Featuring: Magi Fisher, The Artists’ Lawyer
I don’t have to sell you on the importance of a bespoke, heirloom-quality album for our clients, ensuring their wedding memories will be beautifully preserved for generations. You’ve taken the time to research the absolute best wedding album partner who uses high quality paper, perfect printing, and superior mounting and binding processes with gorgeous options to customize the cover and endpages – which is how you ended up here at RedTree Albums.
But I might need to sell you on the importance of the wedding album contract that accompanies this service, which deserves just as much time and detail in putting together. Take a look at my top three tips for wedding album contracts to ensure they’re as thoughtfully considered and as protective as the albums themselves.
3 Must-Have Album Provisions for Every Contract
Set Deadlines
This is straightforward, but easy to overlook. Let the client know the deadline for submitting photo preferences after receiving the digital gallery. If they fail to meet this deadline, do they forfeit their right to choose the images and you decide? Make sure you include what happens if the deadline is missed or how to request a deadline extension, including the acceptable list of reasons.
The other deadline that needs to be included in the contract is for revisions. The last thing you want is for months to have lapsed since you sent over the draft album without hearing back from the client. Avoid the limbo by setting clear expectations for when you need to receive their feedback.
Establish Consequences
This goes hand-in-hand with the first tip. If a client fails to meet the deadlines outlined in the contract, define the outcomes. For example, if a client does not initiate the creation of the album within the timeframe set in the contract, does the non-refundable album credit purchased in their wedding package expire? If it does expire, can the client pay a fee to reinstate the credit? This is important because you never want to find yourself in a situation where many years of unused credits were being redeemed at the same time. Right now, for example, photographers are experiencing an influx in album credit redemption requests because many couples are social distancing, and finally have time at home to choose favorite photos and album preferences together. The timing of this increase in expenses is especially hard on photographers right now, who are simultaneously experiencing a loss of income and have no other way to set off the cost of the albums. Prevent this scenario from happening to you with clearly outlined consequences and limitations when album deadlines are missed.
Cover All Your Bases
Now that you’ve set your expectations for the client’s obligations, it’s time to set expectations for your own. Let the client know how many rounds of revisions can be requested and if there’s a fee for additional revisions so you’re not caught in a never ending back and forth. They also need to be made aware of whose responsibility a mistake (like a misspelling of a name) is, especially after multiple rounds of revisions and review requests (hint: it shouldn’t be your fault). Commit to delivering the album in a timely manner and what happens if you were to fail to complete your end of the bargain. And clearly state everything what is included with the album credit, such as the size of the album, the cover material, and the number of spreads.
Are you lacking provisions like these in your contracts? Do you worry that your client agreements need help? Comprehensive wedding album contract templates (and a host of other resources) are available for purchase from Magi. Not only are they attorney-written, and easy to read, they can also be modified to fit your needs – no further research required. Use code REDTREE for 15% off in The Artists’ Lawyer Shop.