Cancellation Policy

1. Why cancellation notice matters

Each picnic requires planning before the event day. This may include reserving your date and time, preparing styling items, blocking staff availability, coordinating location details, purchasing or organising supplies, ordering food or florals, preparing personalised items and turning away other customers for the same time slot.

For this reason, deposits, late cancellations and last-minute changes may be treated differently from standard product returns.

2. Booking deposits, balances and security bonds

To secure a booking, we may require a booking deposit, partial payment, full payment, and/or a refundable security bond.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• your booking is not confirmed until the required deposit or payment has been received;
• the booking deposit secures your date and time and covers administration, planning and preparation;
• the remaining balance must be paid by the due date shown on your invoice or booking confirmation;
• food, beverages, florals, personalised styling and supplier-ordered items may require earlier payment; and
• security bonds are separate from package payments and are handled under our Damage & Security Bond Policy.

If the required balance is not paid by the due date, we may treat the booking as cancelled by the customer and release the date and time to another customer.

3. Customer cancellation timeframes

Cancellation requests must be made in writing by email or another written method accepted by us. The cancellation date is the date we receive your written cancellation request.

Unless your booking agreement states otherwise, the following cancellation timeframes apply:

• 7 or more days before your booking: you may request to cancel or reschedule. The booking deposit may be retained, but any amount paid above the deposit may be refunded or credited, minus committed costs, supplier costs, payment processing fees, personalised items or food/add-on costs already incurred.
• 3–6 days before your booking: cancellation may result in loss of the booking deposit. Any refund or credit for amounts paid above the deposit is at our discretion and may be reduced by preparation costs, staffing costs, supplier costs, food orders, florals, custom items and lost booking opportunity.
• Within 72 hours of your booking: cancellations are generally non-refundable because planning, staffing, preparation, location coordination and supplier commitments are usually already underway.
• Same-day cancellation: same-day cancellations are non-refundable, except where a refund or remedy is required by Australian Consumer Law.
• No-show: if you do not attend your booking and do not provide written cancellation notice, no refund or reschedule will be provided.

4. Rescheduling requests

We understand that plans can change. Where possible, we will try to accommodate reasonable rescheduling requests.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• 7 or more days before your booking: one reschedule may be offered without a rescheduling fee, subject to availability.
• 3–6 days before your booking: rescheduling may be offered subject to availability and may incur a rescheduling fee to cover additional administration, staffing, planning, supplier changes or preparation already completed.
• Within 72 hours of your booking: rescheduling is not guaranteed and may be treated as a late cancellation, especially where food, staffing, florals, personalised items or supplier costs have already been committed.
• Within 24 hours of your booking: rescheduling is generally not available unless we agree in writing or unless required by law.

Rescheduled dates are subject to our availability. We cannot guarantee that your preferred new date, time, location, styling items, suppliers or add-ons will be available.

A booking may only be rescheduled once unless we agree otherwise in writing.

5. Weather-related changes

Outdoor picnics are weather-dependent. Weather-related changes are handled under this policy and our Weather Policy.

If unsafe or unsuitable weather is forecast, we may offer one or more of the following options, depending on the situation:

• move the picnic to a suitable indoor or sheltered backup location;
• modify the setup for safety and practicality;
• reschedule to another available date;
• offer a credit where appropriate; or
• cancel the booking if the setup cannot safely proceed.

Unsafe or unsuitable weather may include heavy rain, storms, lightning, strong wind, flooding, extreme heat, unsafe ground conditions, council warnings or conditions that make setup unsafe or likely to damage hire items.

Weather decisions are generally made between 24 and 48 hours before the booking, depending on the forecast, location and nature of the setup.

Customers are strongly encouraged to nominate an indoor or sheltered backup location at the time of booking. If no suitable backup is available, the booking may need to be rescheduled.

6. Food, beverage, florals and personalised add-ons

Food, beverages, florals, custom signage, printed items, personalised styling, third-party supplier items and special-order products may have stricter cancellation rules because they may be ordered, prepared, customised or committed before your event.

Once these items have been ordered, prepared or committed with a supplier, they may be non-refundable, even if the main picnic package is rescheduled or cancelled.

Examples may include:

• food hampers;
• fruit platters;
• cakes, cupcakes, brownies or desserts;
• non-alcoholic beverages;
• florals;
• printed menus, name cards, signs or proposal cards;
• custom decor or personalised styling items; and
• third-party supplier items arranged specifically for your booking.

Where a supplier has their own cancellation or refund rules, those supplier rules may also apply.

7. Late arrival, shortened booking time and no-shows

Your booking time begins at the confirmed start time, even if you or your guests arrive late.

Late arrival does not automatically extend the booking duration. This is because pack-down timing, staff availability, daylight, safety, location rules and other bookings may be affected.

If you arrive late, your picnic may still end at the originally confirmed finish time. No refund or partial refund will be provided for late arrival.

If you do not attend your booking and do not provide written notice, this will be treated as a no-show. No-shows are non-refundable and cannot be rescheduled.

8. Changes to guest numbers, package or add-ons

Requests to change guest numbers, package inclusions, food items, beverage items, theme colours, styling requests or add-ons must be made in writing.

We will try to accommodate changes where possible, but changes are subject to availability, supplier deadlines, staffing, inventory and preparation already completed.

Changes requested within 72 hours of the booking may not be possible and may incur additional fees.

9. If Ever After Picnics cancels or cannot provide the service

In rare circumstances, we may need to cancel, reschedule or modify a booking due to events outside our reasonable control, including unsafe weather, illness, emergency, road closures, council restrictions, venue restrictions, supplier failure, public safety issues or force majeure events.

If we cancel for reasons within our control and cannot provide the agreed service, we will offer a reasonable remedy, which may include:

• a reschedule to another available date;
• a credit toward a future booking;
• a partial refund; or
• a full refund where appropriate or required by law.

If the cancellation is due to circumstances outside our reasonable control, we will take reasonable steps to offer a practical alternative, such as rescheduling or moving to a backup location.

10. Refund processing

If a refund is approved, it will usually be processed back to the original payment method or another method agreed in writing.

Approved refunds may take several business days to appear, depending on the payment method, bank, payment processor or platform used.

Payment processing fees, transaction fees, card fees or platform fees may be non-refundable where those fees are not returned to us by the payment processor.

11. Security bond refunds

Security bonds are handled separately from booking refunds.

If all hire items are returned undamaged, unstained and complete, and no excessive cleaning or additional charges apply, the security bond will be refunded within the timeframe stated in your booking agreement or Damage & Security Bond Policy.

If there are damaged, stained, missing or excessively dirty items, the relevant amount may be deducted from the security bond.

If the damage, replacement or cleaning cost exceeds the security bond, you agree to pay the additional reasonable amount required.

12. Australian Consumer Law

Nothing in this policy excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer guarantee, right or remedy you may have under Australian Consumer Law or any other law that cannot be excluded.

If you are entitled to a refund, replacement service, compensation or another remedy under Australian Consumer Law, this policy does not remove those rights.

13. Summary of our standard cancellation approach

Unless your booking agreement says otherwise, our standard approach is:

• 7+ days before booking: reschedule may be available; deposit may be retained; refund or credit may be available for amounts paid above the deposit, minus committed costs.
• 3–6 days before booking: reschedule may be available with a fee; refunds are limited and may be reduced by committed costs.
• Within 72 hours: generally non-refundable and rescheduling is not guaranteed.
• Same day or no-show: non-refundable.
• Weather: backup location or reschedule is usually preferred over refund.
• Food/custom add-ons: may be non-refundable once ordered, prepared or committed.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Cancellation, Refund and Rescheduling Policy from time to time. The version that applies to your booking is the version available at the time your booking is confirmed, unless a change is required by law or for safety reasons.