Last updated: May 2026

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Thank you for choosing Soul Mamas Catering. These terms set out how we work together, what's included in your booking, and what we both agree to. Please read them carefully before paying your deposit -paying the deposit confirms you have read, understood and accepted these terms.

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1. Bookings & Deposits

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1.1 Securing your booking

A booking is only confirmed once we have received both:

• A signed quote or written acceptance of your quote by email, and

• Your 30% non-refundable deposit.

Dates are released on a first-paid basis. Until both of the above are received, your date remains available to other clients and may be booked by someone else without notice.

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1.2 Deposit

A non-refundable deposit of 30% of the total quoted amount is required to secure your event date. This deposit covers our initial planning time, menu development, and the cost of holding your date.

The deposit is non-refundable in all circumstances except where Soul Mamas Catering cancels the booking (see clause 4.3).

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1.3 Final balance

The remaining 70% balance is due no later than 14 days before your event date.

If the final balance is not received by this date, we reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled under clause 4.1, retain the deposit, and release the date.

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1.4 Payment methods

Payment is accepted by direct bank transfer to the account details on your invoice. Please use your invoice number as the payment reference.

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2. Quotes & Pricing

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2.1 Quote validity

All quotes are valid for 30 days from the date of issue. After this period, pricing may be subject to change based on current ingredient and operating costs.

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2.2 What's included

Your quote will clearly itemise:

• Food and menu items

• Staffing (where applicable)

• Travel and delivery (where applicable)

• Equipment hire (where applicable)

• Set-up, service and pack-down (where applicable)

Anything not listed on your quote is not included. If you'd like to add items, please request an updated quote in writing.

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2.3 Travel

A travel fee applies for events outside of Mudgee township. This will be itemised on your quote.

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2.4 GST

All prices on quotes and invoices are inclusive of GST unless stated otherwise.

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3. Final Numbers, Menu & Dietaries

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3.1 Lock-in date - 14 days before your event

The following must be confirmed in writing (email is fine) no later than 14 days before your event:

• Final guest numbers

• Final menu selections

• All dietary requirements and allergies (see clause 3.4)

• Event run-sheet and timing

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After this date, your event is locked in. We use this 14-day window to finalise ordering with our suppliers, schedule staff, and plan production. Late changes are not always possible and may incur additional charges (see clauses 3.2 and 3.3).

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3.2 Increases to guest numbers after lock-in

We will always do our best to accommodate additional guests after the 14-day lock-in. However:

• Additional guests added within 14 days of the event are subject to availability and may not be possible.

• Where we can accommodate, additional guests will be charged at the per-head rate plus a 20% surcharge to cover urgent sourcing and re-scheduling.

• Within 72 hours of the event, we cannot guarantee additional catering for added guests.

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3.3 Decreases to guest numbers after lock-in

Once final numbers are locked in 14 days before your event, you are charged for those confirmed numbers regardless of how many guests actually attend. This includes no-shows on the day.

This is because food has already been ordered, prepped or made, and staff have been scheduled. We're unable to refund or credit reduced numbers after the lock-in date.

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3.4 Dietary requirements & allergies

We take dietary requirements seriously and cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and most other dietary needs.

All dietary requirements and allergies must be confirmed in writing no later than 14 days before the event.

After this date:

• We cannot guarantee that additional dietary requirements can be accommodated.

• Where we can accommodate late dietary changes, a surcharge may apply to cover separate ingredients and preparation.

• If a guest has a serious or life-threatening allergy that is not disclosed by the 14-day deadline, we cannot accept liability for any reaction.

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Please disclose all known allergies - including severity - when confirming dietaries. Our kitchen handles nuts, gluten, dairy, eggs, soy and sesame; while we take all reasonable steps to avoid cross-contamination, we cannot guarantee a 100% allergen-free environment.

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3.5 Menu substitutions

We work with seasonal and local produce where possible. Occasionally we may need to substitute an ingredient due to availability or quality. Where this happens, we'll replace it with something of equal or greater quality and let you know in advance where possible.

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4. Cancellations & Postponements

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4.1 Cancellation by you

If you need to cancel your booking, please let us know in writing as soon as possible.

 

The following cancellation fees apply:

• More than 30 days before the event: Deposit forfeited (30% of total).

• 14–30 days before the event: 50% of the total quoted amount is payable.

• Less than 14 days before the event: 100% of the total quoted amount is payable. By this point, ingredients have been ordered, staff scheduled, and other bookings turned away.

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4.2 Postponement by you

We understand that life happens.

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If you need to postpone your event, we will do our best to transfer your deposit and any payments to a new date, subject to the following:

• Postponement requests must be made in writing at least 30 days before the original event date.

• Your new date must fall within 12 months of the original event date and is subject to our availability.

• Pricing for the new date will be based on our current rates at the time of the rescheduled event.

• Postponements requested within 30 days of the event will be treated as a cancellation under clause 4.1.

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4.3 Cancellation by Soul Mamas Catering

In the unlikely event that we need to cancel your booking for reasons within our control (for example, serious illness or staffing issues we are unable to resolve), we will:

• Provide you with as much notice as possible,

• Refund all monies paid in full, including your deposit, and

• Where possible, recommend an alternative caterer.

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4.4 Events beyond our control (Force Majeure)

Neither party will be liable for failure to perform under these terms where that failure is caused by events beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to: natural disasters, bushfire, flood, extreme weather, pandemic, government restrictions, road closures, or sudden serious illness.

In such circumstances, we will work with you in good faith to either postpone the event (with deposit transferred to a new date), or refund payments less any costs already incurred on your behalf (such as ingredients already purchased and non-recoverable supplier deposits).

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5. On the Day

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5.1 Access and set-up

You are responsible for ensuring we have safe, timely access to the event venue. Please confirm with your venue:

• Vehicle access and unloading

• Power, water and refrigeration availability (if required)

• A suitable working area for our team

Where delays are caused by venue access issues outside of our control, this may impact service times and is not our responsibility.

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5.2 Service times

Service times agreed in your final run-sheet are based on a reasonable allowance. If the event runs significantly behind schedule and our team is required to stay beyond the agreed finish time, an overtime charge of $75 per staff member per hour (or part thereof) will apply, billed within 7 days of the event.

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5.3 Damage or loss of equipment

Where we provide hired or owned equipment (platters, boards, serving ware, food trailer fittings, etc.), you are responsible for the safe return of these items. Lost, damaged or broken equipment will be charged at replacement cost, billed within 14 days of the event.

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5.4 Leftover food

For food safety reasons, we are unable to leave leftover food that has been out at room temperature beyond two hours. Where surplus food remains within safe-handling windows, you are welcome to keep it, but it then becomes your responsibility. Soul Mamas Catering accepts no liability for food consumed after the event.

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6. Liability, Complaints & General

 

6.1 Insurance

Soul Mamas Catering holds current public liability insurance and operates under all applicable NSW food safety regulations. Certificates available on request.

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6.2 Limitation of liability

To the extent permitted by law, our total liability under any booking is limited to the total amount paid by you for that booking. We are not liable for indirect, consequential or incidental losses including but not limited to loss of enjoyment, loss of profit, or third-party claims arising from undisclosed allergies.

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6.3 Complaints and feedback

If something hasn't gone right, please tell us — preferably on the day, so we have the chance to fix it. Written complaints should be sent to soulmamascatering@outlook.com within 7 days of your event so that they can be properly investigated.

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6.4 Photos and social media

We love sharing our work. Unless you ask us in writing not to, we may take photographs of food, table styling and event set-ups (not of guests) for use on our website and social media. Please let us know in advance if you would prefer we don't.

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6.5 Changes to these terms

These terms apply to your booking as at the date of your deposit payment. Subsequent updates to our terms do not affect bookings already confirmed.

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6.6 Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia.

 

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ACCEPTANCE

By paying your deposit, you confirm that you have read, understood and accepted these Terms & Conditions.

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Questions? Get in touch any time at soulmamascatering@outlook.com - we'd rather answer your questions before booking than have any surprises afterwards.

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— Soul Mamas Catering, Mudgee NSW —