Your Wedding Photography and COVID-19
March 17th, 2020
In response to the increased uncertainty that COVID-19 is causing in our communities and nations around the world, many couples and vendors are faced with some very difficult decisions. The spread of this virus has had and will continue to have, a huge impact on the event/wedding industry. My heart goes out to all who find themselves having to make decisions to modify, postpone, or cancel their events. This isn’t easy for anyone. I commend those involved for putting the safety of their friends, family, and themselves first.
Amidst this uncertainty, I wanted to be proactive in touching base with you to give you some thoughts and options to help you as you decide how best to move forward with your plans:
Can our wedding photography continue as scheduled?
At this point, we are happy to continue forward as usual and are committed to photographing your wedding as planned. We are doing all we can to follow the recommended guidelines to stay as healthy as possible. Barring mandated quarantines or shutdowns, we will do all we can to be there ready to photograph your wedding and celebrate with you and your guests as planned.
Can we have a smaller wedding with fewer guests?
Yes! Some of our clients are choosing to have smaller, more intimate weddings. We are happy to reevaluate your photography coverage needs and apply your remaining balance to a Premium or Classic Album or to one of our Wall-Art collections if your event-day needs decrease.
Can we reschedule our wedding date?
Yes. We want to work with you and will honor the original photography agreement with no additional charges, fees, or penalties. The rescheduled date must be within 365 days of your current wedding date, may not be on a holiday, and is subject to availability (more availability Mon-Thurs). If I am unavailable on your rescheduled date, one of our Master Associate Photographers will step in to shoot on your rescheduled date. You may also choose a date beyond the 365 days but our current rates and packages will then apply (your payments thus far will, of course, be applied toward the current rates and packages).
What happens if YOU get COVID-19?
Please know that I, along with my team, are following all the recommended guidelines to stay as healthy as possible. If I contract the virus and cannot photograph your wedding, a Master Associate Photographer will cover your day. You'll be in great, well-washed hands, and you have nothing to worry about. I will handle all the editing, processing, and delivery of your photos.
What if our wedding needs to be relocated?
Please let me know the new location as soon as possible and, as long as it still allows our team to be home before 1:00 AM the following morning and is within 100 miles round trip, there will be no additional charge for your photography services.
Do we continue to make our payments?
Please reach out and let us know and we will do our best to set up a payment plan that works best for everyone.
What happens if we cancel the wedding completely?
I'm sure this isn't an easy decision to make, and my heart goes out to those considering this. If you've reached this decision and are sure you'll be canceling and not rescheduling, let us know. We will forward over a cancellation agreement, and, once that's signed, will refund 100% of payments made to-date aside from the retainer and any direct expense reimbursements.
What about...
Is there another option I missed? Call me, and let's talk about it together. One of the silver linings to this situation is that we get to see human creativity, innovation, and compassion bloom. If you have other thoughts or ideas on how to enjoy your wedding day photography to its fullest, I would love to hear them.
I know everyone has a lot going on right now, so if you have any other questions, let me know how I can help. We're here to make sure you have as little stress as possible both leading up to and on your wedding day.
