How to read and compare event quotes

Why ask for three quotes?

A single quote doesn’t tell you whether the price is fair. Two quotes give you a comparison, but not a trend. Three quotes let you spot the proposal that stands out from the others, high or low, and ask the right questions. Beyond three, the time spent comparing becomes out of proportion for a medium-sized event.

How do you get comparable quotes?

Half the work is done before the quotes arrive. If each supplier receives a different request, each one prices a different event. Write a short event brief, identical for everyone, that sets out:

• The date, when guests arrive and when the evening ends, and the venue access times for set-up.
• The number of guests, or the range if it is not yet fixed.
• The venue, if chosen, with what it already provides (sound system, furniture, caterer).
• The services you expect: music, bar, photography, entertainment, technical, coordination.
• Your budget, or at least a range.
• Your constraints: brand image, audience, accessibility, CSR commitments.

Our event brief template saves you time at this stage.

How do you read an event quote line by line?

The price: excl. VAT, incl. VAT or net?

This is the most common trap. An agency generally shows its prices excluding VAT, with 20% VAT to be added. Some suppliers, such as businesses exempt from VAT, show a net price with no VAT to add: that is our case. To compare, bring everything back to the same final amount, the one your company will actually pay, taking into account whether it can recover VAT.

Quantities and durations

A DJ “for the evening” can mean 4 hours or 6 hours. A “100 cocktails” bar may or may not include ice and glassware. Every line should state a quantity, a duration and what it includes. A vague line is a line that hides something, often an extra charge.

Fees and extra costs

Look for management fees (6 to 10% of the budget at most agencies, sometimes with a minimum of €250), booking fees, travel outside the city, set-up and dismantling, and staff meals. They may appear at the bottom of the page, in small print.

The terms

The deposit requested varies from 30 to 60% depending on agencies and venues. Also look at when the balance is due, the cancellation terms, how long the quote is valid and whether insurance is mentioned. A cheaper quote with a 60% non-refundable deposit is not necessarily the better deal.

What grid should you use to compare quotes?

Enter each quote in a grid like this one. It highlights differences you can’t see by looking only at the total:

What do price differences look like in Marseille?

To illustrate, here are amounts taken from agency quotes received by a Marseille company for a party of 150 to 200 people, set against our prices for comparable services. The aim is not to say a price is too high: it shows what each layer of intermediary costs.

These differences have an explanation: an agency pays a project manager and its overheads, and buys the services from independent artists. When the agency brings real design, venue-finding or logistics work, that cost is justified. For atmosphere services, a supplier that has its own artists and equipment can offer direct prices.

How do you turn a quote into a price per guest?

The total of a quote says little if it doesn’t cover the same number of people. Divide each final total by the number of guests: you get a price per person that you can compare directly with market benchmarks. In Marseille, a complete corporate party (venue, catering, drinks, entertainment) generally comes to €65 to €130 per person, based on agency quotes. A quote well below this range often leaves out an item; a quote well above it should be explained by an exceptional venue or extra services.

How do you negotiate after comparing?

1. Ask questions rather than imposing a price: “What explains the gap with the other proposals?”
2. Adjust the scope: shorten a duration, drop an option, replace a seated dinner with a standing cocktail reception.
3. Group services together: one supplier handling several items often gives a discount.
4. Play with the date: a Thursday or an off-season evening leaves more room for negotiation.