What vendor insurance do you need for a wedding?

Direct answer

Almost every venue requires each vendor to carry $1M general liability with the venue listed as additionally insured, plus workers' comp for any vendor with staff on site. Liquor liability is mandatory whenever alcohol is served by the caterer or a separate bar vendor. WeddingVerse tracks each policy, its expiration, and additional-insured status per vendor.

The three policies to verify

General liability ($1M per occurrence minimum), workers' compensation (state-mandated for staffed vendors), and liquor liability (caterer or bar vendor only). Photographers, florists, and DJs typically only need general liability.

Why expiration tracking matters

Policies expire annually. A vendor booked 14 months out will have insurance lapse before the wedding date unless the renewal is tracked. The Accountability Matrix flags any insurance expiring before the wedding date.

More questions

Who is 'additionally insured'?

The venue (and sometimes the planner) must be named on the vendor's certificate of insurance — this extends the vendor's policy to cover claims against the venue arising from the vendor's work.

Does the couple need insurance?

Optional but recommended: a one-day wedding-event policy ($150–$500) covers cancellation, deposits, and host liquor liability.

When guest count rises, catering plating time, server count, and food service window all shift. Here is the exact cascade and how to plan for it.

Plated vs buffet wedding service: cost and timeline tradeoffs

Plated service costs ~35% more than buffet and extends food service by ~45 minutes. Here is when each makes sense and how the math works.

How are wedding reception overtime fees calculated?

Every hour beyond contract triggers venue, entertainment, lighting, and security overtime — typically $1,500–$2,000 per added hour. Here is the breakdown.