Venue Vendor Agreement

[Ron]

In all my years of doing the mobile DJ things and working at a lot of venues in my area I have never been asked to sign a vendor agreement with a venue. I have been required to show license, insurance, etc... but never has a separate agreement between myself and venue.

Is anyone familiar with this process?

My reason for asking is I have a client who after signing a service agreement with me mentioned the venue would be sending me a separate Vendor Agreement. I have not signed my agreement with the client; because, I wanted to review this venue vendor agreement before committing. I reached out to the venue by email asking about floor plans and the agreement. They sent the floorplans but stated their Vendor Agreement is being updated and unavailable right now.

How would you proceed?

 

[Jeff Romard]

That is interesting. When you get it would you please share what is in it?

The only thing I could come close to comparing to on that would be when I have done work for a few different departments of the Federal Government they want you to sign their agreement. When I looked at it it was basically the same as mine but less encompassing. I agreed each time to sign theirs

In your case facing the unknown I would put in your contract to the client agreement is subject to signing the venue agreement or something like that. It's not likely but there could be something in there you really can't work with and once you are committed to the client you're on the hook

 

[rickryan.com]

In all my years of doing the mobile DJ things and working at a lot of venues in my area I have never been asked to sign a vendor agreement with a venue. I have been required to show license, insurance, etc... but never has a separate agreement between myself and venue.

Is anyone familiar with this process?

My reason for asking is I have a client who after signing a service agreement with me mentioned the venue would be sending me a separate Vendor Agreement. I have not signed my agreement with the client; because, I wanted to review this venue vendor agreement before committing. I reached out to the venue by email asking about floor plans and the agreement. They sent the floorplans but stated their Vendor Agreement is being updated and unavailable right now.

How would you proceed?

I think I've had one venue had who their 'agreement' they wanted me to sign. Basically, it just lined out the rules for their place and asked me to agree to abide by them. If it's the same thing, read it, sign it, don't worry about it. If they don't even have their own agreement available there's no reasonable way they could keep you off the property because of not signing it.

 

[DJ Ricky B]

Two venues like that in the DC Area.


1. The Willard - Next to the White House - The agreement just states that you must agree with be professional while on the venue as it's a high end luxury hotel. Also they want you to wear a button up shirt and tie at all times while in the venue. Loading in wearing a shirt and tie is BS. I have heard other vendors just not bother with their rules and still Deejay there loading in wearing a polo, or T shirt ad no one said anything though.

2. Top of the Town in Arlington. TOTT requires DJ's to sign their music "do not play" list. The DJs must agree to not play any music that is a line dance song, or causes the dancers to jump on the dance floor. The list is about 30 songs long. ...jump by Kriss kross, and love shack is on there! You also must agree to not touch their light switches for any reason, and let management dim lights, and turn lights up. Also, there is only one elevator into and out of the venue. It's on the 12th floor of a building. You must wait until all guests have left the venue before loading out with your equipment. A 4 hour reception there is a long day for me. I am use to their do not play list, but it does suck explaining to guests why I can't play the Cha Cha Slide or Cupid Shuffle or Electric Slide LOL. But they understand after I explain. The venue is on top of a million dollar condo, and the older man who lived in the condo complains when people jump on the floor.

 

[Jeff Romard]

Two venues like that in the DC Area.


1. The Willard - Next to the White House - The agreement just states that you must agree with be professional while on the venue as it's a high end luxury hotel. Also they want you to wear a button up shirt and tie at all times while in the venue. Loading in wearing a shirt and tie is BS. I have heard other vendors just not bother with their rules and still Deejay there loading in wearing a polo, or T shirt ad no one said anything though.

2. Top of the Town in Arlington. TOTT requires DJ's to sign their music "do not play" list. The DJs must agree to not play any music that is a line dance song, or causes the dancers to jump on the dance floor. The list is about 30 songs long. ...jump by Kriss kross, and love shack is on there! You also must agree to not touch their light switches for any reason, and let management dim lights, and turn lights up. Also, there is only one elevator into and out of the venue. It's on the 12th floor of a building. You must wait until all guests have left the venue before loading out with your equipment. A 4 hour reception there is a long day for me. I am use to their do not play list, but it does suck explaining to guests why I can't play the Cha Cha Slide or Cupid Shuffle or Electric Slide LOL. But they understand after I explain. The venue is on top of a million dollar condo, and the older man who lived in the condo complains when people jump on the floor.

How come #2 hasn't been blackballed?

 

[rickryan.com]

I have to admit, part of my plan of building my own venue includes having a list of guidelines that each vendor much agree to, prior to being allowed on the property.

 

[Ausumm]

I've never had to sign one, but the ones I have heard about are basically what others are saying. You must be dressed a certain way to load in. You have to load in and get out within a certain time frame. No tape of any kind on the walls or floors. Music must end 15 minutes prior to end of event. etc.
Read it, and you'll probably not find anything TOO ridiculous.
If you DO...there may be some negotiating in your future.

 

[soundinmotiondj]

There are several local "wedding in a box(es)" that have Vendor Agreements. These tend to fall into two camps:

1) "Behave like a professional." No drinking alcohol, have liability insurance, control the volume, don't leave a mess, etc.
2) "We hate outside vendors and want to punish you." They can veto songs, they can control volume, you have to be "buzzed" into the building...on every trip...both ways, strict 30 minute load in/out times...and you have to be dressed before the guests arrive, no eating, no photographing the venue, damage deposit...or CC for a damage waiver, etc.

I'm happy to work with the first group, and I run screaming from the second. YMMV.

 

[DJ Ricky B]

There are several local "wedding in a box(es)" that have Vendor Agreements. These tend to fall into two camps:

1) "Behave like a professional." No drinking alcohol, have liability insurance, control the volume, don't leave a mess, etc.
2) "We hate outside vendors and want to punish you." They can veto songs, they can control volume, you have to be "buzzed" into the building...on every trip...both ways, strict 30 minute load in/out times...and you have to be dressed before the guests arrive, no eating, no photographing the venue, damage deposit...or CC for a damage waiver, etc.

I'm happy to work with the first group, and I run screaming from the second. YMMV.

I'm not paying a damage deposit as a vendor to work at a venue. ...I also have a line in my agreement with the client that outlines that they are responsible for paying any venue fees, management gratuities, and parking permits (I will pay to park in a parking garage during the event, but if a venue requires a permit be paid for, the client is paying for it.)

Never heard of no photographing the venue. That's new to me. There is one venue on the Chesapeake Bay that does inform the DJ before they start that music is to be turned off 15 minutes prior to the event of the event...no exceptions. The client knows that. ...However, they don't make you sign any agreement there.

There is a Marriot in Virginia that tells you they will tape any cords down, and you must plug into a special power box that they provide...not a wall outlet. Again, no agreement is signed there either.

Funny thing about the Willard. ...They don't mention no drinking alcohol while working, and even the bartenders offered to make me a alcoholic drink there while deejaying. I thought that was peculiar since the hotel wanted me to have a shirt and tie on while loading in

 

[DJ Ricky B]

How come #2 hasn't been blackballed?

I was thinking about that a couple years ago as it can be a pain working there, BUT when I do book weddings there they pay very well. The agency booked me on a wedding there next month $1,600 for 4.5 hour reception. Hard to turn that money down. Especially on a open date less than 90 days out.

However, I won't do anything cheap there. The clients pay well for the venue, and usually have a budget over $1,100 for a DJ there.

 

[Ron]

Thanks for all the feedback. I sent the venue managers the following:

Hope all is going well and you had a great weekend. My client is ready to secure my services for her event at your venue. I would like to move forward and finalize my agreement with her; but, I have never had to sign a separate agreement with a venue. I am a little hesitant, since there could be a potential conflict between my agreement with her and the vendor agreement between the Venue Name and myself. In the past I have been asked to provide my business license number and a copy of my insurance binder at some venues but never sign a completely separate agreement. I would be happy to provide these documents to you as well upon request. Since you mentioned your vendor agreement is currently unavailable for me to review can you provide a waiver exempting it from being required for this specific event? That would allow me to move forward finalizing my agreement with <client name> and provide her the peace of mind of having a DJ Service secured for her wedding reception. Let me know if there are any other viable options so we can finalize the agreements.

I am really looking forward to being her musical host at one of Charleston newest reception venues.
​

Their Response:

We are happy to have you provide your business license number and a copy of your insurance binder for our files and agree to waive the Vendor Agreement since we are unable to provide it at this time (Waiver Attached). Looking forward to having you in our venue this July. If you would like to schedule a time to come by to check out the venue, please let us know.
​

 

[Ausumm]

WOW!
That was easy.