Free Wedding Photography Contract Template

Fully editable with standard terms and clauses. Send and e-sign it online.

Free Wedding Photography Contract Template

Fully editable with standard terms and clauses. Send and e-sign it online.

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Wedding Photography Contract

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Wedding Photography Contract

Photographer
First Name
Last Name
Acme LLC.
Client
First Name
Last Name
Corporation Corp.

This Contract is between Client (the "Client") and Acme LLC, a California limited liability company (the "Photographer").

The Contract is dated [the date both parties sign].

1. WORK AND PAYMENT.

1.1 Project. The Client is hiring the Photographer to do the following: [SERVICE DESCRIPTION]

1.2 Schedule. The Photographer will begin work on [DATE] and will continue until the work is completed. This Contract can be ended by either Client or Photographer at any time, pursuant to the terms of Section 4, Term and Termination.

1.3 Payment. The Client will pay the Photographer a flat fee of [PROJECT RATE]. Of this, the Client will pay the Photographer [DEPOSIT AMOUNT] before work begins.

1.4 Expenses. The Client will reimburse the Photographer's expenses. Expenses do not need to be pre-approved by the Client.

1.5 Invoices. The Photographer will invoice the Client at [INVOICE FREQUENCY]. The Client agrees to pay the amount owed within [X DAYS TO PAY] days of receiving the invoice. Payment after that date will incur a late fee of [LATE FEE PERCENTAGE]% per month on the outstanding amount.

2. OWNERSHIP AND LICENSES.

2.1 Client Owns All Work Product. As part of this job, the Photographer is creating “work product” for the Client. To avoid confusion, work product is the finished product, as well as drafts, notes, materials, mockups, hardware, designs, inventions, patents, code, and anything else that the Photographer works on—that is, conceives, creates, designs, develops, invents, works on, or reduces to practice—as part of this project, whether before the date of this Contract or after. The Photographer hereby gives the Client this work product once the Client pays for it in full. This means the Photographer is giving the Client all of its rights, titles, and interests in and to the work product (including intellectual property rights), and the Client will be the sole owner of it. The Client can use the work product however it wants or it can decide not to use the work product at all. The Client, for example, can modify, destroy, or sell it, as it sees fit.

2.2 Photographer's Use Of Work Product. Once the Photographer gives the work product to the Client, the Photographer does not have any rights to it, except those that the Client explicitly gives the Photographer here. The Client gives permission to use the work product as part of portfolios and websites, in galleries, and in other media, so long as it is to showcase the work and not for any other purpose. The Client does not give permission to sell or otherwise use the work product to make money or for any other commercial use. The Client is not allowed to take back this license, even after the Contract ends.

2.3 Photographer's Help Securing Ownership. In the future, the Client may need the Photographer's help to show that the Client owns the work product or to complete the transfer. The Photographer agrees to help with that. For example, the Photographer may have to sign a patent application. The Client will pay any required expenses for this. If the Client can’t find the Photographer, the Photographer agrees that the Client can act on the Photographer's behalf to accomplish the same thing. The following language gives the Client that right: if the Client can’t find the Photographer after spending reasonable effort trying to do so, the Photographer hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Client as the Photographer's agent and attorney-in-fact, which appointment is coupled with an interest, to act for the Photographer and on the Photographer's behalf to execute, verify, and file the required documents and to take any other legal action to accomplish the purposes of paragraph 2.1 (Client Owns All Work Product).

2.4 Photographer's IP That Is Not Work Product. During the course of this project, the Photographer might use intellectual property that the Photographer owns or has licensed from a third party, but that does not qualify as “work product.” This is called “background IP.” Possible examples of background IP are pre-existing code, type fonts, properly-licensed stock photos, and web application tools. The Photographer is not giving the Client this background IP. But, as part of the Contract, the Photographer is giving the Client a right to use and license (with the right to sublicense) the background IP to develop, market, sell, and support the Client’s products and services. The Client may use this background IP worldwide and free of charge, but it cannot transfer its rights to the background IP (except as allowed in Section 9.1 (Assignment)). The Client cannot sell or license the background IP separately from its products or services. The Photographer cannot take back this grant, and this grant does not end when the Contract is over.

2.5 Photographer's Right To Use Client IP. The Photographer may need to use the Client’s intellectual property to do its job. For example, if the Client is hiring the Photographer to build a website, the Photographer may have to use the Client’s logo. The Client agrees to let the Photographer use the Client’s intellectual property and other intellectual property that the Client controls to the extent reasonably necessary to do the Photographer's job. Beyond that, the Client is not giving the Photographer any intellectual property rights, unless specifically stated otherwise in this Contract.

3. REPRESENTATIONS.

3.1 Overview. This section contains important promises between the parties.

3.2 Authority To Sign. Each party promises to the other party that it has the authority to enter into this Contract and to perform all of its obligations under this Contract.

3.3 Photographer Has Right To Give Client Work Product. The Photographer promises that it owns the work product, that the Photographer is able to give the work product to the Client, and that no other party will claim that it owns the work product. If the Photographer uses employees or subcontractors, the Photographer also promises that these employees and subcontractors have signed contracts with the Photographer giving the Photographer any rights that the employees or subcontractors have related to the Photographer's background IP and work product.

3.4 Photographer Will Comply With Laws. The Photographer promises that the manner it does this job, its work product, and any background IP it uses comply with applicable U.S. and foreign laws and regulations.

3.5 Work Product Does Not Infringe. The Photographer promises that its work product does not and will not infringe on someone else’s intellectual property rights, that the Photographer has the right to let the Client use the background IP, and that this Contract does not and will not violate any contract that the Photographer has entered into or will enter into with someone else.

3.6 Client Will Review Work. The Client promises to review the work product, to be reasonably available to the Photographer if the Photographer has questions regarding this project, and to provide timely feedback and decisions.

3.7 Client-Supplied Material Does Not Infringe. If the Client provides the Photographer with material to incorporate into the work product, the Client promises that this material does not infringe on someone else’s intellectual property rights.

4. TERM AND TERMINATION.

This Contract is ongoing until the work is completed. Either party may end this Contract for any reason by sending an email or letter to the other party, informing the recipient that the sender is ending the Contract and that the Contract will end in 7 days. The Contract officially ends once that time has passed. The party that is ending the Contract must provide notice by taking the steps explained in Section 9.4. The Photographer must immediately stop working as soon as it receives this notice, unless the notice says otherwise. The Client will pay the Photographer for the work done up until when the Contract ends and will reimburse the Photographer for any agreed-upon, non-cancellable expenses. The following sections don’t end even after the Contract ends: 2 (Ownership and Licenses); 3 (Representations); 6 (Confidential Information); 7 (Limitation of Liability); 8 (Indemnity); and 9 (General).

5. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.

The Client is hiring the Photographer as an independent contractor. The following statements accurately reflect their relationship:

  • The Photographer will use its own equipment, tools, and material to do the work.
  • The Client will not control how the job is performed on a day-to-day basis. Rather, the Photographer is responsible for determining when, where, and how it will carry out the work.
  • The Client will not provide the Photographer with any training.
  • The Client and the Photographer do not have a partnership or employer-employee relationship.
  • The Photographer cannot enter into contracts, make promises, or act on behalf of the Client.
  • The Photographer is not entitled to the Client’s benefits (e.g., group insurance, retirement benefits, retirement plans, vacation days).
  • The Photographer is responsible for its own taxes.
  • The Client will not withhold social security and Medicare taxes or make payments for disability insurance, unemployment insurance, or workers compensation for the Photographer or any of the Photographer's employees or subcontractors.

6. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

6.1 Overview. This Contract imposes special restrictions on how the Client and the Photographer must handle confidential information. These obligations are explained in this section.

6.2 The Client’s Confidential Information. While working for the Client, the Photographer may come across, or be given, Client information that is confidential. This is information like customer lists, business strategies, research & development notes, statistics about a website, and other information that is private. The Photographer promises to treat this information as if it is the Photographer's own confidential information. The Photographer may use this information to do its job under this Contract, but not for anything else. For example, if the Client lets the Photographer use a customer list to send out a newsletter, the Photographer cannot use those email addresses for any other purpose. The one exception to this is if the Client gives the Photographer written permission to use the information for another purpose, the Photographer may use the information for that purpose, as well. When this Contract ends, the Photographer must give back or destroy all confidential information, and confirm that it has done so. The Photographer promises that it will not share confidential information with a third party, unless the Client gives the Photographer written permission first. The Photographer must continue to follow these obligations, even after the Contract ends. The Photographer's responsibilities only stop if the Photographer can show any of the following: (i) that the information was already public when the Photographer came across it; (ii) the information became public after the Photographer came across it, but not because of anything the Photographer did or didn’t do; (iii) the Photographer already knew the information when the Photographer came across it and the Photographer didn’t have any obligation to keep it secret; (iv) a third party provided the Photographer with the information without requiring that the Photographer keep it a secret; or (v) the Photographer created the information on its own, without using anything belonging to the Client.

6.3 Third-Party Confidential Information. It’s possible the Client and the Photographer each have access to confidential information that belongs to third parties. The Client and the Photographer each promise that it will not share with the other party confidential information that belongs to third parties, unless it is allowed to do so. If the Client or the Photographer is allowed to share confidential information with the other party and does so, the sharing party promises to tell the other party in writing of any special restrictions regarding that information.

7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

Neither party is liable for breach-of-contract damages that the breaching party could not reasonably have foreseen when it entered this Contract.

8. INDEMNITY.

8.1 Overview. This section transfers certain risks between the parties if a third party sues or goes after the Client or the Photographer or both. For example, if the Client gets sued for something that the Photographer did, then the Photographer may promise to come to the Client’s defense or to reimburse the Client for any losses.

8.2 Client Indemnity. In this Contract, the Photographer agrees to indemnify the Client (and its affiliates and their directors, officers, employees, and agents) from and against all liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) related to a third-party claim or proceeding arising out of: (i) the work the Photographer has done under this Contract; (ii) a breach by the Photographer of its obligations under this Contract; or (iii) a breach by the Photographer of the promises it is making in Section 3 (Representations).

8.3 Photographer Indemnity. In this Contract, the Client agrees to indemnify the Photographer (and its affiliates and their directors, officers, employees, and agents) from and against liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) related to a third-party claim or proceeding arising out of a breach by the Client of its obligations under this Contract.

9. GENERAL.

9.1 Assignment. This Contract applies only to the Client and the Photographer. The Photographer cannot assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Contract to a third-party (other than by will or intestate), without first receiving the Client’s written permission. In contrast, the Client may assign its rights and delegate its obligations under this Contract without the Photographer's permission. This is necessary in case, for example, another Client buys out the Client or if the Client decides to sell the work product that results from this Contract.

9.2 Arbitration. As the exclusive means of initiating adversarial proceedings to resolve any dispute arising under this Contract, a party may demand that the dispute be resolved by arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its commercial arbitration rules.

9.3 Modification; Waiver. To change anything in this Contract, the Client and the Photographer must agree to that change in writing and sign a document showing their contract. Neither party can waive its rights under this Contract or release the other party from its obligations under this Contract, unless the waiving party acknowledges it is doing so in writing and signs a document that says so.

9.4 Notices.

(a) Over the course of this Contract, one party may need to send a notice to the other party. For the notice to be valid, it must be in writing and delivered in one of the following ways: personal delivery, email, or certified or registered mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested). The notice must be delivered to the party’s address listed at the end of this Contract or to another address that the party has provided in writing as an appropriate address to receive notice.

(b) The timing of when a notice is received can be very important. To avoid confusion, a valid notice is considered received as follows: (i) if delivered personally, it is considered received immediately; (ii) if delivered by email, it is considered received upon acknowledgement of receipt; (iii) if delivered by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested), it is considered received upon receipt as indicated by the date on the signed receipt. If a party refuses to accept notice or if notice cannot be delivered because of a change in address for which no notice was given, then it is considered received when the notice is rejected or unable to be delivered. If the notice is received after 5:00pm on a business day at the location specified in the address for that party, or on a day that is not a business day, then the notice is considered received at 9:00am on the next business day.

9.5 Severability. This section deals with what happens if a portion of the Contract is found to be unenforceable. If that’s the case, the unenforceable portion will be changed to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, unless that change is not permitted by law, in which case the portion will be disregarded. If any portion of the Contract is changed or disregarded because it is unenforceable, the rest of the Contract is still enforceable.

9.6 Signatures. The Client and the Photographer must sign this document using Bonsai’s e-signing system. These electronic signatures count as originals for all purposes.

9.7 Governing Law. The laws of the state of California govern the rights and obligations of the Client and the Photographer under this Contract, without regard to conflict of law principles of that state.

9.8 Entire Contract. This Contract represents the parties’ final and complete understanding of this job and the subject matter discussed in this Contract. This Contract supersedes all other contracts (both written and oral) between the parties.

THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE TO THE FOREGOING AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR SIGNATURES BELOW.

Photographer
First Name
Last Name
Acme LLC.
Client
First Name
Last Name
Corporation Corp.

Free Wedding Photography Contract Template

Fully editable with standard terms and clauses. Send and e-sign it online.

Free Wedding Photography Contract Template

Fully editable with standard terms and clauses. Send and e-sign it online.

Bonsai has helped create 1,023,928 documents and counting.

Trusted by 500,000+
business owners

Date: March 8th 2023


Between:

Coach:

First_name
Last_name
Acme LLC.
Client:

First_name
Last_name
Corporation Corp.

This Contract is between Client (the "Client") and Acme LLC, a California limited liability company (the "Coach").

The Contract is dated January 23, 2023.

1. WORK AND PAYMENT.

1.1 Project. The Client is hiring the Coach to develop a coaching relationship between the Client and Coach in order to cultivate the Client's personal, professional, or business goals and create a plan to achieve those goals through stimulating and creative interactions with the ultimate result of maximizing the Client's personal or professional potential.

1.2 Schedule. The Coach will begin work on February 1, 2023 and will continue until the work is completed. This Contract can be ended by either Client or Coach at any time, pursuant to the terms of Section 4, Term and Termination.

The Coach and Client will meet by video conference, 4 days per month for 2 hours.

1.3 Payment. The Client will pay the Coach an hourly rate of $150. Of this, the Client will pay the Coach $500.00 (USD) before work begins.

1.4 Expenses. The Client will reimburse the Coach's expenses. Expenses do not need to be pre-approved by the Client.

1.5 Invoices. The Coach will invoice the Client in accordance with the milestones in Section 1.3. The Client agrees to pay the amount owed within 15 days of receiving the invoice. Payment after that date will incur a late fee of 1.0% per month on the outstanding amount.

1.6 Support. The Coach will not be available by telephone, or email in between scheduled sessions.

2.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

- A coaching relationship is a partnership between two or more individuals or entities, like a teacher-student or coach-athlete relationship. Both the Client and Coach must uphold their obligations for the relationship to be successful.

- The Coach agrees to maintain the ethics and standards of behavior established by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

- The Client acknowledges and agrees that coaching is a comprehensive process that may explore different areas of the Client's life, including work, finances, health, and relationships.

- The Client is responsible for implementing the insights and techniques learned from the Coach.

3. REPRESENTATIONS.

3.1 Overview. This section contains important promises between the parties.

3.2 Authority To Sign. Each party promises to the other party that it has the authority to enter into this Contract and to perform all of its obligations under this Contract.

3.3 Coach Has Right To Give Client Work Product. The Coach promises that it owns the work product, that the Coach is able to give the work product to the Client, and that no other party will claim that it owns the work product. If the Coach uses employees or subcontractors, the Coach also promises that these employees and subcontractors have signed contracts with the Coach giving the Coach any rights that the employees or subcontractors have related to the Coach's background IP and work product.

3.4 Coach Will Comply With Laws. The Coach promises that the manner it does this job, its work product, and any background IP it uses comply with applicable U.S. and foreign laws and regulations.

3.5 Work Product Does Not Infringe. The Coach promises that its work product does not and will not infringe on someone else's intellectual property rights, that the Coach has the right to let the Client use the background IP, and that this Contract does not and will not violate any contract that the Coach has entered into or will enter into with someone else.

3.7 Client-Supplied Material Does Not Infringe. If the Client provides the Coach with material to incorporate into the work product, the Client promises that this material does not infringe on someone else's intellectual property rights.

4. TERM AND TERMINATION

This Contract is ongoing until it expires or the work is completed. Either party may end this Contract for any reason by sending an email or letter to the other party, informing the recipient that the sender is ending the Contract and that the Contract will end in 7 days. The Contract officially ends once that time has passed. The party that is ending the Contract must provide notice by taking the steps explained in Section 9.4. The Coach must immediately stop working as soon as it receives this notice unless the notice says otherwise.

If either party ends this Contract before the Contract automatically ends, the Client will pay the Contractor for the work done up until when the Contract ends. The following sections don't end even after the Contract ends: 3 (Representations); 6 (Confidential Information); 7 (Limitation of Liability); 8 (Indemnity); and 9 (General).

3. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.

The Client is hiring the Coach as an independent contractor. The following statements accurately reflect their relationship:

- The Coach will use its own equipment, tools, and material to do the work.

- The Client will not control how the job is performed on a day-to-day basis. Rather, the Coach is responsible for determining when, where, and how it will carry out the work.

- The Client will not provide the Coach with any training.

- The Client and the Coach do not have a partnership or employer-employee relationship.

- The Coach cannot enter into contracts, make promises, or act on behalf of the Client.

- The Coach is not entitled to the Client's benefits (e.g., group insurance, retirement benefits, retirement plans, vacation days).

- The Coach is responsible for its own taxes.

- The Client will not withhold social security and Medicare taxes or make payments for disability insurance, unemployment insurance, or workers compensation for the Coach or any of the Coach's employees or subcontractors.

6. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

6.1 Overview. This Contract imposes special restrictions on how the Client and the Coach must handle confidential information. These obligations are explained in this section.

6.2 The Client's Confidential Information. While working for the Client, the Coach may come across, or be given, Client information that is confidential. This is information like customer lists, business strategies, research & development notes, statistics about a website, and other information that is private. The Coach promises to treat this information as if it is the Coach's own confidential information. The Coach may use this information to do its job under this Contract, but not for anything else. For example, if the Client lets the Coach use a customer list to send out a newsletter, the Coach cannot use those email addresses for any other purpose. The one exception to this is if the Client gives the Coach written permission to use the information for another purpose, the Coach may use the information for that purpose, as well. When this Contract ends, the Coach must give back or destroy all confidential information, and confirm that it has done so. The Coach promises that it will not share confidential information with a third party, unless the Client gives the Coach written permission first. The Coach must continue to follow these obligations, even after the Contract ends. The Coach's responsibilities only stop if the Coach can show any of the following: (i) that the information was already public when the Coach came across it; (ii) the information became public after the Coach came across it, but not because of anything the Coach did or didn't do; (iii) the Coach already knew the information when the Coach came across it and the Coach didn't have any obligation to keep it secret; (iv) a third party provided the Coach with the information without requiring that the Coach keep it a secret; or (v) the Coach created the information on its own, without using anything belonging to the Client.

6.3 Third-Party Confidential Information. It's possible the Client and the Coach each have access to confidential information that belongs to third parties. The Client and the Coach each promise that it will not share with the other party confidential information that belongs to third parties, unless it is allowed to do so. If the Client or the Coach is allowed to share confidential information with the other party and does so, the sharing party promises to tell the other party in writing of any special restrictions regarding that information.

7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

Neither party is liable for breach-of-contract damages that the breaching party could not reasonably have foreseen when it entered this Contract.

8. INDEMNITY.

8.1 Overview. This section transfers certain risks between the parties if a third party sues or goes after the Client or the Coach or both. For example, if the Client gets sued for something that the Coach did, then the Coach may promise to come to the Client's defense or to reimburse the Client for any losses.

8.2 Client Indemnity. In this Contract, the Coach agrees to indemnify the Client (and its affiliates and their directors, officers, employees, and agents) from and against all liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) related to a third-party claim or proceeding arising out of: (i) the work the Coach has done under this Contract; (ii) a breach by the Coach of its obligations under this Contract; or (iii) a breach by the Coach of the promises it is making in Section 3 (Representations).

8.3 Coach Indemnity. In this Contract, the Client agrees to indemnify the Coach (and its affiliates and their directors, officers, employees, and agents) from and against liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) related to a third-party claim or proceeding arising out of a breach by the Client of its obligations under this Contract.

9. GENERAL.

9.1 Assignment​. This Contract applies only to the Client and the Coach. Neither the Client nor the Coach can assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Contract to a third-party (other than by will or intestate), without first receiving the other's written permission.

9.2 Arbitration. As the exclusive means of initiating adversarial proceedings to resolve any dispute arising under this Contract, a party may demand that the dispute be resolved by arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its commercial arbitration rules.

9.3 Modification; Waiver. To change anything in this Contract, the Client and the Coach must agree to that change in writing and sign a document showing their contract. Neither party can waive its rights under this Contract or release the other party from its obligations under this Contract, unless the waiving party acknowledges it is doing so in writing and signs a document that says so.

9.4. Noticies.

(a) Over the course of this Contract, one party may need to send a notice to the other party. For the notice to be valid, it must be in writing and delivered in one of the following ways: personal delivery, email, or certified or registered mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested). The notice must be delivered to the party's address listed at the end of this Contract or to another address that the party has provided in writing as an appropriate address to receive notice.

(b) The timing of when a notice is received can be very important. To avoid confusion, a valid notice is considered received as follows: (i) if delivered personally, it is considered received immediately; (ii) if delivered by email, it is considered received upon acknowledgement of receipt; (iii) if delivered by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested), it is considered received upon receipt as indicated by the date on the signed receipt. If a party refuses to accept notice or if notice cannot be delivered because of a change in address for which no notice was given, then it is considered received when the notice is rejected or unable to be delivered. If the notice is received after 5:00pm on a business day at the location specified in the address for that party, or on a day that is not a business day, then the notice is considered received at 9:00am on the next business day.

9.5 Severability. This section deals with what happens if a portion of the Contract is found to be unenforceable. If that's the case, the unenforceable portion will be changed to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, unless that change is not permitted by law, in which case the portion will be disregarded. If any portion of the Contract is changed or disregarded because it is unenforceable, the rest of the Contract is still enforceable.

9.6 Signatures. The Client and the Coach must sign this document using Bonsai's e-signing system. These electronic signatures count as originals for all purposes.

9.7 Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this document shall be governed by the laws of the United States of America.

9.8 Entire Contract. This Contract represents the parties' final and complete understanding of this job and the subject matter discussed in this Contract. This Contract supersedes all other contracts (both written and oral) between the parties.

THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE TO THE FOREGOING AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR SIGNATURES BELOW.

Coach

First_name
Last_name
Acme LLC.
Client

First_name
Last_name
Corporation Corp.
Table of contents

What is a Contract for Wedding Photography?


A wedding photography contract is a much-needed legally binding document every photography business should use. It doesn't matter if it's a makeup artist contract template, decoration or bridal contract template you'll need to have one written and signed by both parties.

Different from a photography or wedding videography contract, this contract is going to outline your responsibilities and requirements as a freelancer, as well as state your payment schedule and terms, how the images are delivered, ownership of the photos, and much more.

It’s also going to outline the responsibilities and requirements of the lucky couple. Understanding what’s expected of them will help you to do the job to the best of your ability.

Note: Want to get started on your free template now? Sign up to Bonsai and get started straight away.

Why You Need a Wedding Photography Contract


A legally binding document of this type will allow you to conduct your photography business the way you want. You’re not an amateur photographer after all, and your professionalism will show with a well-written wedding photography contract.

A wedding photography contract is also handy should anything happen that involves a violation of your payment terms, disputes between you and the client, or anything else where your interests need to be protected.

Clarifies roles and expectations

As a wedding photographer, you want to make sure that throughout the entire agreement your role is defined and that your expectations are met—no photographer wants to show up on the big day and not know what it is they’re meant to be doing.

The wedding day can be a stressful time for the couple, so by clarifying your responsibilities and expectations, both parties will have some peace of mind that the photographs are handled by a professional.

Protects both parties

A wedding photography contract is a legally binding document, and as such, is going to protect both parties’ interests before and after the wedding day.

Both you and the couple will have specific requirements that you’ll want agreed to. If there are any disputes, you can always seek legal advice from an expert. However, no one wants to pay additional legal fees on top of what a wedding costs! A great way to get around this is by using a wedding photographer contract template from Bonsai—they’re already vetted by legal experts, and better yet, they’re free to use.

Sets out payment conditions and work hours

You’ll have your own payment conditions that the client should agree to, which will be outlined in the contract. It’s important to add these in for assurance you’ll be paid the right amount and on time.


It’s a good idea for you and the client to outline your working hours too. This way both parties will know your schedule and easily be able to plan it out with the events on the wedding day. If you don't have one already, it's a good idea to set up your own invoice template as well.

What Should Be Included in a Wedding Photography Contract?

There are a lot of different things that need to be included in a wedding photography contract. Clauses for exclusivity, event photographer contract coverage, videography, different ceremony venues, wedding guests, dress code, retainer fees, a non-refundable deposit, replacement photographers, and any legal fees are important factors to include for every wedding photographer.

This question is, where do you put them?

While only you can know every little thing you’ll need to include in your personal contract template, we’ve gone ahead and listed some of the very basic elements that every wedding photography contract should include:

  • Contact details of both parties
  • Deliverables and their costs
  • Venue details
  • Date and times of service
  • Cancellation policy
  • Force majeure and liability
  • Copyright
  • Travel and expenses
  • Termination of the contract
  • Camera and film details
  • Other elements to consider


Contact details of both parties

No contract should be without the contact details of both parties. When starting a wedding or DJ contract, you will include both your names, your job description, and the preferred method of contact. You may also want to include a physical address for sending the photos and invoicing reasons.

Deliverables and their costs

Outline everything you’ll be doing for the client on (and after) the wedding day.

This could include tasks such as taking pictures of every guest, videography, or touching up the photos with software. Every deliverable should have a cost attached to it, so the client is fully aware of what they’re agreeing to.

Date and times of service

You’re going to want to give a specific time period for the work you’ll do, as well as the dates you’ll be working. Some wedding photographers will touch up photos using software, so you’ll want to state any dates and times of service for that as well.

Cancelation policy

Sometimes unforeseen circumstances lead to the wedding being canceled. It’s important to have a cancelation policy and a non-refundable deposit in place for these situations.

Force majeure and liability

This fancy clause is basically waiving liability should any natural or unavoidable catastrophes stop you from delivering the work on the wedding date.

Copyright

This clause will provide you with protection against anyone unlawfully using your photography, equipment, software, or techniques that are copyrighted by you. Also, importantly, you’ll be able to give permission or ownership of the photos.

Travel and expenses

Depending on where the wedding is or if there’s a dress code, it’s a good idea to agree on how the client will reimburse you for these expenses.

Termination of contract

Termination of the contract can be when the job is completed, when you receive your final payment, or if the wedding is canceled. You and the client will need to agree to the criteria for a terminated contract.

Camera and film details

Here you should list out your camera and film details which you’ll be using on the wedding day. You may want to state which parties are accountable or held liable should anything happen to your equipment too.

Other elements to consider


Exclusivity

Depending on the type of photography work you provide, you may want to be the exclusive photographer for the event.

Faulty equipment

Faulty equipment can happen to the best photographer. You’ll want a statement here explaining what happens when your equipment (or the equipment from another party) becomes faulty and stops you from achieving your obligations.

Printing errors

If you’re using a Polaroid or printing the photos out, printing errors can occur. It’s a good idea to state what happens in these situations.

Post-production limitations

For wedding photographers, you may want to have a statement about what happens when a post-production limitation occurs.

A suitable replacement photographer

If you've double-booked yourself or simply need to cancel due to the wedding date, it’s a good idea to state whether or not you’re responsible for organizing a suitable replacement photographer.

How to Write a Wedding Photography Contract


Using the information above, you'll be able to write as many wedding photography contracts as you need. If you're in a rush or don't want to spend that much time and effort on it, we recommend using our free wedding photography contract template below. Simply click and download the template for yourself, which you can customize and edit your wedding photography services to your liking.

Sample Wedding Photography Contract


Sign up to Bonsai
 now for free and start creating your wedding photography contract. It has all the basic elements you’ll need to get going.

Wedding photographer costs

As of 2023, the average price range for wedding photography in the U.S costs between $1500-$3000.

Please note that this is heavily dependent on your experience, what state or city you’re in, as well as the client involved.

Wedding photography contract tips

Get yourself a wedding photography contract template.

If you plan on having more than one client, a contract template is going to help you steamroll through the negotiation process. Using the free wedding photography contract template from Bonsai, you’ll save a lot of time and money in legal fees from having to hire a lawyer to write one for you.

Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about this template.

Where can I get a free wedding photography contract template?

If you're looking for a pre-made wedding photography agreement template, sign up with Bonsai now. It has all the legal details you need and it's easy to download & edit. Our templates are curated by lawyers.

How do I make a wedding photography contract?

It's simple to create a contract with Bonsai. Our software has a photography contract template you can easily edit and use to send to clients. Our agreements are looked at by attorneys so you'll be covered from future issues.

Is a photography contract legally binding?

A signed contract for professional services between a client, customer or model and a photographer are legally binding.

Do wedding photographers need contracts?

You don’t technically need a contract as a wedding photographer, but you should have one. A contract is your safeguard against a client ghosting you and ignoring your invoices indefinitely. Although this can happen anyway, a contract is going to guarantee you credibility should you wish to take legal action.