In Italy a deposit (in Italian, caparra) is a sum paid on signing as a guarantee. The Italian Civil Code provides for two kinds. With a caparra confirmatoria (confirmatory deposit), if you cancel the caterer may keep it; if the caterer cancels, you can claim double. With a caparra penitenziale (withdrawal deposit), the sum is the price of the right to withdraw: you lose it, but you can walk away from the contract.
It is different from an advance payment (acconto), which is part of the price paid early. That is why the word written in the contract matters: deposit or advance on its own is not enough to tell. Also bear in mind that for catering booked for a set date, the 14-day withdrawal right for distance purchases does not apply.
What to ask
Ask whether you are paying an acconto or a caparra and have it written down. Read the clause on cancellation penalties at the same time. The guide on what to check in the contract sums up the general rules; for large amounts, professional advice is worth having.
