Wedding Services Agreement (New Zealand)
This Wedding Services Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made on [Agreement Date] between:
[Provider Name] (NZBN [Provider NZBN]), of [Provider Address], [Provider City] [Provider Postcode], email: [Provider Email], phone: [Provider Phone] (the “Service Provider”); and
[Client Name 1] and [Client Name 2], of [Client Address], [Client City] [Client Postcode], email: [Client Email], phone: [Client Phone] (the “Client”).
The Service Provider and the Client are referred to collectively as the “Parties”.
BACKGROUND
A. The Client wishes to engage the Service Provider to provide [Service Type] for the wedding event described in this Agreement.
B. The Service Provider has agreed to provide those services on the terms and conditions set out in this Agreement.
C. The Parties intend this Agreement to comply with the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017 (CCLA) and the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA).
NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties agree as follows:
1. WEDDING EVENT DETAILS
1.1 Wedding Date: [Wedding Date]
1.2 Venue: [Venue Name], [Venue Address]
1.3 Expected guest count: approximately [Guest Count] guests.
1.4 The Service Provider’s obligations under this Agreement apply exclusively to the wedding event specified in clause 1.1. Any change to the wedding date, venue, or guest count must be agreed in writing by both Parties.
2. WEDDING SERVICES
2.1 The Service Provider agrees to provide the following [Service Type] services to the Client (the “Services”):
[Services Description]
2.2 The Service Provider will perform the Services with reasonable care and skill, in accordance with the guarantees implied by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, and in a manner that is reasonably expected of a competent wedding service provider in New Zealand.
2.3 Any variations to the scope of Services must be agreed in writing by both Parties. The Service Provider is not obliged to perform additional services outside the agreed scope without a written variation order and may charge additional fees for varied or out-of-scope work.
2.4 The Service Provider will bring the professional expertise, experience, and equipment specified at the time of booking. The Service Provider reserves the right to substitute a suitably qualified employee or contractor in the event of personal illness or emergency, subject to notifying the Client as soon as practicable.
3. FEES AND PAYMENT
3.1 In consideration of the performance of the Services, the Client agrees to pay the Service Provider a total fee of NZD $[Total Fee] ([GST Treatment]).
3.2 A non-refundable deposit of NZD $[Deposit Amount] is payable by the Client on or before [Deposit Due Date] to confirm the booking. The deposit secures the Service Provider’s availability for the wedding date and is non-refundable in all circumstances except as required by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
3.3 The balance of NZD $[Total Fee] less the deposit paid is payable by the Client on or before [Balance Due Date]. The Service Provider will issue a tax invoice in compliance with the Goods and Services Tax Act 1985.
3.4 Payment must be made by electronic funds transfer to the bank account nominated by the Service Provider. The booking is confirmed only upon receipt of the deposit in cleared funds.
3.5 If the Client fails to pay the balance by the due date, the Service Provider may suspend or withdraw from the Agreement on 5 working days’ written notice, subject to any rights the Client may have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
4. CONSUMER GUARANTEES ACT 1993
4.1 Nothing in this Agreement excludes, restricts, or modifies any guarantee, right, or remedy implied or conferred by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA) that cannot lawfully be excluded.
4.2 Under the CGA, services supplied to a consumer carry statutory guarantees that they will be performed with reasonable care and skill (s 28), will be fit for any particular purpose made known to the Service Provider (s 29), will be completed within a reasonable time where no time is agreed (s 30), and will be provided at a reasonable price where no price is agreed (s 31).
4.3 If a Service fails to comply with a consumer guarantee under the CGA, the Client may require the Service Provider to remedy the failure within a reasonable time. If the failure cannot be remedied, or if it constitutes a substantial failure, the Client may cancel this Agreement and is entitled to a refund of amounts paid. The Service Provider may also be liable for any loss or damage reasonably foreseeable as a result of the failure.
4.4 Where both Parties are acquiring and supplying the Services in the course of trade (a business-to-business transaction), the Parties may agree in writing to contract out of the CGA guarantees under section 43 of the CGA, provided it is fair and reasonable to do so. In such a case, the Service Provider’s liability is limited as set out in this Agreement.
5. CANCELLATION POLICY
5.1 If the Client cancels this Agreement, the following cancellation terms apply:
(a) Cancellation at any time: the non-refundable deposit of NZD $[Deposit Amount] is forfeited.
(b) Cancellation with more than [Cancellation Notice Period] days’ written notice before the wedding date: the Client is entitled to a refund of [Refund Percentage]% of the total fee paid, excluding the non-refundable deposit.
(c) Cancellation with [Cancellation Notice Period] days or fewer before the wedding date: no refund of the total fee is payable except as required by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
5.2 All cancellation notices must be given in writing by email to the Service Provider’s email address specified in this Agreement. Cancellation takes effect on the date the written notice is received by the Service Provider.
5.3 If the Service Provider cancels this Agreement other than as a result of the Client’s breach, the Service Provider will refund all fees paid by the Client (including the deposit) within 10 working days, and will use reasonable endeavours to assist the Client to find a replacement service provider.
5.4 These cancellation terms apply subject to any rights the Client may have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 that cannot be excluded.
6. POSTPONEMENT AND FORCE MAJEURE
6.1 If the Client wishes to postpone the wedding date to a new date, the Client must give written notice to the Service Provider as soon as practicable. The Service Provider will use reasonable endeavours to accommodate the new date, subject to availability.
6.2 An administration fee of NZD $[Postponement Fee] is payable by the Client on agreement of a postponed wedding date to cover the Service Provider’s reasonable costs of rescheduling.
6.3 If the Service Provider is unable to provide the Services on the postponed date, the Service Provider will refund all fees paid (including the deposit, minus any non-refundable third-party costs already committed) within 10 working days.
6.4 Neither Party will be liable for failure to perform its obligations under this Agreement to the extent that such failure is caused by an event of force majeure. For the purposes of this Agreement, an event of force majeure means any event beyond the reasonable control of the affected Party, including (but not limited to) natural disaster, pandemic, civil unrest, government-mandated event restrictions, or venue closure. The affected Party must notify the other Party in writing within 3 working days of becoming aware of the force majeure event.
7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
7.1 Subject to clause 4 (Consumer Guarantees Act) and to the extent permitted by New Zealand law, the Service Provider’s aggregate liability to the Client for all claims arising under or in connection with this Agreement is limited to the total fee paid by the Client under this Agreement.
7.2 Subject to clause 4, neither Party is liable to the other for any indirect, special, or consequential loss, including loss of enjoyment, loss of memories, or loss of recorded content (except where loss of recorded content is the direct result of the Service Provider’s negligence or failure to comply with a consumer guarantee).
7.3 Nothing in this clause limits the Service Provider’s liability for: (a) death or personal injury caused by negligence; (b) fraud or dishonesty; or (c) any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or any other applicable New Zealand law.
8. GENERAL PROVISIONS
8.1 Confidentiality: Each Party agrees to keep confidential all personal and financial information of the other Party disclosed in connection with this Agreement and to handle all personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020.
8.2 Dispute Resolution: In the event of any dispute, the Parties will attempt to resolve the matter through good-faith negotiation. If unresolved within 14 days of written notice, either Party may refer the dispute to a mediator agreed between the Parties, or if not agreed, appointed by the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ), before commencing any legal proceedings.
8.3 Entire Agreement: This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the Services and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, and understandings.
8.4 Amendments: This Agreement may only be amended by written agreement signed by both Parties.
8.5 Severability: If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force and effect.
8.6 Governing Law and Jurisdiction: This Agreement is governed by the laws of New Zealand, including the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017 and the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. Each Party submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New Zealand, with any disputes to be conducted in the [Governing Region] region.
EXECUTED as a Wedding Services Agreement.
SERVICE PROVIDER
Full name / business name: [Provider Name]
NZBN: [Provider NZBN]
Address: [Provider Address], [Provider City] [Provider Postcode]
CLIENT
Name 1: [Client Name 1]
Name 2: [Client Name 2]
Address: [Client Address], [Client City] [Client Postcode]
Service Provider
________________
Signature
Client
________________
Signature
What Is a Wedding Services Agreement (New Zealand)?
A Wedding Services Agreement in New Zealand records the wedding services to be provided, the fees, the service standards, and each party's obligations between the provider and the client. The agreement is governed by the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017 and, where services are supplied to a consumer, the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
Wedding services encompass a broad range of professional services, including full wedding planning and coordination, on-the-day coordination, wedding photography and videography, wedding catering, floral design and styling, wedding venue hire, music and entertainment, hair and makeup, wedding cake design, and transport. Each of these services may be provided by separate vendors, each of whom should have a written agreement with the couple before the wedding date.
The Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 is central to any wedding services agreement in New Zealand. When a wedding service provider supplies services to a consumer — a person acquiring services for personal, domestic, or household use — the CGA implies mandatory guarantees into the contract that cannot be excluded. These guarantees include: that the services will be carried out with reasonable care and skill (s 28), that the services will be fit for any particular purpose made known to the provider (s 29), that the services will be completed within a reasonable time where no time is agreed (s 30), and that the services will be provided at a reasonable price where no price is agreed (s 31). A wedding couple booking services for their personal wedding is a consumer, and these guarantees apply regardless of any exclusion clause in the agreement.
The Fair Trading Act 1986 prohibits misleading and deceptive conduct in trade. Wedding service providers must confirm that their advertising, social media content, and contractual representations are accurate. The Commerce Commission enforces the FTA and has taken action against businesses in the events and hospitality industry for misleading representations about their services and pricing.
GST at 15% is imposed on most taxable supplies of services under the Goods and Services Tax Act 1985. A wedding services agreement must clearly state whether the quoted fee is inclusive or exclusive of GST. Service providers who are registered for GST must issue tax invoices complying with the requirements of the GST Act.
The Copyright Act 1994 is relevant to wedding photography and videography agreements. Copyright in photographs and films vests in the author (the photographer or videographer) under section 21 of the Copyright Act 1994, unless there is a written assignment of copyright to the couple. A written assignment is required to permanently transfer copyright ownership.
The Privacy Act 2020 applies to any personal information collected by the service provider in connection with the services, such as names, contact details, dietary requirements, and payment information. Service providers must handle personal information in accordance with the 13 Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) and must notify the Privacy Commissioner and affected individuals of any privacy breach that has caused or is likely to cause serious harm.
When Do You Need a Wedding Services Agreement (New Zealand)?
A written Wedding Services Agreement is essential for every wedding service transaction in New Zealand. Without a written agreement, the terms of the arrangement will be determined by emails, verbal discussions, and implied terms — a situation that routinely leads to disputes about scope, pricing, cancellation, and refunds.
Wedding planners and coordinators should have a written agreement before commencing any work for a client. Wedding planning typically involves months of preparation, sourcing vendors, managing deposits, and coordinating logistics. A written agreement defines the scope of the planner's obligations, the fee structure, and the allocation of responsibility between the planner and the couple for vendor payments and decisions.
Wedding photographers and videographers need a written agreement for every booking. Photography is typically the most emotionally significant service at a wedding — if the photographer fails to attend, uses defective equipment, or loses the images, the consequences for the couple are irreplaceable. A written agreement should address the service scope, number of hours, deliverables (number of edited photographs, video length), delivery timeline, copyright ownership and usage rights, and the cancellation policy.
Wedding caterers and venues need detailed written agreements to manage capacity, menus, dietary requirements, pricing, and cancellation terms. Catering agreements must address GST treatment, the number of guests, menu selection, service staff, alcohol licensing requirements under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, and the refund policy for guest number changes.
Wedding florists, stylists, and hire companies need written agreements that specify the agreed designs, colour schemes, quantities, hire items, delivery and setup times, and pack-down arrangements. Hire agreements must address damage liability and the terms for return of hired items.
For any wedding business in New Zealand, a written Wedding Services Agreement also provides protection against cancellation losses. The non-refundable deposit clause, the tiered cancellation refund policy, and the force majeure provisions are essential contractual tools that protect the service provider against the significant financial exposure that arises when a booking is cancelled close to the wedding date.
What to Include in Your Wedding Services Agreement (New Zealand)
A well-drafted New Zealand Wedding Services Agreement should include the following key provisions to provide thorough legal protection for both the service provider and the client.
Parties and NZBN — Identify each party by their full legal name and, for business entities, their New Zealand Business Number (NZBN). Companies registered under the Companies Act 1993 must use their registered name ending in Limited or Ltd. The NZBN is a 13-digit identifier issued by the New Zealand Business Register.
Wedding Event Details — Identify the wedding date, the venue name and address, and the expected guest count. These details define the specific event for which the services are being provided and are essential reference points for interpreting the scope, fees, and cancellation provisions.
Scope of Services — Describe the wedding services to be provided with precision. For a wedding photographer, this would include the number of hours of coverage, the number of edited images to be delivered, the delivery format and timeline, and any specific shots or sequences required by the couple. For a wedding planner, it would include the specific planning services, vendor management scope, and on-the-day coordination obligations.
Fees, Deposit, GST, and Payment Schedule — State the total fee, whether it is inclusive or exclusive of GST at 15%, the deposit amount, the deposit due date, and the balance payment due date. The non-refundable deposit secures the date and compensates the service provider for turning away other bookings.
Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 Compliance — Acknowledge the CGA guarantees that apply where the client is a consumer. Do not purport to exclude the consumer guarantees, as any exclusion clause will be of no effect against a consumer client and may constitute a misleading representation under the Fair Trading Act 1986.
Cancellation Policy — Provide a tiered cancellation policy that specifies the refund entitlement at different notice periods before the wedding date. The policy must be consistent with the CGA — where a service provider cancels or fails to comply with a consumer guarantee, the client's CGA refund rights cannot be excluded by a cancellation clause.
Postponement and Force Majeure — Include provisions for postponement at the client's request and for force majeure events beyond the parties' control. These provisions are essential for New Zealand wedding contracts, given the potential impact of natural events, public health restrictions, and venue closures.
Intellectual Property — Address copyright ownership in creative works (photographs, video, floral designs, etc.) under the Copyright Act 1994. A written assignment of copyright is required to transfer copyright to the couple; otherwise the service provider retains copyright.
Privacy Act 2020 — Include a short provision confirming that personal information will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 and the Information Privacy Principles.
Governing Law — The agreement should be governed by the laws of New Zealand, with reference to the CCLA 2017, CGA 1993, FTA 1986, and Copyright Act 1994. Each party should submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New Zealand. The forms-legal.com Wedding Services Agreement (New Zealand) provides a ready-to-use template that meets New Zealand legal requirements.
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Reference this free template in an article, syllabus, or research note:
Forms Legal. (2026). Wedding Services Agreement (New Zealand) (New Zealand) [Legal document template]. Forms Legal. https://forms-legal.com/new-zealand/business/services/wedding-services-agreement-new-zealand
"Wedding Services Agreement (New Zealand) (New Zealand)." Forms Legal, 2026, https://forms-legal.com/new-zealand/business/services/wedding-services-agreement-new-zealand.
@misc{formslegal-wedding-services-agreement-new-zealand,
author = {{Forms Legal}},
title = {Wedding Services Agreement (New Zealand) (New Zealand)},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://forms-legal.com/new-zealand/business/services/wedding-services-agreement-new-zealand}},
note = {Free legal document template. Based on Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017; Consumer Guarantees Act 1993}
}Also available for these jurisdictions:
Frequently Asked Questions
Under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA), when a wedding service provider supplies services to a consumer in New Zealand, several statutory guarantees are automatically implied into the contract. These guarantees cannot be excluded or contracted out of where the client is a consumer — that is, a person acquiring services for personal, domestic, or household use, which is the typical case for a couple booking wedding services. The key CGA guarantees are: (1) that the services will be carried out with reasonable care and skill (section 28); (2) that the services will be fit for any particular purpose that the client made known to the service provider (section 29); (3) that the services will be completed within a reasonable time where no specific time is agreed (section 30); and (4) that the services will be provided at a reasonable price where no price has been agreed in advance (section 31). If a service fails to comply with any of these consumer guarantees, the client has the right to require the service provider to remedy the failure within a reasonable time. If the failure constitutes a substantial failure — for example, if the photographer fails to attend on the wedding day — the client may cancel the contract and claim a full refund of all amounts paid, as well as compensation for any reasonably foreseeable consequential loss. Wedding service providers cannot exclude CGA guarantees in their contracts, and any purported exclusion clause will be of no effect against a consumer client.
A non-refundable deposit clause in a New Zealand wedding services contract is generally enforceable in business-to-consumer transactions, provided it represents a genuine pre-estimate of the service provider's loss and is not a penalty. Under New Zealand law (following the approach in Cavendish Square Holdings BV v Makdessi and prior New Zealand authorities), a clause is unenforceable as a penalty if it imposes a detriment that is out of proportion to the innocent party's legitimate interest in performance. For wedding service providers, the deposit is justified because the service provider turns away other bookings for that date as soon as the booking is confirmed. If the couple cancels, the service provider suffers loss in the form of lost business opportunities for that date — often the full fee. The Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 does not override a validly agreed non-refundable deposit clause, but if the service provider cancels or fails to comply with a consumer guarantee, the CGA's remedies (including refund rights) would apply regardless of the non-refundable deposit clause. Courts may also consider the Fair Trading Act 1986, which prohibits misleading representations — a service provider who describes a deposit as 'non-refundable' must apply that clause consistently and transparently.
In New Zealand, copyright in wedding photographs is owned by the photographer (the author) under the Copyright Act 1994, unless there is a written agreement that assigns the copyright to the couple. Section 21(1) of the Copyright Act 1994 provides that the author of a work is the first owner of any copyright in the work. For photographs, the author is the person who takes the photograph. This is the case even where the couple has paid for the photography services — payment for services does not transfer copyright. The sole exception for commissioned works is provided by section 21(3), which applies to films, photographs, portraits, engravings, and sound recordings that are commissioned for private and domestic purposes, where copyright is initially owned by the person who commissions the work. However, most wedding photography contracts expressly address copyright ownership, and couples should check whether the contract includes a written assignment of copyright to them or merely a licence to use the photographs. A written assignment of copyright is required to transfer copyright permanently to the couple. Without an assignment, the couple has a licence to use the photographs but the photographer retains the copyright and can continue to use the photographs in their portfolio and marketing materials (subject to any restrictions in the contract).
New Zealand law does not have a specific force majeure statute, so a force majeure clause in a wedding services agreement is a contractual provision agreed between the parties. Under general New Zealand contract law, a force majeure clause typically excuses a party from performing its contractual obligations when performance is prevented by circumstances beyond that party's reasonable control, such as a natural disaster, pandemic, government-mandated event restrictions, or venue closure. Where the agreement contains a force majeure clause, the affected party must give written notice of the force majeure event to the other party as soon as practicable. If the force majeure event makes performance permanently impossible, the contract may be frustrated under the doctrine of frustration recognised by the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017. Where a contract is frustrated, section 85 of the CCLA provides that amounts paid before the frustrating event can be recovered, and amounts payable before the frustrating event cease to be payable, subject to the court's discretion to allow retention of amounts already expended by the service provider. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many New Zealand wedding contracts being frustrated, and courts applied the statutory provisions to determine the parties' entitlements. A well-drafted force majeure clause should address postponement rights, refund obligations, and the treatment of vendor costs already committed by the service provider.
A New Zealand wedding services agreement should clearly state whether the quoted fee is inclusive or exclusive of GST (Goods and Services Tax) at the rate of 15%, which is imposed by the Goods and Services Tax Act 1985 on most taxable supplies of goods and services made in New Zealand. A person must register for GST if their taxable supplies exceed or are expected to exceed NZD $60,000 in any 12-month period. Wedding service providers who are registered for GST must charge GST on their fees and issue tax invoices that comply with the requirements of the GST Act 1985. A tax invoice must include: the words 'tax invoice', the supplier's name and GST registration number, the date of issue, a description of the supply, the amount of GST charged, and the total amount payable. If the fee is stated as exclusive of GST, the client will pay the agreed fee plus 15% GST on top. If the fee is stated as inclusive of GST, no additional GST is payable. The agreement should also address whether the deposit is inclusive or exclusive of GST, as the deposit is a taxable supply at the time it is received.
This template is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation.Full disclaimer
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