ASK KATE
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"How did you create the contract you're using for your business?" Here's my honest answer:
I did not start from scratch, and I don't think you should either. When I first built out my contract, I started with a template from a lawyer who specializes in the creative industry — specifically one who understood the nuances of wedding vendor relationships, event cancellations, and what happens when things go sideways on a timeline.Â
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Here's what my process looked like:
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1. Start with a solid legal foundation.
I used a template from [attorney/resource — customize here]. This gave me language that would actually hold up, not just something I cobbled together from Google.
2. Customize it to reflect how I actually work.
I went through every clause and asked: does this match my process? My payment structure? My cancellation policy? If it didn't, I updated it — always with guidance.
3. Have it reviewed by a professional.
Before I ever sent it to a client, I had a lawyer look it over to make sure it was enforceable in my state and covered the scenarios I was most worried about.
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