Five Wedding Contract Clauses You Didn't Know You Could Get

For people new to the business of photography it's not unusual for wedding photography to be one of the first steps in that journey. There are more cameras at weddings these days than you'll find at most press conferences. Yet, even with all the coverage, the majority of brides opt for a professional photographer, some more than one.

As a professional wedding photographer, you will live and die by the strength of your contracts. There are wedding photographers who didn't require contracts and that's a financial disaster waiting to happen.

When it comes to wedding photographer contracts, here are some contract clauses most new photographers don't know they can include.

Exclusivity Clause

That clause says you're going to be the only professional photographer on the job. That won't prevent an "Uncle Bob" from shooting next to you, but it will make sure that if the bride wants a second shooter, which many do, that you'll be providing that second shooter who will be working for you.

Dinner Clause

This is a clause that says if food is provided to the guests, that they feed their friendly neighborhood photographer as well. This should not apply to half-day or ceremony-only wedding jobs, but for jobs that run all day, including the reception, it's definitely okay.

That applies to food, not the bar. Stab yourself in the eye with a pen before drinking at a paying wedding job.

Force Majeure

That's a clause that recognizes that bad things can happen outside your control as a photographer. Data cards can go bad in the middle of a shoot and pictures can be lost because of events outside your control. The other way to cover this eventuality is carrying E&O insurance, a wise photographer does both.

Lab Errors

Sometimes this clause falls under Force Majeure and it states that labs are staffed by human beings as well and it provides for a reasonable time frame to resolve disputes if the proofs or photos are late because you have to send them back to the lab.

Substitution Policy

States that, while you intend to be the primary photographer, if circumstances dictate a replacement you can provide another photographer to shoot for you.

For really big name wedding photographers, this is a standard clause and most often the shooter will be one of the staff. Some name photographers do nothing but drive between teams in the field to check the progress of their work.

Contracts for wedding photographers are a delicate dance. Make them too draconian and it will scare off customers; make them too soft and there's too much room for ambiguity. Being prepared to be fair and reasonable and spend some time explaining why those clauses are in the contract can go a long way toward smoothing over any trepidation.