? A reasonable ask for almost any vendor.
10. What's not covered in this contract that I might assume is? The most useful question on the list, and the one most people skip.

Why the last question matters most

Every other question gets a direct answer. This one surfaces the gaps, the things a vendor assumes are obvious and a client assumes are included, that cause the most friction later.

How to use the answers

Write them down, even for vendors you trust. Verbal assurances are hard to hold anyone to later, and a vendor confident in their own terms won't hesitate to put the answers in writing.

FAQ

Should I ask these questions even for a small, simple booking? Yes, though the stakes are lower. A quick written confirmation covers most of what matters for a simple booking.

What's a red flag in how a vendor answers these? Vagueness on pricing inclusions or cancellation policy. A vendor who can't give a straight answer to a pricing question rarely gets clearer after you've signed.

Does asking these questions slow down the booking process? Usually by a day or two at most, and it's time that prevents much bigger delays later.

When PYRE gets asked these questions directly, the answers are straightforward for PYRE's own in-house services: no overtime within the agreed scope, no gratuity billed separately, no GTA transport fees, a technician included with every lighting setup, and a deposit structure explained upfront rather than buried in the contract. A venue, bar or caterer booked through PYRE's partner network still sets its own overtime and gratuity terms, which is worth asking about directly.