WEDDING SERVICE AGREEMENT and POLICY

Wedding Photography  

Responsibilities / Terms & Conditions

PHOTOGRAPHER’S RESPONSIBILITIES:

I will be capturing the most important photographs which are those of you and your spouse, and of course, the rest of the wedding party. I will be catching candids and meticulously posed shots as I see opportunities. I take lots of candid shots of everyone, such as a little girl dancing on her father’s feet or you smashing cake into your spouse's face. These shots are some of the most treasured. Besides photographing people, I photograph inanimate objects such as the chapel, cake, gown, rings, etc.

I will develop a sense of style for your images and I will also scout out the venue before the wedding to get a sense of the best angle to capture that style. On the day of the wedding, I will be the first one to arrive, long before anyone else. I start creating photos long before the actual wedding begins. These images often include the establishing outdoor shots of the venue, shots of the dress all by itself once you arrive, getting ready, groom waiting with his groomsmen. If time permits, I will also pose and shoot members of the wedding party.

Once the ceremony begins, I will continue to shoot with 2 camera systems, each with a unique lens to capture each and every moment. These will include (for example) the flower girl walking down the aisle, the bride’s father giving her away, and the both of you taking your wedding vows. I will also capture one of the most crucial moments of your lives . . . the first kiss.

I will stay for the reception, as well. Here, I will take photographs of the tables, presents, cake, etc. Classic photographs of the bride throwing the bouquet and the father-daughter dance are also taken at this time. I will take candid shots of the wedding party and guests enjoying themselves. These shots are very difficult and challenging to get, however, I am able to react quickly, and since these moments can pass in the blink of an eye, I am always at the top of my game at these moments.

My job doesn’t end after the wedding ceremony and reception. At an average wedding, I usually take around 3 Thousand photos. Out of all of these, only a small percentage are usable. I will only choose the best pictures and discard the ones that are duplicates, out of focus, boring, or just generally unacceptable. Some photos may also need to be retouched in areas and I will retouch all of the formal images we take. I will provide you a private gallery on my website with all of the formals and some of the most amazing images from the ceremony. This gallery will be able to be shared with family and friends and prints can be ordered directly through the website. I also provide wedding albums through the site which can be customized to your liking. I tend to average between 400 and 500 images from the ceremony that will be delivered to you on a USB Thumb Drive. I will, of course, maintain a backup of all images on my hard drives and if you ever need them again, they will always be here.

Lastly, I am not just your photographer, but I will be someone you can lean on, on this day. I will know the schedule, I will be aware of everything going on, I will be able to assist in some areas if needed, and I will be the most relaxed and calm person on this day. I have laser focus, but I will be working extremely hard, as well. We simply want to make sure that my primary duty as a photographer is the focus, no pun intended there.

I hope this helps you get an understanding and a clear image of what my duties and responsibilities are on this very special day for you. In all honesty, out of all the photography styles I do, wedding photography is by far my most cherished and what I work harder at than anything. It’s so critical to get it right, and never miss a moment, because this moment only happens, once. I will be on time, punctual, professional, calm, driven, and there when you need me. I will lead when I need to; I will follow when necessary. This is what I do, and I am very good at it, and where many others can let you down, it's here that I will exceed your expectations. I love what I do and I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to continue doing what I love, while giving back.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

Booking fee/deposit (applicable to total amount/ 20% or no less than $300)

Accepted Forms of Payment: (Money Order / Cash / Personal Check / PayPal Invoicing)

The booking fee is due upon the signing of this agreement with the remaining balance of the amount agreed due before any images are delivered.

The Clients agree to provide a meal for the Photographer if the length of attendance exceeds five hours.

Entire Agreement: This agreement contains the entire understanding between the Clients and the Photographer.

Confirmation: A signed “Contract for Wedding Photography Services” and payment of the booking fee are necessary to confirm the stated wedding services from the Photographer.

Pre-Wedding Consultation: This normally happens at the time of booking. The Clients will outline broadly what is required and the Photographer will advise on planning, logistics and timings where needed. If required the Clients are welcome to pop in for an additional chat closer to the time of the wedding (about 2 weeks) to iron out the remaining details. In any case we will contact you by phone a few days before the wedding to ensure that there have been no last minute changes.

Cooperation: The Clients and the Photographer consent to happily cooperating and communicating with each other to achieve the best possible result within the understanding of this contract. We recommend that the Photographer be provided with a helper (usually the best man) who will point out key individuals to be photographed. The Photographer may also require the assistance of the best man in organizing family groups. The Clients also agree to give the Photographer sufficient warning of key events at the wedding to give the Photographer time to prepare e.g. Bouquet throwing, cutting the cake, speeches etc. Please note that not all guests at weddings like having their photo taken. In such cases the Photographer will use his discretion but cannot be held responsible for a lack of photos of these people.

The Schedule: Our shooting schedule, style of working and experience are designed to achieve a great set of wedding photos for the Clients, accomplished with good humor and enjoyed by all concerned. Both the Clients and the Photographers therefore agree that punctuality and cheerful cooperation are essential to producing outstanding photographic results. In cases where the wedding does not run on time (for example, extreme lateness by one of the Clients arriving to the church) we cannot guarantee to take our normal set of photos although in such circumstances we will do our absolute best to compensate.

Paparazzi Wedding Guests: All your guests will have digital cameras and all your guests will want to photograph the Clients. In the spirit of cheerful cooperation the Clients agree to give the Photographers precedence over the guests in order to take the photographs required for the wedding services described above. We cannot be held liable for a lack of wedding photos if guests taking their own photos of the Clients continually interrupt the Photographer's work.

House Rules: Note the Photographers are sometimes limited by rules imposed by registrars, ministers and venue management as to what can and cannot be done. For example some ministers insist that no flash photography is allowed, and others will insist that the Photographers shoot from a specific location. In such circumstances the Clients agree to accept the technical limitations that may be imposed on the equipment used. We advise the Clients to make themselves aware of the rules of the venue concerned and if necessary negotiate with the personnel concerned.

Copyright Law: The copyright of photographs remains with the Photographer. The Photographer grants the Clients permission to make copies of the images under the following conditions. The images taken by the Photographer are for personal use by the Clients and their friends and relatives. Sale, Publication or any Commercial use of the photographs is not allowed without prior written permission from the Photographer.

Model Release: The Clients grant the Photographer and its legal representatives, heirs and assigns, the irrevocable and unlimited consent to use the photographs of the Clients for editorial, competition, advertising and any other purpose and in any manner, to alter the photographs without restriction; and to copyright the images. The Clients hereby release the Photographer and its legal representatives, heirs and assigns from all liability and claims in connection with the images.

Limit of Liability: If a photographer is too ill or becomes injured and cannot supply the wedding services specified above the Photographer will try to book a replacement wedding photographer. Under normal circumstances a second photographer from the Photographer is there for the day anyway and this photographer will then shoot the day on his/her own. If both photographers are unavailable and a replacement photographer cannot be found then liability is limited to a refund of any payments received. The Photographers have working methods in place to prevent loss or damage to your images. However, there is the unlikely possibility that images may be lost, stolen or destroyed for reasons in or beyond our control. In these circumstances liability is limited to the return of fees paid for the service or part thereof according to the percentage of images supplied.

Booking Fee/Deposit: In the event of the Clients cancelling the wedding for whatever reason the booking fee is non-refundable. It will be considered as liquidated damages to the Photographers.