SERVICE AGREEMENT
Feather & Fern Events & Catering
This Service Agreement (“Agreement”) sets out the terms under which Feather & Fern Events & Catering (“Feather & Fern” or “the Company”) will provide services to the individual or organization booking the event (“the Client”).
By signing this Agreement and submitting the required deposit, the Client confirms that they have reviewed and accepted the services, pricing, and event details provided in their quote or invoice, together with the terms below.
1. Booking & Deposit
A 30% non-refundable deposit is required to secure an event date.
An inquiry, quote, booking request, or signed Agreement does not by itself reserve the event date. The booking becomes confirmed only once Feather & Fern has approved the event and received the required deposit.
Deposits are non-refundable but may be transferred to a new event date where the Client provides at least thirty (30) days’ written notice, subject to Feather & Fern's availability.
Cancellations or requests to reschedule made with fewer than thirty (30) days’ notice will result in forfeiture of the deposit.
2. Final Guest Count & Payment
The Client must provide the final anticipated guest count no later than seven (7) days prior to the event. Changes submitted after this deadline may not be accommodated and may not result in a reduction in the final amount owing.
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the remaining balance is due two (2) days prior to the event date.
Feather & Fern reserves the right to withhold or cancel service where required payments have not been received by the applicable deadline.
3. Pricing & Product Availability
Pricing is based on the services, anticipated guest count, duration, location, equipment requirements, and other event details provided at the time of quotation. Material changes to these details may require the quote to be adjusted.
Charcuterie, catering, and other food-service pricing may be affected by significant changes in product availability or supply costs.
For bookings made more than six (6) months in advance, food-service pricing may initially be provided as an estimate. Final pricing will be confirmed within six months of the event date and, barring exceptional or unforeseen market conditions, is not expected to increase by more than 10% from the original quoted rate.
Where a particular ingredient, product, brand, or menu item becomes unavailable, Feather & Fern may make a reasonable substitution of comparable quality and value.
4. Client & Venue Responsibilities
The Client is responsible for ensuring that Feather & Fern has permission to operate at the selected venue and for providing accurate information regarding venue requirements, access, setup restrictions, available utilities, and other conditions that may affect service.
The Client is responsible for ensuring that the event space is reasonably safe and suitable for the services being provided.
Unless specifically included in the Client's package, Feather & Fern is not responsible for general event management, venue supervision, crowd control, guest transportation, security, or supervision of children.
The Client is responsible for the conduct of their guests and for any damage to Feather & Fern equipment or property caused by the Client, their guests, or other individuals attending the event, excluding ordinary wear and tear. The Client may be responsible for reasonable repair or replacement costs resulting from such damage.
5. Food, Allergies & Dietary Requirements
Feather & Fern follows applicable food-safety requirements and takes reasonable precautions when preparing and serving food.
However, food and beverages may be prepared, stored, transported, or served in environments where common allergens are present, including but not limited to nuts, peanuts, dairy, eggs, gluten/wheat, soy, sesame, and shellfish. Feather & Fern cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment or the complete absence of cross-contact.
The Client is responsible for communicating known dietary restrictions or allergy-related requests to Feather & Fern in advance and for ensuring that guests are appropriately informed where allergen concerns exist.
Feather & Fern will make reasonable efforts to accommodate dietary requests that have been agreed upon in advance but cannot guarantee that every dietary restriction or allergy can safely be accommodated.
Guests with severe or life-threatening allergies should exercise their own judgment regarding consumption.
6. Alcohol Service
Where alcohol service is included, Feather & Fern will provide service in accordance with applicable Ontario laws, regulations, permit requirements, and responsible alcohol-service practices.
Unless expressly stated otherwise in the Client's quote, alcohol is not included in package pricing. Where Feather & Fern purchases alcohol on the Client's behalf, alcohol will be billed separately at cost and
Feather & Fern will work with the Client to establish an appropriate budget, selection, and quantity based on the event details provided.
Where a Special Occasion Permit (SOP) is legally required, the Client is responsible for obtaining and maintaining a valid permit and complying with the responsibilities applicable to the permit holder. Feather & Fern can provide information to assist the Client with this process, but alcohol service cannot proceed where required permits or approvals are not in place.
Feather & Fern staff reserve the right to refuse or discontinue alcohol service to any individual where required or considered appropriate under responsible-service practices, including where a guest appears intoxicated, is behaving aggressively or unsafely, is underage, or cannot provide acceptable identification when requested.
Feather & Fern also reserves the right to temporarily suspend or discontinue alcohol service where continuing service would, in the reasonable judgment of staff, be unlawful or unsafe.
7. Bartenders, Guest Conduct & Security
Feather & Fern bartenders are hospitality professionals, not security personnel.
Bartending staff are responsible for beverage preparation, beverage service, and responsible alcohol service within the scope of their duties. They are not hired or trained to act as security guards, bouncers, crowd-control personnel, or event supervisors, and are not responsible for physically intervening in disputes, removing guests from the premises, or otherwise managing guest behaviour.
The Client and/or venue remains responsible for maintaining a safe event environment and for addressing disruptive, threatening, aggressive, violent, or otherwise unsafe guest behaviour.
For events involving alcohol — particularly larger events, public events, or events where crowd management may reasonably be required — Feather & Fern strongly recommends that the Client arrange appropriate event security.
Feather & Fern staff will not be required to place themselves at risk in order to continue providing service. If staff reasonably determine that conditions have become unsafe, Feather & Fern may suspend service and, where necessary, withdraw staff from the immediate area until the situation has been appropriately addressed.
8. Remaining Alcohol
Unless otherwise agreed, unopened alcohol remaining at the conclusion of the event belongs to the Client, subject to applicable laws and permit requirements.
Where Feather & Fern purchased alcohol on the Client's behalf and the Client wishes eligible unopened products to be returned to the LCBO, remaining returnable inventory will be documented following the event.
Eligible refunds received from the LCBO will be returned to the Client within seven (7) days of the event.
The Client is responsible for communicating their preference regarding remaining alcohol.
Opened alcohol will be handled in accordance with applicable laws, permit requirements, and responsible-service practices.
9. Bar Service Charge
A 10% service charge (gratuity) applies to Feather & Fern bar service packages unless otherwise stated in the Client's quote.
The service charge supports the staffing and delivery of professional bar service and is distributed to the service team. It does not apply to the cost of alcohol or to unrelated catering services, rentals, or other services unless specifically stated.
No additional gratuity is required. Any additional gratuity offered voluntarily by the Client or their guests is appreciated but entirely optional.
10. Equipment & Property
Feather & Fern will take reasonable care when installing, operating, and removing its equipment.
The Client must ensure that Feather & Fern has reasonable and safe access to the event location for setup, service, and teardown.
Feather & Fern equipment may only be operated, moved, or handled by authorized staff unless permission is expressly provided.
The Client may be held responsible for reasonable repair or replacement costs for Company equipment damaged, lost, or removed as a result of the actions of the Client or their guests.
11. Assumption of Ordinary Event Risks
The Client acknowledges that events involving food service, beverage service, mobile equipment, temporary service areas, and alcohol where applicable involve ordinary and foreseeable risks, including slips, trips, spills, allergic reactions, guest conduct, and alcohol-related incidents.
The Client agrees to take reasonable precautions within their control and to communicate relevant venue, guest, or event-specific safety concerns to Feather & Fern.
Each party remains responsible for matters arising from its own acts or omissions to the extent required by applicable law.
12. Liability & Indemnification
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Feather & Fern will not be responsible for loss, damage, injury, delay, or expense arising from circumstances outside its reasonable control or resulting from the acts or omissions of the Client, guests, venue, vendors, or other third parties.
The Client agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Feather & Fern Events & Catering, its owner, employees, contractors, and agents from third-party claims, losses, damages, or reasonable expenses arising from:
• the Client's breach of this Agreement;
• the acts or omissions of the Client or their guests;
• unauthorized use, movement, or misuse of Feather & Fern equipment;
• failure by the Client to obtain required venue permissions, permits, or approvals; or
• unsafe conditions within the Client's or venue's reasonable control,
except to the extent that a claim results from the negligence or wrongful act of Feather & Fern or where liability cannot legally be excluded or limited.
Nothing in this Agreement is intended to exclude or limit any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under applicable Ontario law.
13. Events Outside Reasonable Control
Feather & Fern will make reasonable efforts to provide the contracted services as agreed.
Neither party will be considered in breach of this Agreement where performance is prevented or materially affected by circumstances beyond that party's reasonable control, including severe weather, government restrictions, road closures, emergencies, venue closures, power failures, natural disasters, or other comparable events.
Where such circumstances occur, Feather & Fern and the Client will make reasonable efforts to determine whether the event can be rescheduled, modified, or otherwise accommodated.
14. Photography & Marketing
Feather & Fern may photograph or record its own setup, equipment, food, beverages, and service presentation at an event for portfolio, website, social-media, and promotional purposes.
Feather & Fern will make reasonable efforts to avoid using identifiable images of the Client or their guests as the primary subject of promotional material without permission.
If the Client does not wish Feather & Fern to take or use photographs or video from the event for marketing purposes, they may opt out by notifying Feather & Fern in writing before the event.
15. Changes to Event Details
The Client must notify Feather & Fern as soon as reasonably possible of material changes to the event, including changes to the location, date, service times, guest count, menu, service requirements, or venue conditions.
Changes are subject to availability and may result in additional charges where they increase staffing, travel, equipment, product, or service requirements.
Material changes are not considered accepted until confirmed by Feather & Fern in writing.
16. Governing Law & Severability
This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.
If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be severed or limited to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
17. Entire Agreement
This Agreement, together with the Client's accepted quote, invoice, and any written service details specifically incorporated into the booking, constitutes the agreement between Feather & Fern Events & Catering and the Client regarding the contracted services.
Any material modification must be agreed to in writing.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & ACCEPTANCE
By signing below, the Client confirms that:
• they have reviewed and understood this Agreement;
• the event information they have provided is accurate to the best of their knowledge;
• they agree to the applicable payment, cancellation, service, alcohol, safety, and Client-responsibility terms;
• they have authority to enter into this Agreement for the event; and
• they understand that signing this Agreement alone does not reserve the event date.
This Agreement becomes binding once it has been accepted by the Client and the required deposit has been received by Feather & Fern Events & Catering.