Wedding Photography Contract Template

Wedding Photography Contract

1. 1. 1. Parties and Wedding Details

   This Wedding Photography Agreement (the "Agreement") is entered into on [EFFECTIVE DATE] between [PHOTOGRAPHER NAME], a [ENTITY TYPE] located at [PHOTOGRAPHER ADDRESS] (the "Photographer"), and [CLIENT NAMES], located at [CLIENT ADDRESS] (together the "Client"). The Photographer will provide coverage of the wedding of [PARTNER ONE NAME] and [PARTNER TWO NAME] (the "Wedding") on [WEDDING DATE]. Locations include [GETTING READY LOCATION], [CEREMONY VENUE AND ADDRESS], [RECEPTION VENUE AND ADDRESS], and [ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS]. Primary contacts are [PHOTOGRAPHER CONTACT, PHONE, EMAIL] and [CLIENT CONTACT, PHONE, EMAIL]. Each Party represents that the person signing below is authorized to do so, and where two people sign as Client they are jointly and severally responsible for the obligations here.

2. 2. 2. Package, Coverage Hours, and Locations

   The Client has selected the [PACKAGE NAME] package, which includes [COVERAGE HOURS] hours of continuous coverage on the Wedding date beginning at [COVERAGE START TIME] and ending at [COVERAGE END TIME]. Coverage includes [COVERAGE SCOPE, e.g., getting ready, first look, ceremony, family formals, wedding party portraits, couple portraits, reception details, and open dancing]. Coverage is continuous; if the Client requests a gap in coverage, that idle time is still counted against the contracted hours. Additional hours are available at [ADDITIONAL HOUR RATE] per hour, billed in [OVERTIME INCREMENT, e.g., 30-minute] increments, and must be requested by the Client on the Wedding day and confirmed by text message or in writing. Travel between the locations listed above is included in the coverage hours.

3. 3. 3. Second Shooter, Assistants, and Team

   The package includes [SECOND SHOOTER STATUS, e.g., one second photographer for the full coverage period / one second photographer for CEREMONY AND RECEPTION only / no second photographer]. A second photographer may be added for [SECOND SHOOTER RATE]. The Photographer selects and directs all second photographers and assistants, who work under the direction of the Photographer and whose images are owned by the Photographer. The Photographer may bring an unbilled assistant to manage lighting and equipment. The Client acknowledges that the specific individual serving as second photographer may change and that the Photographer remains responsible for the quality of the coverage delivered. The lead Photographer identified in Section 1 will personally photograph the Wedding except as provided in Section 11.

4. 4. 4. Engagement Session

   The package includes [ENGAGEMENT SESSION STATUS, e.g., one engagement session of SESSION LENGTH hours at a mutually agreed location / no engagement session]. The engagement session will be scheduled at least [ENGAGEMENT SCHEDULING NOTICE, e.g., 60 days] in advance on a date agreed by both Parties, and must take place no later than [ENGAGEMENT DEADLINE, e.g., 60 days before the Wedding] so that the images are available for any printed materials. Engagement session images will be delivered within [ENGAGEMENT DELIVERY TIME, e.g., 21 days] of the session. The session includes [ENGAGEMENT INCLUSIONS, e.g., up to two outfit changes and up to two locations within TRAVEL RADIUS]. A session cancelled or rescheduled by the Client with fewer than [ENGAGEMENT CANCELLATION NOTICE, e.g., 72 hours] notice may be forfeited or rescheduled at a fee of [ENGAGEMENT RESCHEDULE FEE]. Weather-related rescheduling is at no charge.

5. 5. 5. Shot List, Family Formals, and Cooperation

   The Client will submit a written family formal list no later than [SHOT LIST DEADLINE, e.g., 14 days before the Wedding], grouping people by name and relationship, and will designate a family member or attendant to gather the named people during the formals window. The Photographer will make reasonable efforts to capture every group on that list within the allotted [FORMALS DURATION, e.g., 30 minutes] but cannot guarantee any specific image where a person is absent, uncooperative, or unavailable. The Photographer works in a [SHOOTING STYLE, e.g., documentary, editorial, blended] style and retains full artistic discretion over composition, lighting, angle, and the selection of images delivered. The Client acknowledges that no photographer can duplicate the style of another photographer and that recreating specific images from social media is not guaranteed. The Client will inform the Photographer of any family sensitivity that affects the formal groupings.

6. 6. 6. Venue Conditions, Restrictions, and Cooperation of Others

   The Client will inform the Photographer of any venue or officiant restriction on movement, flash, or position, including restrictions during a religious ceremony, no later than [VENUE RESTRICTION DEADLINE, e.g., 14 days before the Wedding]. The quality of the images depends in part on conditions outside the control of the Photographer, including available light, weather, venue lighting, and the behavior of guests and other vendors. The Photographer is not responsible for missed images caused by a restriction imposed by the venue or officiant, by an obstruction created by a guest or another vendor, or by a timeline change made without notice. The Client will ask guests to refrain from stepping into aisles and blocking key moments, and the Photographer may request an unplugged ceremony announcement. The Photographer will conduct itself professionally and will coordinate with the planner, videographer, and other vendors on the day.

7. 7. 7. Editing, Deliverables, and Delivery Timeline

   The Client will receive approximately [IMAGE COUNT] edited digital images from the Wedding, selected by the Photographer from the full set of frames captured. Images are edited for exposure, color, contrast, and general retouching consistent with the standard style of the Photographer; extensive retouching, compositing, object removal, or body reshaping is available at [RETOUCHING RATE]. A preview set of approximately [PREVIEW COUNT] images will be delivered within [PREVIEW DELIVERY, e.g., 14 days] of the Wedding, and the full edited gallery will be delivered within [FULL DELIVERY, e.g., 10 to 12 weeks] of the Wedding. Images are delivered by [DELIVERY METHOD, e.g., online gallery with high-resolution download], and the gallery will remain live for at least [GALLERY DURATION, e.g., 12 months]. Unedited files, RAW files, and images not selected by the Photographer are not delivered and are not available for purchase.

8. 8. 8. Copyright and Image License

   The Photographer retains the copyright in all images captured under this Agreement. On receipt of full payment, the Photographer grants the Client a perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, print, and display the delivered images for personal, non-commercial purposes, including personal prints, albums, announcements, holiday cards, and posting to personal social media accounts. The Client may share the images with family, guests, and wedding vendors for the personal and portfolio use of those parties, and may credit the Photographer as [CREDIT LINE]. The license does not permit the Client to sell the images, to license them to a business, or to submit them for commercial advertising without written permission. The Client will not alter, crop beyond minor framing, apply additional filters, or remove any watermark or credit from the delivered images. Any commercial use requires a separate written license and fee.

9. 9. 9. Model Release, Portfolio, and Promotional Use

   The Client grants the Photographer the right to use images from the Wedding in a portfolio, website, blog, social media accounts, printed samples, competition entries, editorial submissions to publications and wedding blogs, and paid advertising for the business of the Photographer. The Client may opt out of promotional use by giving written notice before [OPT-OUT DEADLINE, e.g., the Wedding date], in which case images will be used only in a private client-facing portfolio. The Client may also request an embargo on any publication until [EMBARGO DATE]. The Photographer will not sell images to a third party for that third party commercial use without written consent from the Client. The Client confirms that it has the authority to grant this release for itself and will inform guests that a professional photographer is present at the Wedding.

10. 10. 10. Meals, Breaks, and Working Conditions

    For coverage exceeding [MEAL THRESHOLD, e.g., five] hours, the Client will provide a hot vendor meal and non-alcoholic beverages for the Photographer and each team member, served at the same time the couple is served so that coverage resumes when guests do. The Photographer is entitled to a break of up to [BREAK LENGTH, e.g., 30 minutes] during the meal service and to short breaks as needed during a long day. The Client will provide a secure area near the reception where equipment and bags can be stored during coverage. If a vendor meal is not provided, a meal allowance of [MEAL ALLOWANCE] per team member will be added to the final invoice. The Photographer will not consume alcohol while working and expects to be treated as a professional vendor by the venue and other vendors.

11. 11. 11. Failure to Perform, Equipment Failure, Backup, and Archive

    If the Photographer is unable to perform because of illness, injury, accident, transportation failure, family emergency, or other cause beyond reasonable control, the Photographer will make every reasonable effort to secure a qualified replacement photographer of comparable experience and style at no additional cost to the Client, and will provide that replacement with the timeline, shot list, and venue details. If no replacement can be secured, the liability of the Photographer is limited to a refund of all amounts paid. The Photographer uses professional equipment with dual memory card slots where available, carries backup camera bodies and lenses, and will not rely on a single point of failure. In the unlikely event of total equipment failure, media corruption, or loss of images despite reasonable care, the liability of the Photographer is limited to a refund of amounts paid for the affected portion of the coverage or the return of all amounts paid where no usable images exist. The Client acknowledges this limitation is a material term reflected in the price. The Photographer will maintain at least two copies of the Wedding images during post-production, including one off-site or cloud copy, until the full gallery is delivered. After delivery, the Photographer will retain the edited images for at least [ARCHIVE PERIOD, e.g., 12 months] and is under no obligation to store them beyond that period. The Client is solely responsible for downloading, backing up, and archiving the delivered images promptly after delivery, and for storing them in at least two locations. Requests to restore a gallery after the archive period, if the files still exist, are subject to a retrieval fee of [ARCHIVE RETRIEVAL FEE]. RAW and unedited files are not archived for the Client and are not available at any price unless separately agreed in writing.

12. 12. 12. Retainer, Payment Schedule, and Additional Products

    The total package price is [TOTAL PRICE]. A non-refundable retainer of [RETAINER AMOUNT, e.g., 30 percent] is due on signing to reserve the Wedding date, and the balance is due no later than [BALANCE DUE DATE, e.g., 14 days before the Wedding]. The Photographer is not obligated to provide coverage if the balance is unpaid. Optional products, including albums, wall art, prints, and additional coverage, are priced in Exhibit A and are ordered separately after delivery of the gallery. An album, if included, allows [ALBUM REVISION ROUNDS] rounds of layout revisions, after which additional rounds are billed at [ALBUM REVISION FEE]. Payments are made by [PAYMENT METHOD], and amounts past due accrue a late charge of [LATE FEE] per month or the maximum permitted by law, whichever is less. Sales tax will be added where applicable.

13. 13. 13. Cancellation, Postponement, and Date Change

    The Client may cancel by written notice. The retainer is non-refundable in all cases because it reserves the Wedding date and other bookings are declined. If written notice is received fewer than [LATE CANCELLATION DAYS, e.g., 90 days] before the Wedding, [LATE CANCELLATION PERCENTAGE, e.g., 50 percent] of the total price remains payable, and fewer than [FINAL CANCELLATION DAYS, e.g., 30 days] before, the full price remains payable. If the Client changes the date, the retainer and payments transfer to the new date if the Photographer is available, subject to a rescheduling fee of [RESCHEDULE FEE] and any difference in current pricing; a date may be changed [RESCHEDULE LIMIT, e.g., one time] under this Agreement. If the Photographer is unavailable on the new date, the change is treated as a cancellation and Section 11 does not apply. Neither Party is liable for failure to perform caused by events beyond reasonable control, including severe weather, natural disaster, public health order, government restriction, or venue closure, in which case the Parties will attempt to reschedule.

14. 14. 14. Liability, Insurance, and General Provisions

    The Photographer maintains commercial general liability insurance of at least [LIABILITY COVERAGE, e.g., $1,000,000 per occurrence] and will provide a certificate of insurance to a venue on request. Except for gross negligence or willful misconduct, the total liability of the Photographer under this Agreement will not exceed the total amount paid by the Client, and neither Party is liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of [GOVERNING STATE], and any dispute will be brought in the courts located in [VENUE COUNTY AND STATE], with the Parties first attempting good-faith negotiation and then mediation in [MEDIATION LOCATION]. The prevailing Party may recover reasonable attorney fees. This Agreement, with Exhibit A, is the entire agreement between the Parties and replaces all prior discussions; amendments must be in writing and signed or confirmed in writing. If any provision is unenforceable, the remainder stays in effect.

15. 15. 15. Signatures

    By signing below, both Parties confirm they have read and agree to this Agreement as of the Effective Date. PHOTOGRAPHER: [PHOTOGRAPHER NAME]. Signature: ______________________. Printed Name: [PHOTOGRAPHER SIGNER NAME]. Date: [DATE]. CLIENT: [CLIENT NAMES]. Signature: ______________________. Printed Name: [CLIENT SIGNER NAME]. Date: [DATE]. Signature: ______________________. Printed Name: [SECOND CLIENT SIGNER NAME]. Date: [DATE]. Electronic signatures and counterpart copies have the same effect as original signatures.

16. 16. Disclaimer

    This template is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Photography agreements are affected by state consumer protection rules, copyright law, publicity and model release requirements, and the treatment of non-refundable retainers and liability caps, all of which vary by jurisdiction. Review and adapt this document for your own circumstances, and consult a licensed attorney before relying on it for a significant booking. Use of this template does not create an attorney-client relationship with ScanContract.