Position:Home>Visual Arts> Wedding Photography Cancelled....new exper, advice please?

If I were you I would just give them half of the payment back!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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You will have to consult your contract!. But I wouldnt just break even!. You probably passed up other work and deserved to get paid!. You could give a partial payment back, but depending on your contract, there may not be much leverage they could have over you!.

Be as kind as you like though!. Bad word of mouth can kill some of your business!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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As your own Contract states they should recieve 1/2 back since they paid in full!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Unfortunatly, you will be obligated to obide by the letter of the contract (YOUR contract)!. This may provide an opportunity to revise your contract!.!.!. but as you say, this is the first time in 20 years!.

As a reasonable person, I would speak to the mother and the couple and explain about the cake and other costs you have incured (have recceipts!)!. As reasonable people, maybe they will split that with you, or something along those lines!.

You MIGHT have a case in small claims court, but that would be up to you to make worth it!. As small business owners, I'm sure you have a lawyer that could write a mean letter or two if need be!.

But try the high road first and then decide how much trouble it's worth!.

Just my 2 centsWww@QuestionHome@Com

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"Our policy states that 'all payments due prior to the reciept of the cancellation are forfieted as well as the retainer(deposit)!.

Her mother paid us in full two weeks ago, which was not due, only half the balance was due!."

Unfortunatly, your contract states that any money that was not due can be refunded!. Therefore you owe them their money regardless of what you have spent!.

It's a shame that you spent all that money and time on their wedding and they will no longer have it, I know it hits the checkbook!. But they do not legally owe you any money as the money they paid you already was also for your time!.

I would do your best to negotiate with them (offer to shoot another family function or something rather than a refund) the best deal for bother parties and consider yourself on good ground for breaking even!. You risk gaining a bad reputation if they do not feel you were curteous and correct!. Make them happy, because you never know if they have 10 friends getting married and will tell them NOT to use you at any cost!.

I think your next step should be to revise your contract!. Maybe sit down with an attorney and look for any loopholes (like this one) that you can close up to keep you safe!.

I'm sorry this happened but remember, I doubt they planned to call off the wedding and be sensitive to the situation!. You don't want to get a bad reputation!Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Hummm!.!.!. quite an interesting situation!. One thing is it sounds like to me you are about as much in the wedding PLANNING business as the wedding photography business!. I photographed weddings for several years, and have now got out of it for many reasons for which there is no point going into here!. However, one thing I never did was deal with any aspect of a wedding other than the photography!. It seems to me you are really spreading yourself thin!. No way on Earth would I be providing the cake and table favors and the like!.!. that is just not my job!.!. that is what the wedding planners are for!.!.!. (at least in my opinion)!. I prefer to keep things simple and stick to what I know!. I know my saying that does not help you any now, but it is just a long way of saying you just may have to cut your losses here!. You seem to take on a lot more responsibility than most wedding photographers, but I only see that as a way to get into problems like you are having now!. Are you a photographer or a wedding planner!? If you are going to be doing the types of things you have here, you need to take a long, hard look at revising your contract and payment policies to avoid this kind of thing in the future!. It sounds to me like you have not fully thought through these kinds of scenarios!.

Personally, I adopted a semi ala carte type of style!. I had wedding packages as pertained to hours worked at the wedding and album choice and CD choice and that type of thing, but ANYTHING done BEFORE the wedding had to be paid for at that time!.!.!. such as an engagement session and photo(s)!. This way, any work done prior to the wedding was always paid for!. The only remaining payment due was for the wedding itself!. I had a somewhat unusual policy on that too!. I did require payment two weeks before the wedding date but I allowed a FULL refund even a day before the wedding!. I only had I think two couples cancel on me in several years, but the goodwill I received by gladly refunding ALL their money made up for any other wedding I may have lost!.!.!. (at least it did to me)!. After a couple of years, just about all my weddings were by referral, and one of those was from the very same couple that had canceled before!. (They did end up getting married at a later date, and of course, I was the first and only photographer they even considered)!.

Weddings are a business like any other in that you do need contracts and to follow certain guidelines, but you have to look at the human side of it all too!. I would say politely sit down with the former bride or groom and explain your situation and the expenses you have incurred!. If they possess any reason at all, they should be willing to help with at least some of your already paid expenses!. If you have yourself covered by an iron clad contract, then I suppose you could force the issue to repay you, but as stated in another answer, that may do you more harm than good in the long run!.

Good luck with it all!.!.!. I know I have not given you a definite answer as to what to do, but again, in this situation you may just have to write off the losses and guard against being in the same situation in the future!.

steveWww@QuestionHome@Com

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