We blew a wedding, according to the GM.

[DougAxford]

I agree with most of the other pro answers. I deal ONLY with the B&G prior to the wedding, signatures on the contract and anything package related after the wedding. That being said, it's a good move to ask specifics on what the problems are. Sometimes it's a real simple thing and in most cases, they are lashing out at you because they can't scream at their son/daughter.

One word of absolutely important advice. Keep accurate records of all conversations, better to record them if you can. Print out all emails with info from the properties field showing exact time/date and location of email. Almost always, they will deny or contradict their statements later on and you need absolute proof - good enough to show a lawyer or a judge if it goes that far.

The worst criticism I ever had in my 35 years of pro photos was some little old lady that b*tched about a portrait of her & hubby. I was dumbstuck and heartbroken. I found out the next day that hubby had passed away a few hours before she came to see me. Got nothing better to do lady???? Anyway, two weeks later she came back in and placed an order as if she had never b*tched at all. Weird, but people do very strange things at times. Moral that I learned was: you just never know what is eating at someone when they call you.

[ksgkphoto]

Having a fair amount of legal experience in contracts (not specifically wedding related) ...

I'd suggest the following clauses:

A)
In the unlikely event of a legal dispute relating to this Agreement, B&G and Photographer waive any and all rights to sue each other, and agree instead to submit to final and binding arbitration for the resolution of any and all disputes. insert your state here law shall govern this Agreement, and all disputes arising under this Agreement shall be resolved pursuant to the rules of the American Arbitration Association, before a single arbitrator in xxxxx County. All arbitration fees and costs shall be shared equally. Each party shall pay its own attorneys’ fees.

B)
The entire "limit" of any award be "prelimited" to the contract amount.. so basically "limit their ability to sue you for unspecified damages...

C) not sure abou this ones "ability to work"...
I wonder if you can get the B&G to hold you harmless in any action by any third party except for "injury"... ie so if the GM wants to sue you then the B&G nd up having to fight her on your behalf... obviously if your lighting stand falls onsomeones head then its your own fault and they are going to come after you... you won't be able to hide from that one... but in the case of a GM getting mad.. this might have a change of flying... the phrase hold harmless is a nice one.. it doesnt look too onerous.. but its pretty "solid"...

D) you can have two contracts... if they don't sign the one that covers you best.. then you can whip out the one that covers you less, and charge them a $xxxx rider for liability insurance... tell them.. "in all my yy years of doing this I've only been sued n times out of z, so its pretty unlikely you are going to have an issue, but I need to be protected and this is my attorneys idea of protection...




NONE OF THE ABOVE IS LEGAL ADVICE.. just my thoughts and opinions....

K