If you're a wedding photographer, presenting a contract to your clients will show that you mean business. It will also help prevent any misunderstandings or disputes down the road.

Price

Specifying your wedding photography contract fees and when they are due is one of the most important sections in any contract. This prevents any misunderstandings between you and your clients, especially when it comes to the final product delivery.

Also, make sure you clarify what is included in each of your packages in order to set clear expectations for your couples. This includes the number of images they will receive and whether these will be edited or un-edited. Many photographers choose to include a range of time that their work will be delivered by in order to give themselves a bit of wiggle room.

Finally, it is good to include a clause about food for the photographer on the day. This may include being included in the catering headcount or being given a time to break for lunch so they don’t get too woozy on the job. A meal allowance isn’t always required, but it does help to keep the couple happy.

Timeline

It's not uncommon for wedding planning to go well into the future. For this reason, your contract should be quite detailed regarding the time frame of the shoot. It should clearly state the date and time of the shoot, as well as any special instructions your clients may have.

You should also detail how long you will be shooting for, as well as any extra time cost in case the wedding goes over. You should also make it clear that the client will need to provide you with a meal if you are going to be at the venue for an extended period of time.

It's important to include a clause about the copyright of the photos. This can be merged with the privacy and permissions section or kept as its own clause. This protects the photographer from people who may decide to do their own Photoshop work, thus tarnishing their reputation. It also covers any exceptions to the rule, such as guests who do not want their pictures taken.

Cancellation

Typically, there is a line in the wedding photography contract that stipulates how much of a retainer is required to book the date. This is often non-refundable. It also commonly stipulates how many days in advance the photographer must be notified of a cancellation to avoid forfeiting the deposit.

Some contracts also stipulate the law that applies to the contract. This is usually the jurisdiction where the photographer’s principal place of business is located. This is so that if there was a dispute over something like force majeure, it could be decided in their favor.

Some wedding photography contracts also have a mutual cancellation clause. If something unforeseen happens, like the groom getting called up unexpectedly with the military or the bride becoming hospitalized, it makes sense for everyone involved to agree on a mutual cancellation. This isn’t always easy, though, as it can lead to legal issues. However, it can be a good way to protect both parties from financial losses.

Copyright

Copyright is one of the most important aspects of a wedding photography contract. It's important for the photographer to own the copyright of their work because this gives them exclusive legal rights over their creation. The client can't copy, sell or publish the photos without the photographer's permission.

In order to ensure that clients understand their copyright policy, photographers should include it in their contracts. This can help prevent misunderstandings or disputes between the photographer and client. It's also a good idea to include a clause that allows the photographer to use the images for promotional purposes.

Most wedding photographers understand that their clients will want to make copies of their photos to share with friends and family. However, they may not be willing to allow this if it's used for commercial purposes. This is why most wedding photographers grant "rights to reproduce" rather than giving their clients the full copyright of their photographs. This way, they can still enjoy their work and make copies for personal use.