Terms of Service

Vesper is a private event staffing marketplace that connects clients hosting private events with independent event professionals and service providers, including chefs, bartenders, servers, sommeliers, hosts, stewards, deckhands, captains, private jet chefs, decorators, and similar personnel (collectively, “Staff”).

Vesper provides a technology platform that allows:

• Clients to create events, browse and request Staff, communicate with event teams, and make payments through the Platform;
• Staff to create profiles, receive booking requests, accept or decline engagements, communicate with Clients and team members, and receive payouts through the Platform; and
• Administrators and support personnel acting on behalf of Vesper (“Admins”) to manage marketplace operations, verifications, support, disputes, concierge events, and related matters.

Vesper is not a staffing agency, employer, joint employer, labor provider, insurer, food safety guarantor, transportation carrier, or event operator. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in a separate written agreement, Vesper acts solely as a marketplace and technology facilitator.

To use the Platform, you must be at least 18 years old, have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract, provide accurate, current, and complete registration information, and comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and industry requirements relevant to your use of the Platform.

If you use the Platform on behalf of a company or other entity, you represent that you have authority to bind that entity to these Terms.

You must create an account to access certain features of the Platform. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials, all activity under your account, and ensuring your account information remains accurate and up to date.

You may not share your account, impersonate another person, or create an account using false information. We may suspend, restrict, or terminate accounts at any time if we believe an account violates these Terms, creates risk, or may expose Vesper or other users to harm.

4.1 Clients

Clients may create and manage private events, browse and request Staff, communicate through the Platform, submit event details, approve certain changes such as overtime, and make payments.

4.2 Staff

Staff may create profiles, display experience and credentials, set rates and availability, receive booking requests, accept or decline assignments, perform services for Clients, submit certain expense materials where allowed, and receive payouts after event completion.

4.3 Admins

Admins manage marketplace functions including but not limited to concierge events, support, verifications, dispute handling, no-show reports, payout issues, and enforcement of these Terms.

Staff are independent contractors and are not employees of Vesper.

By using the Platform, you acknowledge and agree that:

• Vesper does not employ, supervise, or control Staff in the manner of an employer;
• Staff choose whether to accept or decline booking requests;
• Staff are responsible for their own taxes, licenses, insurance, permits, equipment, transportation, conduct, and legal compliance; and
• No employment, agency, partnership, joint venture, franchise, or similar relationship is created between Vesper and any Staff user, or between Vesper and any Client, by virtue of use of the Platform.

Clients are responsible for determining whether a Staff member is suitable for a particular event. Staff are responsible for determining whether a Client request is appropriate, safe, lawful, and within the Staff member's skill set.

Where required by law, Vesper issues IRS Form 1099-NEC to Staff who earn more than $600 in a calendar year through the Platform.

The Platform may offer identity verification, document checks, and background check features through third-party providers, including Didit and Checkr.

Verification badges, identity checks, and background checks are provided for informational purposes only. Vesper does not guarantee a user's identity, ongoing accuracy of third-party verification results, future conduct, safety, quality of services, or fitness for a specific event or environment.

A passed verification or background check does not constitute an endorsement, certification, guarantee, or warranty by Vesper.

You authorize Vesper and its providers to collect, process, and share information reasonably necessary to perform verification and background screening functions consistent with our Privacy Policy and applicable law.

7.1 Event Creation

Clients may create events by submitting requested details, which may include event type, location, guest count, service type, dietary notes, rental needs, kitchen availability, dress code, budget, timeline, and related information. Clients are solely responsible for ensuring that all event information is accurate, complete, lawful, and timely.

7.2 Booking Requests and Confirmation

A Client may request one or more Staff members for an event. A booking is not confirmed until all required conditions are met, which may include Staff acceptance, deposit payment, and any other conditions determined by Vesper. Staff may be given a defined response window to accept or decline requests. If a Staff member does not respond in time, the Platform may treat the request as expired and may notify the Client or facilitate replacement options.

7.3 Smart Recommendations

The Platform may provide suggested staffing combinations or role recommendations based on event details. These recommendations are automated suggestions only and do not constitute professional event planning, operational advice, or a guarantee that a suggested staffing structure will be sufficient.

7.4 Concierge Events

For large, premium, or complex events, Vesper may offer a white-glove concierge service. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, concierge support remains part of the Platform service and does not make Vesper the employer, supervisor, caterer, or operator of the event.

8.1 Client Charges

Payments are processed through third-party payment processors such as Stripe. By making a payment through the Platform, you authorize Vesper and its payment partners to charge your selected payment method for all applicable amounts. Client pricing may include Staff compensation, platform fees, service fees, taxes where applicable, approved overtime, approved reimbursable expenses, and other disclosed charges.

8.2 Deposit

The deposit required to confirm a booking is calculated based on the event's components. The deposit includes 100% of the food and beverage budget, 100% of rental costs (so that Vesper can secure rental vendors immediately on the Client's behalf), and 25% of the staffing cost. The total deposit amount will be displayed before payment.

Last-minute bookings. For bookings made fewer than 7 days before the event, the full balance (staffing plus F&B) is due at booking and is non-refundable.

8.3 Automatic Balance Collection

Unless otherwise stated, the remaining balance is automatically charged to the Client's payment method 7 days before the event date. By using the Platform, the Client authorizes such automatic charges for outstanding amounts owed in connection with confirmed bookings.

Failed charge. If the automatic balance charge fails, the Client has 24 hours from the time of failure to update their payment method or rectify the failure. If the balance is not successfully collected within that window, Vesper will automatically cancel the event and the deposit is forfeited. Vesper will notify the Client when the failure occurs and again upon cancellation.

8.4 Platform Fee

Vesper may charge a platform fee, including a fee calculated as a percentage of Staff costs, as disclosed at checkout or elsewhere on the Platform.

8.5 Staff Payouts

Subject to these Terms, Staff payouts are generally released after event completion, often within 3 to 5 business days, less any fees, offsets, reversals, chargebacks, refunds, or other amounts owed. Vesper may delay, hold, adjust, or reverse payouts where reasonably necessary to investigate disputes, fraud, no-shows, policy violations, payment failures, chargebacks, safety issues, legal compliance, or suspected misuse of the Platform.

8.6 Reimbursements and F&B Receipts

Where allowed, certain Staff may submit receipts or reimbursement requests related to food and beverage budgets or approved event purchases. Submission of a receipt does not guarantee reimbursement. Vesper or the Client may review, approve, reject, or partially approve reimbursement requests.

8.7 No Guarantee of Payment Processor Availability

Vesper is not responsible for outages, delays, errors, reversals, holds, or failures caused by Stripe or any other payment provider.

9.1 Cancellation by Client

Refund eligibility for Client-initiated cancellations is tiered based on the time remaining before the event:

• More than 14 days before the event: the Client is entitled to a refund of all expenses Vesper has not yet paid out on the Client's behalf (food and beverage advances to staff, vendor deposits, or similar incurred costs). The portion already disbursed is not refundable.
• Between 7 and 14 days before the event: the staffing portion of the deposit (25% of staffing cost) and any rental vendor deposits already committed are forfeited. The food and beverage portion is refunded to the extent it has not yet been disbursed. Staff scheduled for the event are partially compensated for the time held.
• Within 7 days of the event, or after the balance has been charged: the full amount paid is non-refundable. Staffing has been confirmed and F&B budget has typically been deployed by this point.

9.2 Refunds for Unfulfilled Services

If a service the Client paid for is not delivered (for example, a concierge-arranged decor specialist who fails to provide service), Vesper will refund the relevant portion of the balance corresponding to the undelivered service.

9.3 Staff No-Shows

If a Staff member fails to appear at an event, Vesper will attempt to source a replacement. If a replacement cannot be confirmed in time, the Client will receive a refund equal to the wages allocated to that Staff member's role for the event (hourly rate multiplied by event duration, day rate, or flat rate, as applicable).

9.4 Cancellation by Vesper

Vesper may, in rare cases, need to cancel a booking.

• Vesper's own fault. The Client receives a refund of all amounts paid that have not already been disbursed on the Client's behalf, plus a credit equal to 25% to 50% of the booking total toward a future event. The exact credit amount is set at Vesper's discretion based on the nature of the disruption.
• Force majeure (severe weather, public health order, venue power failure, or other circumstances outside Vesper's reasonable control). No cash refund is owed; Vesper will offer a small credit toward a future event. The exact credit amount is set case by case.

9.5 Event Modifications

Confirmed bookings may be modified subject to the following:

• Date changes: allowed up to 7 days before the event for a small administrative fee. Date changes within 7 days of the event are not generally permitted but may be considered case-by-case in special circumstances.
• Guest-count changes: allowed; significant changes will trigger a re-quote and may require re-confirmation of the team.
• Adding or removing staff: allowed up to 7 days before the event.
• Last-minute additions (within 7 days): subject to availability and may incur premium pricing.
• Adding courses to a multi-course event after booking: permitted with an add-on payment for the additional rentals and staffing the additional courses require.

All modifications must be requested through the Platform or by contacting Vesper support. Acceptance of any modification is at Vesper's discretion based on operational feasibility.

9.6 Processing Fees

Payment-processor fees are retained by Vesper on every transaction, regardless of whether a refund is later issued. Where Vesper issues a refund, the Client receives the refunded amount net of any processing fees originally retained on that transaction.

The Platform may allow self check-in, lead check-in, overtime requests, no-show reporting, and event completion confirmation. Clients agree that approved overtime is billable, and disputed overtime may be reviewed by Vesper based on available records. Staff agree to provide accurate time, check-in, and work-completion information. Falsifying attendance, overtime, reimbursement requests, or completion records is a material breach of these Terms.

The Platform may include chat, notifications, email, SMS, and support features. You agree that you will not:

• harass, threaten, stalk, or abuse any user;
• discriminate based on legally protected characteristics;
• send spam or unsolicited promotions;
• share malicious links, malware, or harmful code;
• misuse support systems, urgent flags, or dispute channels;
• use the Platform to facilitate unlawful, unsafe, or deceptive conduct; or
• attempt to circumvent the Platform to avoid fees for connections or bookings originated through Vesper.

We may monitor, review, preserve, or disclose communications where permitted by law and reasonably necessary to operate the Platform, enforce these Terms, protect users, or comply with legal obligations.

12.1 User Content

You may submit or upload content including profile data, photos, certifications, availability, event details, dietary notes, receipts, support messages, and chat messages (“User Content”). You retain ownership of your User Content, but you grant Vesper a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable license to host, store, reproduce, display, modify for formatting purposes, transmit, and otherwise use User Content as necessary to operate, improve, secure, and promote the Platform.

12.2 Prohibited Content

You may not upload or submit content that is false, fraudulent, defamatory, obscene, infringing, invasive of privacy, discriminatory, or otherwise unlawful.

12.3 Data Collection and Processing

By using the Platform, you acknowledge that Vesper may collect and process personal and event-related information as described in our Privacy Policy.

Our collection, use, storage, and disclosure of personal information is described in our Privacy Policy. By using the Platform, you agree to the Privacy Policy as updated from time to time.

The Platform relies on third-party services and infrastructure, including but not limited to Stripe, Resend, Twilio, Didit, Checkr, AWS S3, Neon, Auth.js, and related providers. Vesper is not responsible for third-party services, their content, their policies, their security practices, or their availability. Your use of third-party services may also be governed by separate terms and privacy policies.

Vesper does not guarantee that any Client will hire any Staff member, that any Staff member will accept any booking, the number, frequency, quality, lawfulness, or profitability of bookings, or the conduct, performance, punctuality, sobriety, safety, qualifications, licensing, or professionalism of any user.

Clients are responsible for event planning decisions, venue permissions, alcohol service compliance, food safety compliance, transportation arrangements, and any required insurance, permits, staffing ratios, emergency planning, and local legal compliance. Staff are responsible for performing only services they are qualified and legally permitted to perform.

After an event, Clients may submit reviews and ratings regarding Staff. Reviews must be honest, based on actual experience, and not defamatory, coercive, retaliatory, fraudulent, or misleading. Vesper may remove or moderate reviews in its discretion.

Features such as saved favorites, previous events in common, smart recommendations, badges, ratings, profile highlights, or platform signals are for convenience only. They do not create warranties or guarantees.

Users are solely responsible for determining and satisfying their own tax reporting and payment obligations, except to the extent Vesper is legally required to collect, withhold, remit, or report taxes. Staff are solely responsible for income taxes, self-employment taxes, payroll-related obligations, and any business licenses or permits applicable to their services.

You may not use the Platform for unlawful or fraudulent purposes; misrepresent identity, qualifications, certifications, licenses, rates, or experience; circumvent booking, payment, or communication systems in violation of Platform rules; scrape, copy, frame, mirror, or reverse engineer the Platform except as allowed by law; interfere with the Platform's security or operation; access another user's data without authorization; use bots or automated methods to create accounts, spam users, or manipulate marketplace outcomes; or submit false disputes, false no-show claims, false reimbursement requests, or false verification materials.

We may suspend, limit, or terminate access to the Platform, remove content, cancel bookings, hold payouts, or refuse service at any time if we reasonably believe a user has violated these Terms, created risk, engaged in fraud or abuse, or where action is required for safety, legal compliance, or marketplace integrity. Users may stop using the Platform at any time. Termination does not affect obligations accrued before termination.

The Platform, including its software, design, trademarks, logos, text, graphics, workflows, and content created by Vesper, is owned by or licensed to Vesper and protected by intellectual property laws. Except for limited rights to use the Platform in accordance with these Terms, no rights are granted to you.

Where the Platform connects Clients with bartenders or other alcohol-service Staff, Clients acknowledge that bartenders are responsible for verifying the legal drinking age of guests and for refusing service to any guest who appears intoxicated, underage, or otherwise unfit to be served. Clients agree to support and back up bartender decisions in this regard, and not to pressure or instruct bartenders to serve guests in violation of law or industry safety standards.

Liability for alcohol over-service is governed primarily by the bartender's own liability insurance policy. Vesper is not the alcohol licensee or server of record for any event.

Clients are solely responsible for accurately disclosing all guest allergies, dietary restrictions, and food-safety concerns to Vesper and to event Staff before the event. If an allergy or dietary restriction is not disclosed, the Client is responsible for any harm or liability arising from the undisclosed condition.

24.1 Damage at the Event Location

If property at the Client's event location is damaged by Staff during an event:

• Damage caused by chefs and bartenders is covered first by the Staff member's own liability insurance policy, which Vesper requires of all chefs and bartenders before booking; and
• Damage caused by other Staff (for example, servers or hosts) is covered by Vesper's liability insurance, subject to a cap of USD $100,000 per incident.

Vesper's liability for property damage is limited to the foregoing.

24.2 Rental Items

When a Client books rental items (such as plates, glassware, silverware, linens, or similar) through the Platform, Vesper coordinates those items on the Client's behalf with third-party rental vendors. The price the Client pays includes a small breakage surplus intended to cover ordinary loss or breakage that occurs during typical event use; the Client is not refunded for unused surplus, and Vesper does not bill the Client for incidental damage falling within that surplus.

However, the Client remains responsible for damage to rental items that materially exceeds normal event use, including (without limitation) loss, theft, gross misuse, or damage so significant that the rental vendor invoices Vesper for replacement or repair beyond the included surplus. In that case, the Client agrees to reimburse Vesper for the excess amount the vendor charges, and authorizes Vesper to charge the payment method on file for that amount after providing the Client with the vendor's itemized invoice.

Vesper will use reasonable efforts to mitigate vendor charges and to share supporting documentation with the Client before any incremental charge is made.

Clients acknowledge and agree that they are responsible for maintaining safe event conditions, including obtaining appropriate event-host insurance for their event. Vesper is not liable for injuries to guests caused by venue conditions, weather, third parties, or causes outside the actions of Vesper Staff during the event.

Vesper is liable only for injuries directly caused by the actions or omissions of Vesper Staff during an event, subject to applicable law and the limitations set forth in these Terms.

The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Vesper disclaims all warranties, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, non-infringement, and any warranties arising out of course of dealing or usage of trade.

Vesper does not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, secure, error-free, or free of harmful components, or that any booking, payment, message, notification, or verification will be completed, delivered, or accurate.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Vesper and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, and service providers shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, business opportunity, or event-related losses.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Vesper's total liability for any claim shall not exceed the greater of the amounts paid to Vesper by you in the 12 months before the event giving rise to the claim, or USD $100.

Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations of liability, so some of the above may not apply to you.

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Vesper and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, and service providers from and against any claims, demands, actions, losses, liabilities, damages, judgments, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of or related to your use of the Platform, your User Content, your event, services, conduct, omissions, or disputes with another user, your breach of these Terms, or your violation of law or third-party rights.

Vesper is not a party to agreements between Clients and Staff except as the platform facilitator. Users are primarily responsible for resolving disputes directly. Vesper may, but is not obligated to, assist in resolving disputes, review evidence, issue account actions, adjust payouts, or make marketplace decisions in its discretion.

These Terms shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform shall be submitted to binding individual arbitration administered by JAMS or AAA in Los Angeles, California, pursuant to their then-current rules. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction.

You and Vesper waive any right to participate in a class action, class arbitration, or representative proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by law.

By creating an account or using the Platform, you consent to receive transactional electronic communications from Vesper, including emails, in-app notices, SMS messages, and other communications related to your account, bookings, payments, support, security, and Platform operations.

Marketing communications are opt-in only. You will not receive promotional messages from Vesper unless you explicitly opt in to receive them. You may withdraw consent for transactional communications by closing your account.

You are responsible for keeping your contact information current.

We may modify the Platform and these Terms at any time. If we make material changes, we may provide notice through the Platform, by email, or by other reasonable means. Your continued use of the Platform after updated Terms become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

Vesper is not liable for delays, failures, cancellations, or inability to perform caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including: severe weather (including conditions that make a yacht event unsafe), natural disaster, pandemic or public health order, power outage at the event venue, acts of God, war, terrorism, civil unrest, labor disputes, governmental actions, transportation disruptions, internet outages, cloud-service failures, and payment-processor outages.

If a booking cannot proceed due to a force majeure event, Vesper will refund unspent costs to the Client as a credit toward a future event.

Vesper does not capture, retain, or use photos or video from your event for marketing, promotional, or any other purposes without your explicit written consent. Your event details and any imagery shared in your event chat or notes are kept confidential and used only for operational purposes (assigning Staff, supporting your event, and fulfilling our service obligations).

From time to time, Vesper may invite Clients to participate in a case study, testimonial, or other promotional feature. Participation is entirely optional and requires your written opt-in.

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Vesper regarding the Platform, except for any separate written agreement expressly incorporated. If any provision is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect. Vesper's failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver. You may not assign these Terms without Vesper's prior written consent. Vesper may assign these Terms freely in connection with a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or asset sale.

For questions about these Terms or to contact Vesper support:

Vesper
Email: support@vesper.la