Wedding & event vendors

Books and taxes for event lighting and draping companies.

Fixture inventory that gets replaced as LED technology moves on, install and strike crews, custom monogram design, and power distribution that varies venue to venue. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
SeptemberExample month
$12,000
what you made

September came in at $12,000. The new LED uplights are a big buy, so I logged them as equipment, since they will go out for years, not a one-time supply.

  • September 6 reception lighting packageLighting and draping fees
  • Custom monogram design feeMonogram design
  • New LED uplight fixturesFixture inventory
  • Install and strike crew payrollInstall and strike crews
  • Generator rentalPower distribution
Money in$33,000
Money out$21,000
Set aside for taxes$2,500
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

An event lighting and draping company's books go wrong in the same handful of places.

A generalist sees rental invoices and a crew payroll. Your business is fixtures that get replaced as the technology improves, a custom monogram that takes real design time, and power distribution that costs more at some venues than others. When the books do not know that, the number they hand you is wrong.

  1. 1

    New LED fixtures look like a supply run

    A batch of new uplighting fixtures can run thousands of dollars, and filed as a supply purchase, it wrecks that month's number and misses the chance to write it off properly.

    What we doFlags fixture purchases as equipment, so the accountant can decide how to write them off.
  2. 2

    Install crews look like steady payroll

    An install and strike crew gets called in for big weekends and less on quiet ones, and if that pay is treated like fixed payroll, you cannot tell what labor actually costs against what a job billed.

    What we doTies crew pay to the specific install it supported.
  3. 3

    Custom monogram design fees blend into the lighting package

    Designing and projecting a couple's custom monogram is its own service with its own design time, and if it is not tracked apart from the base lighting package, you cannot tell if it is priced to cover the work.

    What we doKeeps monogram design fees in their own line, apart from lighting packages.
  4. 4

    Power distribution costs get missed

    Generators, extension cords, and code-compliant power runs cost real money on venues without enough power, and buried in general expenses, you cannot tell which venues actually cost more to light.

    What we doKeeps power distribution costs in their own line, tied to the jobs that needed them.
  5. 5

    LED technology upgrades get treated like routine repairs

    Lighting technology moves fast, and replacing older fixtures with more efficient LEDs is a real reinvestment, not a repair, and filed the same as a broken cable, you lose track of what you are actually reinvesting.

    What we doKeeps fixture upgrades in their own equipment category, apart from routine repairs.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for an event lighting and draping company.

Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.

Money in

  • Lighting and draping packagesThe base charge for a room's lighting and drapery design.
  • Custom monogram designFees for designing and projecting a couple's monogram.
  • Uplighting and string light add-onsExtras billed apart from the base package.
  • Design consultation feesCharged for planning a room layout ahead of the event.
  • Delivery and installation feesCharged for getting fixtures up and down safely.

Money out

  • Fixture inventoryLED lights, pipe, and drape hardware bought to rent out.
  • Install and strike crewsHired help for busy install days.
  • Power distributionGenerators and cabling for venues without enough power.
  • Lighting design softwareTools used to plan a room's layout.
  • Vehicle fleet and fuelTrucks that move fixtures to and from venues.
  • InsuranceLiability and equipment coverage.
  • Warehouse and storageWhere fixtures live between events.

What we watch for you

  • Cost per install

    Crew pay and power costs against what each job actually billed.

  • Fixture replacement rate

    How much goes to newer, more efficient fixtures, so upgrades stay visible.

  • Power distribution cost per venue

    Which venues actually cost more to light, worth knowing before quoting the next one.

  • The set-aside

    What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.

Ask Gus

Things event lighting and draping owners ask Gus.

Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.

I bought a batch of new LED uplights for $6,000. Is that a supply cost?

No, that is equipment. I flag it so it does not wreck the month, and the accountant decides how it gets written off.

My install crew works longer on bigger jobs. How is that tracked?

Tied to the specific install, so you can see what labor actually cost against what the job billed.

We design a custom monogram for almost every wedding. Is that part of the lighting package price?

I keep it in its own line, so you can see if the design fee actually covers the time it takes.

The tax side

The tax side of an event lighting and draping company.

Most of what goes wrong here is fixtures that keep getting upgraded and power costs that change by venue.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Lighting fixtures and hardwareFixtures, pipe, and drape hardware bought for the business are usually treated as equipment. Bonus depreciation is back to 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025, and the accountant decides how much to take now.
  • Install crew 1099sCrew members not on payroll get a 1099-NEC if paid $2,000 or more in 2026, due January 31. Gus keeps that list running.
  • Power distribution equipmentGenerators and power distribution gear bought for the business are usually treated as equipment. The accountant decides how much to write off now.
  • The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can deduct up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when the books are right all year.

Deductions event lighting and draping companies miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Fixture inventory purchases
  • Install and strike crew wages
  • Generators and power cabling
  • Lighting design software
  • Vehicle fleet fuel
  • Liability and equipment insurance
  • Warehouse and storage rent
  • Website and portfolio hosting
  • Bridal show booth fees
  • Repair parts and connectors
  • Business cards and branding
  • Card processing fees

General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.

All year, not just April

An event lighting and draping company's year, kept every month.

Reception season fills the calendar fast, then goes quiet. Your team keeps you ahead of both the calendar and the return. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    Plan the year

    Last year's return gets started, the 1099 list for install crews is ready, and a monthly set-aside is planned before booking season floods your calendar.

  2. April

    Filed and signed

    Your return is filed and signed right as the spring install season hits, so tax season never competes with your busiest weekends.

  3. July

    Halfway check

    Where you stand midyear, what you will owe, and whether this year's install count is on pace.

  4. October

    Before the last fall installs

    The busiest fall dates are still ahead. Gus looks at fixture upgrades worth buying before December and what the winter months need to cover.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.

Book a call
  • Monthly bookkeeping

    Every transaction sorted into categories set up for event lighting and draping companies. You never categorize a thing.

  • An accountant checks every transaction

    Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.

  • Your business tax return, filed

    Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.

  • The monthly number

    What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.

  • Your own bookkeeper

    A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.

  • On your books all year

    Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.

  • Cancel any time

    No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.

Straight answers

Questions event lighting and draping owners ask first.

Does new lighting equipment count as a supply cost?

No. Fixtures are treated as equipment, and the accountant decides how much of the cost to write off in the year you buy it.

My install crew works longer on bigger jobs. How is their pay tracked?

Tied to the specific install, so you can see the real labor cost against what each job billed.

Is a custom monogram design its own fee?

Yes. It stays in its own line, apart from the lighting package, so you can see if it is priced to cover the design work.

Do power distribution costs vary by venue?

Yes, and Gus keeps them tied to the job, so you can see which venues actually cost more to light.

My books are behind from a busy season. Can Gus catch up?

Yes. Send what you have and Gus sorts it. Most owners know where they stand within a week.

Is a real accountant checking my books?

Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.

What does it cost, and can I cancel?

It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.

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Book a call

Pick a time. That's the whole signup.

Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.

  • $197 a month to start
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever