Is it legal for a children's entertainment company (that provides services like face painting and balloon animals) to take full payment up front to reserve a client's date? It would be in order for the company to keep the balance if the client cancels at the last minute for a non-emergency like rainy weather. The client would have signed a contract stating the balance is non-refundable should they cancel within a week of the event, due to the fact that all other requests for their date will be turned away once their event is booked.