Deposits, vendor passes, and final settlements
Event planning invoices are really three documents: the planning-fee invoice, the deposit and vendor-payment tracker, and the final settlement. Clients often confuse your fee with money you are passing through to venues and caterers, so separating the two is essential. Big events also run on payment schedules tied to milestones — booking, 90 days out, 30 days out — which your invoices need to mirror.
Your business
Bill to
Document details
Line items
Currency, tax & discount
Notes
100% private: everything runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded anywhere.
INVOICE
From
Your business details will appear here.
Bill to
Client details will appear here.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Subtotal | $0.00 |
| Tax (0%) | $0.00 |
| Total due | $0.00 |
Sample line items for event planners
| Description | Qty | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Full-service wedding planning — 150 guests | 1 | $4,500 |
| Day-of coordination — rehearsal + wedding day | 1 | $1,800 |
Example amounts only — replace with your own rates in the generator above.
Billing tips for event planners
- Never mix your planning fee with pass-through vendor costs on the same line — label vendor payments 'collected on client's behalf' so the client sees what is yours and what is not.
- Tie invoice due dates to event milestones (contract signing, 90 days out, 30 days out) and include the event date on every invoice.
- Take a non-refundable retainer to hold the date; your calendar is your inventory and last-minute cancellations are the biggest revenue risk.
- Reconcile everything in a final settlement invoice after the event, showing deposits paid, vendor disbursements, and the remaining balance — do not leave loose ends.
Frequently asked questions
How do event planners usually charge?
The three common models are flat fee (most popular for weddings), a percentage of the total event budget (often 10–20% for corporate events), and hourly for consulting. State your model in the contract and mirror it on every invoice.
Should vendor payments go through the planner or the client?
Either works, but be explicit. If you collect vendor deposits, invoice them as pass-through lines separate from your fee and keep receipts — clients and the IRS both want to see that the money was not your income.
What happens if a client cancels the event?
Your contract should define a cancellation schedule: the retainer is typically non-refundable, and a sliding percentage of the fee becomes due as the event date approaches. Reference the contract clause on the cancellation invoice.
More industry templates
Create your document in seconds
Free forever. No signup, no watermarks — your data never leaves your browser.