Preferred Vendor Agreement Template for Venues

What is a preferred vendor agreement?

Most wedding and event venues keep a list of preferred vendors: the caterers who know the kitchen, the photographers who know the light in the garden, the planners who have run a dozen events in the barn. Couples trust that list, so the venue's reputation rides on every vendor on it. A short written agreement makes the deal clear for both sides: why the vendor is listed, what it pays, what standards it keeps and what happens when things go wrong.

This template lists the vendor in a chosen category, for named services and, if you want, only certain spaces, and says whether it is the only vendor in that category. You choose an annual listing fee, a commission on each booking, both or nothing. The vendor agrees service standards such as a reply time to clients, follows your written venue rules, holds its own permits and the liability insurance you set, and contracts with clients directly. The agreement runs for a set term and either side can end it on notice, with immediate removal for lapsed insurance, safety breaches, unpaid fees or unresolved complaints.

When to use a preferred vendor agreement

• A barn wedding venue listing three caterers and two bar services
• A hotel ballroom taking a commission from the photographers it recommends
• A historic house that allows only listed caterers to use its kitchen
• An events space formalising a long-standing informal list of planners and florists
• A restaurant with a private dining room recommending cake makers and musicians

What you fill in

19 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: venue, vendor.

What the preferred vendor agreement covers

1. The listing
2. Fees
3. The Vendor's contracts with Clients
4. Service standards
5. Venue rules
6. Permits, safety and insurance
7. Marketing and names
8. Term and removal from the list
9. General

Using the preferred vendor agreement, step by step

1 Describe the listing

Pick the vendor's category, list the services it offers at your venue and, if needed, the spaces the listing covers. Choose whether it is the only preferred vendor in that category.

2 Choose the fee

Select an annual listing fee, a commission on each event, both, or no fee, and fill in the amounts. Commission is worked out on the vendor's fee for the event, before tax, tips and pass-through costs.

3 Set standards and rules

Enter the reply time for client enquiries, the minimum liability insurance and a summary of your venue rules, such as access times, decor restrictions and noise limits. Attach a vendor handbook if you have one.

4 Set the term and send

Choose the listing term, the notice period and the governing law, then send it to the vendor to sign. Both of you initial each page and the signed copy is stored in your vault.

Tips before you send it

• Ask for a certificate of insurance before the vendor's first event and each time it renews. The agreement lets you remove a vendor whose insurance lapses.
• Some places have rules about disclosing referral fees or commissions to consumers. The template commits both sides to be open with clients where the law or your policy requires; check what applies to you.
• Keep your venue rules in one written document and send updates to every listed vendor, so everyone works to the same version.
• Review your list once a year. Client feedback and how vendors handled problems are better guides than how long they have been listed.

Preferred vendor agreement: frequently asked questions

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This template is a general starting point, not legal advice. Laws differ between countries and states — have a lawyer review the agreement for your situation before you rely on it. Page last reviewed 2026-10-25.