What to Put in a Band Booking Contract

A booking contract is not about expecting the worst. It is about making sure you and the client have the same picture of the day — what time you play, what you need, what happens if plans change. Most disputes between bands and clients come from assumptions nobody wrote down.

This checklist covers what a solid UK band booking contract should include, whether you are booked by a couple, a corporate events team, a venue or an agency.

This is general information, not legal advice. For a contract template you will use on every booking, it is worth paying a solicitor to review it once.

#1. The parties

State clearly who the contract is between:

• You — the band's trading name and the legal person behind it. If you are a sole trader, that is the band leader's name "trading as" the band name. If you are a partnership, name the partnership. If you are a limited company, use the full registered company name and number.
• The client — full name(s), address, email and phone. For corporate bookings, the company name and the person authorised to sign.

Getting this right matters if you ever need to chase payment. You can only pursue the person or business who actually agreed to the contract.

#2. The event

• Date of the event
• Venue name and full address, including postcode
• Type of event (wedding, corporate party, private birthday)
• Approximate number of guests
• On-site contact on the day (often a venue coordinator or planner, not the couple)

#3. The performance

Be precise. "Evening entertainment" is not a schedule.

• Arrival / load-in time
• Set-up and soundcheck window (and whether it must be finished before guests enter)
• Number and length of sets, for example "two 60-minute sets"
• Earliest start and latest finish
• What happens between sets (playlist, DJ service)
• Any additional services: ceremony music, drinks reception, first dance, DJ

Include a line that set times may be adjusted on the day by agreement, but the total playing time stays the same.

#4. Fee and payment terms

• Total fee, in pounds, and whether VAT applies (if you are VAT-registered, state it clearly).
• Deposit — amount, due date, and whether it is non-refundable. Many wedding bands ask for 25–50% on booking.
• Balance — when it is due. Common options are "14 days before the event" or "on the night". Asking for the balance before the date avoids the awkward end-of-night envelope.
• Accepted payment methods — bank transfer, card payment link.
• Late payment — for business clients, UK law lets you claim statutory interest on late commercial payments (8% plus the Bank of England base rate) unless your contract sets a different rate. For consumers, set out any late-payment terms in the contract itself.

#5. Cancellation

This is the clause people actually read when something goes wrong. Cover both sides.

If the client cancels, a sliding scale is common, for example:

• More than 6 months before: deposit retained
• 3–6 months before: 50% of the total fee
• Less than 3 months before: 100% of the total fee

Explain why: you will have turned down other bookings for that date, and it is hard to rebook at short notice.

If you cancel (which should be very rare), promise to provide a suitable replacement act of similar standard where possible, or refund all money paid. Avoid promising compensation beyond that unless you mean it.

Also cover postponement: can the client move the date, and is the deposit transferable?

For more detail, see our guide to band deposits and cancellation policies.

#6. Technical requirements

• Power — the number of standard 13A sockets you need, within what distance of the stage, on what circuits. State that the venue must provide safe, earthed power.
• Performance space — minimum stage or floor area, flat and dry. For outdoor events, a covered stage is non-negotiable.
• Access — loading access, distance from vehicle to stage, lifts, stairs.
• Sound limiters — many venues have them. Ask the client to tell you in advance, and state that you are not responsible for cut-outs caused by a limiter set at an unreasonable level.

Attach your stage plot and input list for larger events. See stage plots and input lists explained.

#7. Hospitality

Musicians playing a 12-hour wedding day need to eat. Specify:

• A hot meal for each band member and crew, served at a stated time
• Soft drinks or water throughout
• A private room or space to change and store cases
• Parking for a stated number of vehicles, and who pays for it

#8. Overtime

Couples often ask for "one more song" — then another twenty minutes. Set a rate for extending the performance (per 30 minutes, for example) and say that it is at the band's discretion, subject to the venue's licence.

#9. Song requests and first dance

• How many requests are included
• Deadline for requests (for example, 6 weeks before)
• Whether learning a new song costs extra
• That requests are performed in the band's own style and arrangement

#10. Liability and insurance

• State that you hold public liability insurance and can provide a certificate on request.
• Make the client responsible for damage to your equipment caused by guests.
• Limit your liability to the value of the contract where reasonable — but note that you cannot exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence.

#11. Health, safety and the right to stop

Give the band the right to stop performing if there is a genuine safety risk — unsafe power, rain on electrics, abusive or violent behaviour towards band members — without being in breach of contract.

#12. Force majeure

Events outside anyone's control: severe weather, venue closure, illness of a band member, travel disruption, government restrictions. Say what happens: usually reasonable efforts to reschedule or provide a replacement, then a refund of any money paid beyond costs already incurred.

#13. Recording and photography

Clarify whether guests and the videographer can record your performance, and whether you may use photos or video from the event for promotion (with the client's permission).

#14. Consumer rights

If you sign contracts with consumers at a distance (online or over email) or away from your business premises, consumer contract rules may apply, including cancellation rights. There is an exception for leisure services provided on a specific date, but whether it covers your particular booking is not always clear-cut. Take advice on how your terms should handle this.

#15. Signatures and date

Both parties sign and date. Electronic signatures are generally valid for this kind of contract in the UK — see e-signatures for band contracts.

#Keep it readable

A contract a couple can understand is a contract a couple will follow. Use headings, short sentences and plain English. Put the key details — date, times, fee, deposit — in a summary box at the top.

#Managing contracts without the paperwork

Once you have a template you trust, the hard part is consistency: sending the right version, chasing the signature, and keeping the signed copy with the booking. On BandQuill's Pro plan you can send a contract for e-signature from the gig, see when it has been signed, and attach the deposit invoice so the couple can pay by card in the same visit. However you do it, never play a wedding without a signed contract.