Wedding Booking Process: Quotation, Advance and Balance

Most disputes between a venue and a family come from unclear steps: what was promised, what was paid and what changed. A clear booking process, written down and followed every time, prevents most of them. This guide describes a practical sequence for party palaces and wedding planners in Nepal, and shows where software removes the guesswork.

Step 1: record the enquiry properly

When a family calls, note their name, phone, preferred date in BS and AD, session, expected guests, type of event and how they heard about you. Do not rely on a slip of paper. A client who enquired three weeks ago and calls back should be found by phone number in seconds. This also helps you see which sources of enquiry actually bring bookings.

Step 2: place a hold with an expiry

If the date is free, place a tentative hold and tell the family when it expires, for example in three days. A hold without an expiry blocks the date indefinitely and loses you other bookings. In software, the hold lifts itself on the expiry date and a reminder goes to the booking desk. For peak sait dates, you may choose a shorter hold.

Step 3: prepare a quotation they can understand

A good quotation separates the main items so the family can see what they are paying for.

• Hall charge for the session or day.
• Catering price per plate and the chosen menu.
• Decoration, stage and lighting packages.
• Extras such as generator, parking, valet, sound and photography.
• Service charge and VAT, if applicable.
• Payment terms and the cancellation policy.

Use a template so every quotation looks the same and nothing is forgotten. Send it as a file or message and keep a copy against the client.

Step 4: confirm with an advance

A booking is confirmed when the advance arrives, not when someone says yes on the phone. Record the amount, date and mode, issue a receipt and move the hold to confirmed. State clearly in the quotation what portion is refundable if the family cancels, if any, and apply the same rule to everyone. Write only what your business policy actually is, since refund disputes are among the hardest to settle after the fact.

Step 5: track changes in writing

Guest numbers, menu items and decorations change. Record each change with the date and who asked for it. Set a cut-off for the final guest count, such as a week before the event, and remind the family as it approaches. The final count drives the catering bill, so a dated record prevents arguments.

Stage	What to record
Enquiry	Date, session, guests, contact, source
Hold	Hold expiry and reminder
Quotation	Version, items, terms
Confirmed	Advance, receipt, signed-off terms
Changes	Dated guest and menu updates
Event day	Final count, checklist, attendance of vendors
Settlement	Final invoice, balance, receipt

Step 6: settle the balance on schedule

Agree when the balance is due, before the event, on the day or after. Send reminders by WhatsApp or SMS at set intervals. On the final invoice, show the total, the advance and the balance, with VAT where applicable. Give the family a receipt and mark the event as closed.

Step 7: close the event and review

After the date, record the actual vendor costs and any damage or extra charges. Compare income and cost to see the profit on the event. This tells you which packages earn well and which are not worth offering at the current rate.

The event and wedding management software follows these steps, with holds, quotations, advances and balances in one record. For accounting beyond events, our accounting software keeps the books in order.

Small details that prevent disputes

Put the cancellation and refund terms on the quotation itself, not only in conversation. State who is responsible for extra power, parking, music licences and cleaning. Record the name of the family member who signed off the final menu and decoration plan, since several relatives often give instructions. Keep the final invoice in the same format as the quotation so the family can compare line by line.

Using WhatsApp without losing the record

Families prefer WhatsApp for quick questions, and that is fine, but important decisions such as date changes, guest counts and extra charges should be copied into the event record the same day. Otherwise the true history sits in a chat that only one staff member can see. A short habit of noting the decision, the date and who gave it is enough.

Next step: take your last three weddings and check whether each stage above is written down somewhere. Where it is not, that is where a system will help most.

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