THE MSP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRACT
PROFESSIONAL LAWYERS TYPICALLY BILL ANYWHERE FROM $300-$800/HOUR. WHILE THERE’S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR PERSONALIZED PROFESSIONAL LEGAL ADVICE, USING THIS TEMPLATE AS A TRUSTED INDUSTRY-TESTED STARTING POINT IS CERTAINLY A PRACTICAL AND ECONOMICAL FIRST STEP IN SETTING YOUR BUSINESS UP FOR LONG-TERM PROTECTION AND SUCCESS. I’VE HAD THIS CONTRACT PROFESSIONALLY REVISED THROUGH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND IT CONTINUES TO GIVE ME CONFIDENCE THAT MY BUSINESS AND MY CLIENTS ARE PROTECTED AND SECURE.
AFTER OVER A DECADE OF PHOTOGRAPHING WEDDINGS, I’M SHARING THE EXACT LAWYER-REVIEWED TEMPLATE THAT I USE TODAY. THIS CONTRACT INCLUDES CLAUSES THAT I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED—AND GIVES ME PEACE OF MIND THAT MY BUSINESS IS PROTECTED.
I started my wedding photography business a bit by accident. I was asked to photograph a friends wedding with no contract in place, and from there the referrals kept coming but my legal preparedness was quickly playing catch up. As my business grew I hastily drafted a contract based on the dynamics that I thought were important, but I never felt confident that I was protected from the many unknowns that come with wedding photography. I was constantly anxious that I missed something—and that I’d left my business, my clients and ultimately myself vulnerable. I knew it was time to hire a professional to review my agreement line-by-line, so I hired a lawyer to put my contract under a microscope and revise it to fit all of my business’ needs.
What does this template include?
It shows how I handle…
Reservation fees & payment schedules
What if I’m sick and unable to photograph the event?
The client booked another photographer in addition to me
The client wants to change their wedding date
The client is requesting additional edits to my photos
The venue says I can’t use flash—what do I do?
My client is unhappy with the quantity or quality of the photos I delivered
The client wants to add more coverage to their package
There is a national catastrophe and the couple has to reschedule.
My hard drive crashes, my house burns down, and “the cloud” blows up
A wedding guest harasses me and I feel unsafe
What if there’s a tornado on the day of the wedding?
and a whole lot more!