The number of people involved in planning a wedding seems to keep growing, but when it comes to making it official with your clients, who really needs to sign your contract? And, though we released the ability to have multiple signers on your contracts in Aisle Planner last summer, we thought it would be a good idea to get some legally sound advice on the topic. From getting both signatures from the couple on the doc to trying to keep others off, our friend and lawyer for entrepreneurs Annette Stepanian is answering these 3 commonly asked questions. Read on to learn who really should be signing each of your client contracts!
Does the couple need to sign the contract? Or can just one of them?
Ideally, have both people in the couple sign the contract. This way, if there’s ever a dispute between you and the couple, and one of them goes “missing in action,” you’ll have a second person you can pursue your claims against.
The parents of the bride (or groom) want to sign the contract. Is that a good idea?
Generally speaking, when two parties enter into a contract, the rights and obligations run to one another, and not to a third party. So, for example, if Mary and Barry enter into a contract, Mary owes certain obligations to Barry, and vice versa. Mary and Barry’s contract doesn’t impose obligations or confer rights on a third party – say, Harry. Similarly, if you enter into a contract with the couple’s parent(s) – technically, the parent is now your client. So, any rights or obligations run to the parent and not the couple. This may prove to be problematic if the couple and the parent don’t see eye-to-eye on their wishes for the wedding.
My associate planner is going to be assigned to a wedding. Should both of us sign the contract?
A person who has the authority to bind your company to the terms of the contract should be the one signing the contract. So, it is best to have someone in a position of authority in the company – like the owner, CEO, etc. – sign on behalf of the company.
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