How to Brief Event Vendors to Get Better Quotes

A vague request gets a vague quote, or a long back-and-forth before you get any price at all. A clear brief gets you accurate quotes faster, and quotes you can actually compare. Here's what to include and what to check.

What every vendor needs to know

• The date and times: start and finish, plus when they can set up and must pack down.
• The place: the suburb and town at least, and the venue if you have one. Travel affects price.
• Guest numbers: an honest estimate, and the ages if children are coming.
• The kind of event: a fifth birthday, a wedding, a staff Christmas party. It tells vendors a lot in a few words.
• Your budget: a range is fine. It saves everyone time, and good vendors will tell you what's realistic for it.

What to add for each kind of vendor

Caterers

• The style: canapés, buffet, shared platters, plated meals or food trucks.
• Dietary requirements and allergies, with numbers (for example, 4 vegetarian, 1 gluten-free).
• Whether they need to supply staff, crockery, tables or drinks.
• What the venue has: a kitchen, power, water.

Photographers and videographers

• Which parts of the event to cover, and for how long.
• The shots that matter most to you (a must-have list).
• How you want the photos or video delivered, and by when.

Entertainers, DJs and bands

• The audience: ages, and the kind of music or show they'd enjoy.
• How long to perform, and when.
• Space, power and indoor or outdoor setup.
• Any must-play or do-not-play requests.

Styling, hire and setup

• The theme or colours, with a photo or two if you have them.
• Venue access times, and any rules about fixing things to walls.
• Whether setup and pack-down are included.

Compare quotes like for like

Once quotes arrive, check each one for:

• What's included, item by item. A cheaper quote may leave out staff, travel or setup.
• GST: whether the price includes it (it's 15% in New Zealand, so it matters).
• Travel or call-out fees, especially outside the main centres.
• The deposit, when the rest is due, and the cancellation policy.
• Weather plans for anything outdoors.
• Public liability insurance for vendors who set up equipment, like bouncy castles, staging or AV. Many venues require it.

Before you say yes

• Get the final quote in writing, with dates, times and inclusions.
• Confirm who your contact is on the day.
• Ask to see recent work, or ask for a reference from a past client.
• Put deposit and payment dates in your calendar.

How Event Nest makes this easier

When you post an event on Event Nest, the request form asks for these details up front: the occasion, date, place, guest numbers, and what you need from each service. Vendors get a clear brief, and you get quotes in one place to compare.