To begin with, the most basic information should be documented in a contract. This includes the names of the Contracting Parties, the event date and time, and any pertinent venue information.  

Example: Sally and Mike are getting married on October 31, 2023. Coverage starts at the bride’s home at 1 PM. The Ceremony is taking place at Saratoga Winery with the ceremony start time of 4 PM, reception to follow. Photography Coverage ends at 11 PM with a Sparkler Exit. Or whatever. The point is that everyone is on the same page about start and end times.                      

Next, the amount of time you want coverage for, as well as services and products that you want included should be clearly spelled out.  

Example: Ten hours of photographic coverage, a second photographer, 12x12 leather flush mount album with 30 pages, and digital files with printing rights for $xx. You want to be sure you understand exactly what comes with your package in no uncertain terms. You don’t want to be surprised.

What else? 

There should be clauses spelling out what happens in certain circumstances. How much is the Photographer’s retainer and is the retainer refundable?  If the wedding is canceled or postponed, what happens? When are payments due? What happens if the photographer’s camera breaks and you get no images? How much is overtime if you need your Photographer to stay a little longer or arrive earlier than planned? Are there Shipping and Handling charges if you live out of town? Is there a deadline or penalty if you do not choose your album images in a timely manner?

Many items in contracts are relatively common sense things that should be clearly stated in writing in order to avoid confusion later. Managing expectations on both ends is critical. Which is why you should always have a contract.