Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to top questions about The Bash.

Getting Started


The Bash (formerly GigMasters) is an online event marketplace with listings of everything from entertainment and photographers to venues and caterers. We help planners find and connect with the perfect pros for their events. The Bash has vendors across the U.S. and Canada ranging from Antique Car Rentals to ZZ Top Cover Bands. Since 1997 we've helped connect party planners and hosts with the perfect vendors for all of life's most special moments—children's first birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries, corporate events, and much more.


The Bash allows you to easily search, contact, book, and review top vendors from the comfort of your own home. To receive a custom price quote and get started on your way to booking a top-rated vendor for your event, please follow these easy steps: Search by vendor type and location on The Bash homepage - compare photos, video, and audio samples, descriptions, and reviews. Contact vendors by clicking the "Request Free Quote" button. You will receive your free quotes by email along with the vendor's contact information. Securely book a vendor through The Bash website. Enjoy the party!


Because we care about your event! From weddings to birthdays, corporate parties, and more, our entire team is committed to helping you plan your special events. Search our site and you'll see that we've got a large selection of the best, top-rated entertainers and party vendors. Need help? Our friendly Account Specialists are always a phone call (or email) away. And, when you book on The Bash, you're protected by our Booking Guarantee. Email us at info@thebash.com with any questions.

Our Policies


Every event booked through The Bash is covered by our Booking Guarantee. Our Booking Benefits are always included and always free when you secure your booking through The Bash. Booking Protection: In the unlikely event of a vendor cancellation, we'll help you find a replacement, and refund payments made on The Bash. Money-Back Promise: You'll never lose a deposit or balance payments made through The Bash with our 100% money-back guarantee. Online payments are secure through Stripe and are U.S. only. No Extra Fees: It is free to search, book, and pay vendors through The Bash. There are no extra fees associated with booking and paying through our platform. On-Hand Support: Our U.S. based Account Specialists are available by email or phone. They're happy to help find the best vendors for your event, handle any cancellations, and assist with any last minute replacements.


Please view our Accessibility Statement and learn more about how we make sure the site is available to all.

Security


Like most reputable online websites, The Bash uses advanced web technology called SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to protect personal information as it travels across the Internet. Most banks employ this same reliable software to secure their online transactions. SSL is an industry-standard technology supported by Microsoft Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and other popular Web browsers. The Bash uses it to completely encrypt your credit card data, name, address, and other personal information so that it cannot be read by a third party. Once your credit card information reaches our servers, the data is protected with encryption to ensure that your data remains private. The Bash is a Member of the Better Business Bureau, TRUSTe, and is a VeriSign Secured website. For more information on our relationships with these organizations, please go to our User Agreement. (You'll see links near the bottom of the page which you can click) If you have additional questions about our security measures, please contact our Account Services Team.


A cookie is a piece of data stored by a web browser while searching a website. The Bash uses cookies to provide you with a personalized browsing experience. To take advantage of these features, cookies must be enabled. For instructions on how to enable cookies, please reference your browser's Help section.

Contacting Vendors


While our vendors' contact information is not posted publically for privacy reasons, you can contact any vendor that you see on The Bash by clicking on the "Request Free Quote" button on their profile page or search tile! Your event and contact information will go directly to that vendor and they will get back to you as soon as possible with a customized quote and their contact information. Our best vendors will send price quotes in 8 hours or less!


To contact any vendor on The Bash, click on the "Request Free Quote" button on the vendors' profile page or search tile. If you'd like, The Bash can add 5-10 more similar vendors to your request (this option is located on the Request Free Quote form). If you prefer to hand-select your vendors, please click the 'Request Free Quote" button for each vendor. If you have any questions or would like assistance expanding your search, please contact our team at info@thebash.com.


To contact any vendor you see, simply click on the "Request Free Quote" button on their profile page or search tile. From there, please fill out your contact information and event details. Once that is complete, you'll start receiving customized quotes from your vendor - right in your email inbox!

Editing Requests


You can edit your event information by logging into your account. You will automatically be routed the the 'REQUESTS' tab of your account. Under this area, you will see all your open requests. To edit any details or cancel your search, please click on the pencil icon located in the upper right-hand corner of your event details. Here, you will be able to make and save your changes. Please note that you can only edit or cancel events that have not yet been officially booked. If you have officially booked a vendor and need to make changes, please contact us at info@thebash.com and we will be happy to help!


We love surprises! When filling out your event information, there is an area to add 'details'. These details will be sent to the vendor along with your event information. Please include that the party is a surprise party as well as your preferred communication method (phone/text/ email) in the details section ahead of time!

Finding Vendors


If you don't see any vendors in your area after searching, we may not have a vendor in that specific category and/or location but, don't panic, we'd be happy to help you locate other great vendors who travel to your area. You can search all our different services on our homepage under the 'Services' section in our header or contact us at info@thebash.com for popular trends and recommendations. We also have thousands of vendors who are opted into virtual events and would be happy to provide services for you, remotely!


Our vendors are willing to travel! We realize that, ideally, you'll want to hire a vendor who is close to your event's location. However, we want to make sure you see all vendors who are willing to provide service at your upcoming event! If you'd like, you can always refine your search by distance. The option to refine your search is located on the top left-hand side of the search results. If you experience any trouble finding a local vendor, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@thebash.com.


Our search results order is based on the "best match" results for your location and the services you requested. The "best match" order is calculated based on location, category, and our vendors' ranking on The Bash (as determined by their booking history with us). We do this to serve you the best possible results. You can also refine your search by distance, ratings, and event type to help narrow down the list of vendors!

Getting Quotes


We are sorry that you have not yet found an available vendor! You can request quotes from additional vendors you see listed on The Bash, or, we can add additional entertainers or vendors to your request at any time. Please contact our Account Services Team at info@thebash.com if you wish to have more vendors added to your request.


If you are not interested in booking any vendors you reached out to through The Bash, you can close your search so they know you went in a different direction. If you did move forward with a vendor you found on The Bash, please be sure to officially book them through your account by clicking the 'Book Now' button next to their name. Booking will ensure that your payments are covered under our Booking Guarantee and you will be invited to post a review for them after your event. If you need any help closing your request or officially booking your vendor, please do not hesitate to contact our team at info@thebash.com.


Quotes are based on the event information provided to your vendor; however, you are free to discuss different packages and pricing with your vendors to fit your budget.


When you receive a quote from a vendor, you also receive their contact information! You can find this information by logging into your account. You are also welcome to send messages to your vendor(s) through The Bash's messaging system within your account. If you have any questions or need any help contacting your vendor, please let us know and we will be happy to help facilitate communication! Email our Account Services team at info@thebash.com for help.


You do not have to inform every vendor of the status of your event. If you book a vendor through The Bash, the other vendors will be notified that you have made your decision. You can also close your search in our system if you are not interested in moving forward with a booking. If you need any help updating the status of your event, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at info@thebash.com.


When you entered your event information on The Bash, you may have elected the option to add additional vendors that best match your search criteria. Those vendors will also submit price quotes to you. We believe that the more vendors that are contacted regarding your event, the more likely it is that we can find an entertainer or vendor for you. If you wish to edit or close your search, please let us know at info@thebash.com.


It depends! Some vendors may not be available for your event and therefore will not submit a quote. We highly recommend contacting multiple vendors to increase the chances of finding the perfect entertainer or vendor for your event! If you would like help hearing back from your vendors, let us know and we will be happy to do what we can to get their availability on your behalf. Please reach out to us at info@thebash.com.


Good question! Our quotes come directly from our vendors and they need to know how to best reach you. While you will first be contacted via email, we recommend that you speak directly to your vendor over the phone as well. If you prefer a specific communication method, please be sure to enter that in the 'Event Details' section of your request. Your contact information will only be shared with available vendors that you have submitted a request for.


On The Bash vendors customize their pricing based on your event details! The best way to know a vendor's pricing is to click on the "Request Free Quote" button on their profile page or search tile and they'll get back to you as soon as possible. You'll see that most vendors display 'starting rates' on their profile page to help give you a good idea of their baseline pricing.


The Bash has a dedicated page for virtual services where you can search for all types of vendors. You will also see an icon under a vendor's name in search results that indicate if they offer virtual services!


We encourage all of our vendors to respond as quickly as possible. You should receive most of your quotes within the first 24 hours though some responses may come in even sooner. Your quotes will come from the email address booking@TheBash.com. You can always contact our team to check in on the status or to add additional vendors to your request.


You will need to enter a specific date to successfully submit a request to any of our vendors; however, if you do not know the date, or, if your date is flexible we'd ask that you please put in a place-holder date. In the 'details' of your request, you can let the vendor know that the date is not yet determined or that it is flexible. Once the vendor gets back to you with a quote, you will receive their contact information and can discuss a date that works best for you and the vendor. If you need help updating the date once it is confirmed, please let us know and we will be happy to help!

Trust and Safety


The Bash does not require vendors to complete a background check. We understand the importance and peace of mind that background checks bring, so if you'd like a vendor to have a background check for your event, please reach out to your vendor to discuss it further.


The Bash does not require vendors to have event insurance; however, we know that many venues and planners require insurance. We encourage you to discuss insurance with your hired vendor ahead of time and, if needed, we recommend EventHelper.com for one-day event insurance needs.

Viewing Vendors


Each vendor on The Bash has a profile page. Below the main photo on their profile, you will see 2 icons that read, "photos and videos". Please click on the videos area to view their media. This area will also note how many photos and video samples a vendor has uploaded to their page.

Understanding Pricing


Average booking costs are based on many factors including the type of event, location of event, duration of service, etc. If you would like to receive more information about the average booking costs in your area, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@thebash.com for more information. We would be happy to help you find a vendor within your budget for your next event!

Communication


It is common to communicate with vendors ahead of an event whether that is an in-person meeting or via phone/email/text. You will receive the vendor's contact information ahead of booking and we would encourage you to work with them to set up a meeting if you would like.


On The Bash we respect our past planners' privacy and do not share contact information; however, all reviews on The Bash are posted by verified planners who have booked with that vendor in the past. We would highly encourage you to review the feedback posted on the vendor's profile page from past planners to help you make your booking decision. If you would like to request references, you can request that information from the vendor directly.

Making Payments


The Bash accepts all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover). If you experience trouble processing a credit or debit card, please make sure that you are not including any spaces or dashes when filling out the credit card information. You will also be required to enter a zip code associated with the card. We do not accept gift cards as a form of payment and some company cards have holds on them that will need to be removed by the bank or financial institution before processing (we have seen that some company cards can be strict on entertainment purchases).


Yes, please contact us at info@thebash.com and we will be happy to send a convenient payment link to the party who will be processing the payment. We just need their email or phone number to send the link. Please note they will receive a secure link to a payment page and they will not receive access to your account.


The Bash accepts US credit or debit cards for online payments. If you would like to pay the vendor you hired with a check, that payment would have to be paid to the vendor directly. We recommend contacting the hired vendor for information on where to send a check and who it should be made out to in advance of the event.


The Bash does not automatically charge any payments to planners; however, we would be happy to assist you with processing payment if you need help! Please contact us at info@thebash.com if you would like any assistance processing your payment or would like to request a convenient payment link be sent via email or text message.


Yes, absolutely! Over 60% of our vendors accept online payments through The Bash. If you and your vendor agree that you'll be paying online, log in to your account to get started. If you haven't already completed the booking, click the BOOK NOW button next to the vendor you selected, and follow the payment instructions. If the vendor is already booked and payment is due, click the "pay now" button and follow the instructions. If you are not prompted to make a payment, it may mean that your vendor is not enrolled in online payments. Please contact the vendor or email our team at info@thebash.com for more information!


Yes, absolutely! Please contact us (866-342-9794) if you prefer to pay over the phone. You can also pay online through our safe and secure payment system.


Any payments due at the time of booking will be listed in the customized quote you receive from the vendor. Deposits, whether refundable or non-refundable, are standard procedures for securing vendors. If your vendor requests a deposit payment, we highly recommend discussing it with the vendor and having a contract (which clearly states the terms and conditions of your agreement) before paying the deposit and/or balance payment. Some deposits are listed as 'due at the time of booking' while others will list a specific due date.


It depends! If the event is canceled or postponed and a non-refundable payment has been made, it would be up to the vendor to issue a refund, partial refund, or apply the payment to a future date. Before processing any payments, we recommend discussing options with your vendor directly. Please review our Event Protection Policy for more information.


All bookings need to be officially confirmed on The Bash but, yes, you can process payments to vendors directly. Please note that The Bash can only guarantee payments made through our payment system. Any payments made outside of The Bash are not covered by our Booking Guarantee.


All payments made through The Bash are in US Dollars (USD) and we accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Gift cards are not accepted as a form of payment. If you have any trouble processing your payment, please contact us at info@thebash.com.


Yes! We will email you a receipt when the payment has been completed. If you need a copy of your receipt or would like the receipt sent to another email, please contact us at info@thebash.com.


Sorry! Only deposit and balance payments can be processed online through The Bash. Please discuss tipping and the preferred method of payment with your vendor before your event.

Handling Cancellations


Don't panic! We have your back. Please contact us as soon as possible to notify us of the cancellation. We will work out the details of the cancellation and the status of any payments processed through The Bash. We are here and ready to help you locate a replacement vendor if you need one!


Please review our Event Protection Policy for our official cancellation policy. Please note that all cancellations are handled with care by an Account Specialist. Please contact us at info@thebash.com as soon as a cancellation has been initiated and we will be sure to guide you through next steps.


If you book the wrong vendor for your event, please contact our Account Services Team at info@thebash.com as soon as possible. We will work to correct the booking on your behalf.

Ready to Book


All bookings officially confirmed on The Bash are covered by our Booking Guarantee, at no charge to planners. This guarantee does not apply to any bookings or payments made outside of The Bash. The best course of action if a vendor encourages you to book around the system is to let the vendor know that you are not comfortable booking outside of The Bash. From there, please let The Bash know if you experience any issues or need any assistance officially securing your vendor. We caution anyone from booking outside of our platform.


Yes! The Bash does provide optional contracts for you and your hired vendor. If you are interested, please ask your vendor to generate a contract on your behalf. We will also email you and your hired vendor a pre-event checklist before your event to make sure you discuss important details about your upcoming event so please be on the lookout (is there a rain date?!)! *At this time, contracts are unavailable for our transportation vendors.


Hiring a vendor on The Bash couldn't be easier! Log in to your account and you'll see your upcoming events at the top of the page. There will be a "book now" button next to each vendor that provided you with a quote. From there, you will have the option to book your vendor (click the BOOK NOW button) and process payments. Follow the instructions on the following page. Please note all vendors may not have enabled online payments through The Bash. If you have any questions on how to confirm your booking or make payments through The Bash, please contact us at info@thebash.com.

Reporting Issues


All bookings on The Bash are covered by our Booking Guarantee which includes Vendor Assurance. We take steps to ensure that your booking is secure including sending booking confirmation emails as well as a pre-event checklist 7 days before the scheduled event. We encourage communication between planners and vendors in hopes that the event goes smoothly. If you experience a last-minute cancellation or no-show, please contact our team as soon as possible. If we have advance notice, we can help to locate a replacement vendor. If a vendor fails to provide service at your event, you will be able to post a review of your experience as well as receive a refund for any payments processed through The Bash.

Evaluating Reviews


On The Bash, the only reviews listed are verified reviews from bookings through the site. These reviews can only be posted by planners who have booked their vendor through The Bash—so you know that the reviews you see are real!


The Bash rating (stars) is calculated based on authentic planner reviews. After each event, the planner receives a survey with questions about their experience with the hired vendor. The post-event survey contains questions about professionalism, talent, and overall satisfaction. The answers to the survey are averaged with previous planner feedback to calculate the actual star rating that you see on the vendor's profile.


On The Bash, we have vendors who may just be starting their careers or seasoned professionals who have been providing services for decades. If you do not see an official review posted to their profile, they may be new to The Bash but not to events! You can always request additional references or reviews from your vendors to help you make your booking decision.


On the search results page, if a vendor has received client feedback through The Bash, you will see blue stars located below the vendor's name. Please click on their profile to see their "Reviews" section. Here, you will get more information about the services, location, and type of event the vendor provided service for! If you do not see an official review posted to their profile, they may be new to The Bash but not to events! You can always request additional references or reviews from vendors after receiving a price quote to help you make your booking decision.

Leaving a Review


Reviewing your hired vendor is quick and easy! After your event, you will receive an email to review your vendor. You can also log in to your Control Panel and click on the "leave review" button next to the vendor that you booked. We love when you review our vendors; we believe it's what makes our site great.
Please note that you can only review a vendor 1. after the event takes place and 2. if they are officially booked through The Bash! If you do not see the option to review your vendor, please contact us and we will be happy to help!


Vendors cannot remove a review that is posted to their profile but they do have the flexibility to re-order their reviews.


Yes, vendors receive an email notification when you post a review to their profile.


Reviews are designed to show up on the vendor's profile immediately but can take time to refresh. If you do not see your review after 24 hours, please contact us at info@thebash.com and we will be happy to help!

Logging In


Good news! If you entered your event information on The Bash and received a quote, you have an account. Your account information will be located in the confirmation email you received upon submitting your request, or, you can reset your information by following the 'forgot password' prompt on our login page. If you have trouble accessing your account, please contact us at info@thebash.com and we will get you into your account in no time!


If you forgot or would like to change your password, simply visit our login page and click on the "forgot password" area. If you are logged in, you can update your password under the account tab. You are unable to change the username of your account once it has been created. If you have any trouble accessing your account, please contact our team at info@thebash.com.


To log in to your account (we call it your Control Panel), please navigate to our login page.


If you forgot or would like to change your password, simply visit our login page and click on the "forgot password" area. Alternatively, if you are logged in, you can change your password under the account tab. You are unable to change the username of your account once it has been created. If you have any trouble accessing your account, please contact our team at info@thebash.com.


There is only one user (email/ phone number/ username) associated with each account. We do not recommend sharing usernames for privacy purposes. If you would like us to send any link to complete payment for a vendor deposit or balance, or receipts to an email not on file, please contact us at info@thebash.com and we will be happy to help.

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