Contracts: What Couples Should Actually Read

Most couples read a wedding contract for the price and the date, sign it, and never open it again. 4 clauses deserve more attention than that, because they describe what happens on the worst version of your day rather than the expected one.

The first is the cancellation and postponement clause. Ask specifically what happens if you move the date rather than cancel it, whether the deposit travels, and how long you have to name the new date. Post-2020 contracts are usually generous here; older templates are not.

The second is the substitution clause. If you are hiring a studio rather than an individual, know whether the person you met is contractually the person who shows up. If the answer is no, that is not automatically a problem, but you should meet whoever it might be.

The third is overtime. Know the hourly rate, know who is authorised to approve it at 11 at night, and know whether it applies to the whole crew or one person. This is the most common surprise on a final invoice.

The fourth is delivery. Photography and video contracts should state a turnaround in weeks, and what you receive: resolution, file count, licence to print, and how long the files remain available for download. "Within a reasonable time" is not a delivery term.

“4 clauses describe what happens on the worst version of your day rather than the expected one.”