Alcohol		Location
Bathrooms		Marriage License
Caterer		Payment
Cloisters' Staff		Rehearsals
Decorations		Set Up
Equipment		Timing
Hours		Weather
Insurance		Miscellaneous

Timing
What does the nine hours in my contract include? The nine hours include: three hours for set up; one hour for the ceremony; four hours for the reception; and one hour for the caterer to clean up and for the renter, caterer, and any other vendors to remove their property, equipment, decorations, etc., and to depart. (Please note that hours may not be taken from set up and added to the reception or ceremony.)

Suppose I am not having a ceremony or my ceremony is less than an hour? You get a total of five hours for your reception or for your ceremony and reception.

What do I do if I want my reception to be longer than five hours? Call me at least a month in advance to let me know. It costs $350 per hour or part of an hour to extend. Also, you may reserve additional hours for set up at $150 per hour or part of an hour. Once again, let me know at least a month in advance.

Don’t forget to let your caterer, disc jockey/band and other vendors know that you want to extend, because they will probably have extra fees. And, since the caterer must clean up, they cannot leave before you!

What time does my event have to end? All events must end by 11 p.m., which means that the guests must leave then so that the caterer and other vendors can clean up and depart by midnight. If you want to extend your event beyond 11 p.m., it costs $350 per hour or part of an hour. You must make arrangements with me to do so at least one month in advance.

Do I have to have my event in the evening? No. Your event may begin as early as 11 a.m. (set up would begin at 8 a.m.).

Do you have any recommendations I should keep in mind when I schedule my event? If you are planning an evening event Monday through Friday, don’t forget about rush hour-- you may want to start your event at 6:30 p.m. or later, or prior to 4 p.m., so guests aren’t delayed in traffic. If you a having a Sunday through Thursday event, keep in mind that most of your guests probably have work the next day, so you may want to end your reception earlier.

If you are considering extending your event beyond the five hours or beyond 11 p.m., think about how you want your event to end. Particularly if you are having a wedding, most of the older guests will leave before the end, sometimes right after the cake is cut. If you want a large crowd there to wish you well as you depart, it is better to keep the reception shorter and/or end it earlier in the evening.