Wedding photography contract essentials
The clauses every wedding photographer should have, in plain language.
Updated 2026-05-13
Scope of work
Spell out exactly what is included. Hours of coverage. Number of photographers. Number of locations. Travel limits. The vaguest sentence in your contract is the one a couple will read most charitably toward themselves on the morning of the wedding.
Cancellation and rescheduling
Two separate clauses. Cancellation is final. Rescheduling moves the date. Different fee structures. After 2020 most working photographers got specific about pandemic-class force majeure, do not let that lesson lapse.
Image rights and usage
You retain copyright. The couple gets a personal-use license. Commercial use by vendors needs a separate license. Submission rights to publications stay with the photographer. Be explicit about social-media tagging and watermarks.
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