Wedding photography contract template
A wedding photography contract sets out what a photographer will cover on a couple's wedding day, what the couple receive and when, the price and instalments, what happens if the wedding is postponed or cancelled or the photographer cannot attend, and who owns and may use the images. A photographer completes one for each wedding, with the date, venues, package, travel, payment dates and cancellation scale changing every time.
Made by DocuWeave. Use at your own discretion.
What changes each time
29 values. Everything else is your wording, kept exactly.
The parties
- Date of the contract
- Photographer's name, address and contact
- The couple's names, address and contact
The wedding
- Wedding date
- Ceremony venue
- Reception venue
- Coverage hours
- Package name
- Planner or main contact on the day
- Weeks before the wedding to agree the timeline
What is included, travel and meals
- Lead photographer
- Edited images
- Album, engagement shoot or other items
- Second photographer and times
- Preview and gallery delivery
- Album delivery time
- Travel included, mileage and rate
- Hours before a meal is needed
Price and payment
- Total price
- Retainer
- Instalments and final balance
- Payment method
- Days late before a reminder, and days after it
Postponement, cancellation and insurance
- Rebooking arrangement
- Administration fee
- Cancellation bands and amount payable
- Months of gallery backup
- Insurer and cover
- Date of the package description
The rules it usually needs
Written in plain English when the template is set up.
- Only when…
“Include a second photographer if one is in the package.”
When a second photographer attends from the ceremony to the evening, their times are listed and their images join the couple's gallery.
- Once for each item
“Add a row for each item in the package and for each payment instalment.”
When the couple add an engagement shoot, it appears as its own row with its details.
- One of several wordings
“Travel is charged by the mile beyond a set distance, or travel and accommodation are included in the price.”
When the venue is 120 miles from base, the contract states the mileage rate that applies beyond the included distance.
- One of several wordings
“A postponed wedding is moved once free of charge, or for an administration fee.”
When the couple move to a date within the stated months, all payments so far transfer to the new date.
- One of several wordings
“If the photographer cannot cover the new date, the retainer is refunded or a stated amount is kept.”
When a replacement is refused and the date cannot be covered, the contract sets what is kept or refunded.
Questions people ask
What should a wedding photography contract include?
The date, venues and hours of coverage, what the couple receive and when, the price and payment dates, postponement and cancellation terms, what happens if the photographer cannot attend, and who owns and may use the images.
Do couples get a 14-day right to cancel?
The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give a 14-day right for many distance contracts, but not for leisure services on a fixed date. This contract applies that exception to wedding photography and says so.
Is the retainer refundable?
This contract treats the retainer as reserving the date and counting towards the price. Cancellation amounts are framed as a genuine estimate of loss, with a refund if the photographer rebooks or saves costs.
Who owns the wedding photographs?
Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 the photographer is generally the first owner unless agreed otherwise. The couple receive a licence for personal use once they pay in full, and the photographer can use a selection for their portfolio unless the couple opt out.
Can I use my own version instead?
Yes. Upload your own Word or PDF and DocuWeave turns it into a template in your wording, with the details that change each time ready to fill in.
Use this template
It opens in DocuWeave as a template you can check, change and publish. Nothing is used until you do.