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Hold the date, get the contract signed, then sell the prints
A wedding can be booked eighteen months out and paid off the week before. In between sit enquiries from couples comparing three of you on a Sunday night, a contract nobody has read, and a family session that depends on the light at 5:40. You'd rather be culling.
A working week, in pages
"What are your packages?"
A couple has your name and two others, and they'll book whoever makes it easy. Show your coverage side by side, with hours, second shooter and album spelled out. The enquiry gets answered on Sunday night without you opening the laptop.
packages for weddings: Ceremony $1,800 for 6 hours, Full Day $3,200 for 10 hours with second shooter, Full Day and Album $3,900
Two enquiries, one Saturday in June
You can't hold a June Saturday on a promise, and another couple has just asked about the same date. Send the retainer with the date and the balance on it. Once it's paid, the day is theirs and you can say no to the other couple with a clear head.
deposit Maya and Sam Okoro, wedding June 19 2027, full day $3,200, $800 retainer to hold the date
The contract nobody reads
Image rights, delivery time and what happens if you're ill only matter when something goes wrong, which is why they need to be read before it does. Plain sections get read. The couple signs from the sofa, and you get word as soon as both names are on it.
agreement for Maya and Sam Okoro, wedding photography $3,200: gallery within 8 weeks, I keep copyright, backup shooter if I'm ill
Twenty minutes of light
A beach session is set for 5:40 because that's when the sun does what you want, and the last family went to the wrong car park. Send the time, the meeting spot and what to wear. They confirm in a tap, and it goes in the family calendar.
confirm Rachel Moss family session Sunday 5:40pm, north car park at Sandy Point, $350 session, soft colours, no logos
Christmas minis
Twenty-minute slots booked through comments on a post end with two families at 10:40. On a booking page, a slot greys out once it's taken, so parents see only what's left.
booking page for Christmas minis Dec 5 at Holly Barn, 20 minute slots 9 to 1, $120 each
The prints they said they'd order
The gallery went out three weeks ago, everyone loved it, and nothing has been ordered. Send a page with your sizes and prices while they're still sharing the photos. They choose quantities and pay, and the order comes to you ready for the lab.
order form for prints: 8x10 $45, 16x20 canvas $140, 20-page album $320, pickup or delivery $12
Questions
Can I split a wedding into payments before the day?
Yes. A payment plan sets the dates, say the retainer, six months out and thirty days before, each with its own Pay button, and ticks them off as they're paid. Those buttons run on your own Stripe account, so link it before you send the plan.
Can clients pick favourites from a gallery page?
No. The gallery page shows your images with captions, which suits a portfolio or a before-and-after. It isn't a proofing tool, so keep your current setup for selections and full-resolution delivery.
What about a model release when children are in the shoot?
The consent form takes your wording, tick-box questions and a signature, and comes back to you. What release you need, and who can sign for a child, varies by country and by how the image will be used, so take advice on the wording.
Read next
- Are electronic signatures legal? What a small business needs to knowIn the US, an electronic signature on an ordinary business contract is generally as valid as ink, with a short list of exceptions. This guide covers typed and drawn signatures, what to keep as a record, and what doesn't qualify.
- How to ask for a depositHow to ask for a deposit in plain words, work out a fair amount and write refund terms that hold up. Includes wording to copy and the legal limits to check first.
- How to get paid online as a small businessPayment links, invoices and bank transfers compared, with what the fees come to on real job sizes. The tradeoffs are laid out plainly, so you can pick what suits your work.
Send your first page today
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