TLDR (Summary)
The best contract software for event planners is Plutio ($19/month).
Event contracts protect against cancellations, extra work without extra pay, and payment disputes. Plutio creates professional contracts that clients sign digitally, with automatic generation from accepted proposals and connection to invoicing.
You get customizable templates for weddings, corporate events, and social events. Clients sign through branded portals. Signed agreements stay attached to client records for easy reference.
According to freelance research, 35% of non-payment issues stem from vague or poorly constructed contracts. Clear terms documented upfront prevent the conflicts that cost freelancers money.
For additional strategies, read our guide to preventing scope expansion.
What is contract software for event planners?
Contract software is software that creates, sends, and manages legally binding agreements with digital signatures, tracking, and organized storage.
The distinction matters: e-signature tools handle signatures only, while contract software for event planners creates complete agreements with event-specific terms, connects to proposals and invoicing, and maintains organized records.
What event planner contract software actually does
Core functions include creating branded contract templates with your terms, sending contracts for digital signature, tracking signature status, storing signed agreements securely, and connecting contracts to the rest of your workflow. Advanced platforms automatically generate contracts from accepted proposals.
E-signature tools vs contract platforms
E-signature tools like DocuSign and HelloSign handle signatures but don't create contracts or connect to your workflow. You draft documents elsewhere, upload them, collect signatures, and then manually track status. Contract platforms like Plutio create the agreements, connect to proposals and invoicing, and maintain organized records per client.
What makes event planner contracts different
Event planners need contracts covering specific scenarios: cancellation policies with tiered refund schedules, deposit requirements and payment milestones, scope definitions for what's included, force majeure clauses for circumstances beyond control, and vendor coordination responsibilities. Generic contract templates miss these event-specific protections.
When contracts connect to proposals, invoicing, and client records, the full agreement context stays accessible. Terms are clear, signatures are documented, and disputes have documented reference points.
Why event planners need contract software
Event planners who work without proper contracts face risks that can devastate their business: unrecoverable deposits, scope disputes, and cancellations without compensation.
The unprotected risk problem
Without signed contracts, you have no legal recourse when clients cancel, dispute scope, or refuse payment. Verbal agreements are difficult to enforce. Email threads don't constitute binding agreements with clear terms. When a couple cancels their wedding three months out after you've turned down other bookings and invested 40+ hours in vendor coordination, you have no documented basis to retain your deposit.
What breaks without contracts
- Cancellation losses: Client cancels after you've declined other bookings and invested planning time. No contract means no deposit protection
- Extra work without extra pay: "I thought that was included" leads to unpaid work when boundaries aren't documented
- Payment disputes: Without clear payment terms, collecting becomes difficult
- Vendor coordination: Who's responsible when a vendor fails? Unclear without documentation
- Force majeure confusion: Weather, illness, or emergencies need documented handling
- Timeline disputes: When decisions are due and what happens when clients miss deadlines needs documentation
- Change order confusion: How modifications to scope, guest count, or services affect pricing needs clear terms
The cost of contract disputes
A single disputed cancellation can cost thousands in lost deposits and dozens of hours in back-and-forth. Even when you're clearly right, collecting without documentation becomes an expensive, time-consuming process. Many event planners absorb the loss rather than fight disputes they can't prove.
The protection contracts provide
Clear contracts document what both parties agree to before work begins. When disputes arise, you have reference. When cancellations happen, your deposit policy is documented. When scope expands, the original boundaries are clear. When clients request changes, the process for handling modifications is established. Both parties know what to expect because expectations are written down and signed.
Contracts protect relationships by setting expectations upfront. Clear terms prevent misunderstandings that damage both business and client relationships.
Contract features event planners need
The essential contract features for event planners create complete agreements while connecting to the tools used for proposals, invoicing, and client management.
Core contract features
- Digital signatures: Legally binding e-signatures under ESIGN Act and eIDAS. Audit trails document who signed when
- Custom templates: Create templates for different event types with appropriate terms for each
- Branded presentation: Your logo, colors, and formatting throughout the agreement
- Signature tracking: See when contracts are sent, viewed, and signed
- Automatic reminders: Follow-up notifications for unsigned contracts
- Secure storage: Signed agreements stored and searchable
Event planner-specific features
- Cancellation clauses: Tiered refund schedules based on timing (full refund 90+ days, 50% refund 60-90 days, no refund under 30 days)
- Deposit collection: Integrate deposit payment with contract signing
- Scope definitions: Clear documentation of included services and add-on pricing
- Force majeure: Terms for circumstances beyond control (weather, venue failure, illness)
- Liability limitations: Reasonable caps on your responsibility
Platform features that multiply value
- Proposal connection: Contracts generate automatically from accepted proposals
- Client portal access: Clients view and sign through branded portals
- Invoice connection: Payment schedules link to contract terms
- Client record attachment: Signed contracts stay accessible on client profiles
The deciding factor is workflow integration. Contracts that connect with proposals, invoicing, and client records eliminate manual document management while maintaining complete relationship documentation.
Contract software pricing for event planners
Contract software for event planners typically costs $10-50 per month for dedicated tools, with the actual cost depending on features and whether you need additional tools for proposals and invoicing.
What event planners typically pay for contract tools
- E-signatures: DocuSign ($10-25/month), HelloSign ($15-25/month)
- Client management: HoneyBook ($39-78/month), Dubsado ($40-60/month)
- Proposals: Proposify ($19-49/month), Better Proposals ($19-49/month)
E-signature tools handle signatures but require separate contract creation. Client management tools include contracts but at higher price points.
Plutio pricing (February 2026)
- Core: $19/month - Unlimited contracts with proposals, invoicing, projects, and client portals included
- Pro: $49/month - Unlimited clients, 30 team contributors, advanced permissions, priority support
- Max: $199/month - Unlimited team, white-label with custom domain, single sign-on
Your ROI calculation
A single protected cancellation pays for years of subscription:
- Tool cost: $19/month x 12 = $228/year
- One protected $3,000 deposit: Contract terms allow you to keep deposit that would otherwise be disputed
- Additional value: Fewer disputes, clearer scope, professional presentation
Contract software pays for itself with a single protected dispute. Every cancellation, scope issue, or payment conflict handled with clear documentation represents value that far exceeds subscription costs.
Why Plutio is the best contract software for event planners
Plutio handles contracts as part of a complete platform where proposals, invoicing, and client management work together rather than as separate tools.
Contracts generate from proposals
When a client accepts your proposal, Plutio can automatically generate the contract with all event details pre-filled: dates, services, pricing, payment schedule. Every detail carries over automatically, so there's no risk of mismatched terms between what was proposed and what's contracted.
Deposit collection at signing
Collect the deposit as part of the contract signing flow. Clients sign the agreement and pay the deposit in one smooth process. The invoicing step and commitment happen together, so there's no delay between signing and payment.
Branded professional presentation
Contracts display your brand: logo, colors, typography. Clients sign through the branded portal. The professional presentation matches the premium service you deliver.
Client portal access
Signed contracts stay accessible through client portals. When clients need to reference terms or check payment schedules, they find the agreement themselves. No email requests for copies.
Template library for event types
Create templates for different event types: full wedding planning, day-of coordination, corporate events, social events, nonprofit galas, and milestone celebrations. Each template includes appropriate terms for that specific event type. Apply the right template with one click and customize details as needed for each client.
Signature tracking and reminders
See when contracts are sent, when clients view them, and when they sign. Automatic reminders follow up on unsigned contracts at intervals you configure. No manual tracking required, no awkward follow-up emails to write. When a contract sits unsigned for a week, Plutio sends a gentle reminder so you don't have to chase signatures while managing active events.
Connection to invoicing
Payment schedules defined in contracts connect to invoicing. When milestone dates arrive, invoices generate automatically based on contracted terms. The financial relationship stays consistent from proposal through payment. When clients signed for 30% deposit, 30% at vendor confirmation, and 40% before the event, those payment milestones track through the entire relationship.
Every contract connects to the complete client relationship. Proposals, agreements, invoices, and communication all organized. Nothing is lost, and terms are always accessible.
How to set up contracts in Plutio
Setting up contracts in Plutio takes 2-3 hours for initial template creation, with each new contract taking 5-10 minutes using templates.
Step 1: Define your contract terms (1 hour)
Document the terms you need to protect your business:
- Cancellation policy: Refund amounts at different time windows
- Deposit requirements: Amount and when due
- Payment schedule: Milestone dates and amounts
- Scope definition: What's included, what's extra
- Liability limitations: Reasonable caps on responsibility
Step 2: Create contract templates (1-2 hours)
Build templates for your common event types:
- Full-service wedding: Complete terms for full planning including vendor coordination, timeline management, and budget oversight
- Day-of coordination: Limited scope with execution focus
- Corporate event: Business-appropriate terms and payment structures
- Social event: Party and celebration terms
Step 3: Connect to proposals
Configure automatic contract generation from accepted proposals. Set which template applies to which proposal type. Map proposal details to contract fields.
Step 4: Test the flow
Send a test proposal, accept it, sign the generated contract. Verify terms appear correctly, signatures work, and deposits process. Fix any issues before using with real clients.
Templates encode your business protection. Consistent, complete contracts across all events without rewriting terms each time.
Contract templates for event planners
Event contract templates document the terms that protect your work while setting clear expectations for clients.
Essential template types
- Full-service wedding contract: Full planning terms with cancellation schedules, payment milestones, and scope boundaries, 12+ month engagement
- Day-of coordination contract: Execution-only terms, limited scope
- Corporate event contract: Business terms, potentially different payment structures
- Social event contract: Party and celebration terms, typically shorter engagement
Essential contract sections
- Parties: Clear identification of planner and client
- Event details: Date, time, venue, estimated guest count
- Services included: Specific tasks and responsibilities
- Services excluded: What requires additional fees
- Payment schedule: Deposit amount, milestone payments, final balance timing
- Cancellation policy: Tiered refund schedule with specific windows
- Postponement terms: How date changes are handled
- Force majeure: Circumstances beyond control and their handling
- Client responsibilities: Timely decisions, vendor access, payment timing
- Limitation of liability: Reasonable caps on your responsibility
- Governing law: Jurisdiction for disputes
Cancellation policy example
- 90+ days before event: Full refund minus administrative fee
- 60-90 days: 50% refund
- 30-60 days: 25% refund
- Under 30 days: No refund
Templates encode your business protection. Professional legal review of your specific terms is recommended for maximum enforceability.
Client portals for contract management
A client portal gives clients branded access to view and sign contracts, then reference them throughout the planning process.
Signing through portals
Clients receive a link to their branded portal where the contract waits for signature. They review terms, sign digitally, and pay the deposit in one smooth flow. Professional presentation from first interaction. The signing experience happens on your domain with your branding, reinforcing the premium service they're purchasing. No generic DocuSign screens or third-party branding interrupting your client experience.
Ongoing access to signed contracts
After signing, the contract stays accessible through the portal. When clients need to check payment schedules, cancellation terms, or scope definitions, they find the information themselves. No email requests for copies.
Complete document organization
Contracts alongside proposals, invoices, and planning documents. Clients see their complete relationship with your business organized professionally. When they need to check what was agreed about vendor responsibilities or payment milestones, everything is in one place. No hunting through email attachments or requesting copies from you.
Professional presentation
The portal displays your brand throughout the entire contract experience. Clients experience your event planning business directly rather than through generic third-party tools. Consistent branding from initial proposal through contract signing through event delivery reinforces the quality and professionalism that justifies your rates.
Portals transform contract management from document exchange to relationship foundation. Professional experience from the moment clients engage.
How to migrate contracts to Plutio
Migrating contract management involves recreating your templates and establishing new signing workflows. Full transition typically takes 2-3 hours of template setup.
Step 1: Gather existing contract language
Collect the terms from your current contracts:
- Cancellation policies and refund schedules
- Payment terms and deposit requirements
- Scope definitions and exclusions
- Liability limitations and legal language
Step 2: Create templates in Plutio (2-3 hours)
Build templates using your existing terms. Take this opportunity to review and improve language. Consider professional legal review if your current terms haven't been reviewed recently.
Step 3: Configure workflow connections
Set up automatic contract generation from proposals. Connect payment processing for deposit collection at signing. Configure signature reminders.
Step 4: Use for new clients
Send contracts through Plutio for all new bookings. Existing clients with signed contracts in other systems don't need migration; keep those records accessible in the original system.
Common migration considerations
- Existing signed contracts: Keep accessible in original system for reference. Don't re-sign unless terms are changing
- Active unsigned contracts: Consider resending through new system for consistency
- Template improvement: Migration is a good time to strengthen terms
Focus on new contracts going forward. Historical signed agreements can stay in original systems while new work uses the improved workflow.
