Church Restrictions Contract

[PaulCosmic]

Originally Posted by Ed Gerson

Your contract with your client does not have the force of law over third parties or their properties.

The force of law is not going to save my ass if the bride wants photos arriving at the church with her parents, but the verger wants to cut the photography because the limo driver arrived late, all because the make-up girl ran over because she was late leaving church earlier because the rector extended the service at the make-up girls sisters wedding by adding a nice 15 min sermon.

[ChrisPerry]

I explain the importance of enough time to do teh pics when we meet, and again when we talk a few weeks before the wedding to finalize everything. I make a point to be sure they understand what happens if we fall behind schedule, and about 50% of weddings do (usually the brides fault too!) so it's just something you have to deal with.

I've had a bride tell me the day of the wedding that she and her groom always run 30 minutes behind. They made everyone sit in the church (in july no less) for 30 minutes beyond the start time.
Had another at the rehearsal decide to add communion to the ceremony..with 400 people in attendance.
They usually tell me the service will be 20, 25 minutes. Had one preacher that never shut up - talked for 20 some minutes.

So if (or when) we fall behind I give the bride the final decision - cut pics or arrive late at the reception. We arrived late at one reception (much to the coordinators dismay - apparently the chef was a clock watcher). No probs..the toasts went on for 45 minutes! 6:30 dinner became 7:15!

It's what keeps this job interesting!

[Ed Gerson]

Are church regulations the only stabilizing force at a wedding you can rely upon? You are being pushed into a corner by flakey vendors is why I ask such a question. Push back by doing more pre-planning based on those regulations and more pj at the wedding, and be quick about it. I know EXACTLY what you are talking about with fractured schedules, you've got to work differently. There's often with no time for set ups. Some photographers have an assistant write down an hourly breakdown of scheduled photos, when they were done, and why they were not done on time, and who interfered. Your bride must know beforehand that she may be subject to delays, unintended or otherwise, but avoid catty remarks about any vendor. Use those regulations at the time of the booking to schedule the when and where of the day, put the regulations in your hand and prosper. So what if there are schedule overruns, the wedding is about them not you. You're the professional, not the king of the vendors. As for these people who slow down the wedding? Leaning cake, wrinkled gown, bad hair, wrong flowers, past due limo. Such is life. Who cares?

[dennis_Beins]

I had one priest tell me last year 'These are my rules. Break a rule and I will empty the church and lock the doors.' Bet god would be proud of him,
Churches set back and wonder why people dont get married there

Nothing wrong with have basic rules but you have an obligation to the couple not the church, I would comply and then refuse to ever do another one there, And Im sure that churches that book more than one or two a day are really concerned about the spiritual side and not in it for the money

How long before they start asking for a % of you fee to shoot there (remember when you use to be able to shoot sports teams without giving a fee back to the club?)

[John_Rice]

Some thoughts from the “other side”

I cannot speak for every priest / preacher, just as I cannot speak for every photographer. But I do happen to be both, and have been on both ends of weddings.

Most of the pastors / ministers that I have known and worked with do diligently try to make things work for the wedding party. Likewise, most of the photographers who have shot weddings that I officiated are professional, and ask before hand what is permissible and what is not, where they can be, etc. And if the bride has requested a special shot, they get permission to make it.

That being said, I have also had photographers who disrupted the service, made themselves as much a part of the show as anyone else in the building, and dragged photo ops way beyond the time allotted. And to be clear, yes, the photographer and the B&G are both informed of the constraints before everything begins.

Professionalism is not just the photog’s responsibility, but when boundaries are not respected, there becomes a need to better communicate these to everyone, and I can see the need to put those guidelines in writing – though I have not had to do so myself. Please remember that the priest / rabbi / minister / imam / etc is the steward of the parish, not just the whims of the individual who happens to be standing there at the moment.

More than likely, the rules you received were a response to several people abusing the use of the facility. Could they have been worded better? Probably. Is that a reason to go over the edge? Not likely. These days, we all face rules and regulations that we are not fond of or do not agree with seemingly everywhere we go. More often than not, we will come to a better understanding when we engage the relationship rather than the rules. Our choices are rather simple … follow the rules, challenge them appropriately, or don’t go there. As wedding photographers, we profit by engaging in relationships, so what is so different about talking to the person who sent you those rules to let them know that they could have been worded differently? After all, if you don’t tell them, they will likely never know that their friends have been offended! And speaking as a pastor, I have never been offended by a photographer who reminds the wedding party that they have run out of time.

[DougAxford]

Well said John.

[pbulman]

Thank you for sharing this letter of direction. I am new to this site and forum. it is a joy to have discovered such a active group. The insights, comments & banter are all good stuff. I agree with most, in that no Wedding photographer wants to be tethered and/or have a long list of restrictions. Instead of checking your gear or prepping for the next shot, you have to refer to the rules list tapped on your left wrist like a quarterback. Yet, as mentioned, we have witnessed the photographer, who has abused his/her professional privileges by focusing on the shot at the expense of being a actual distraction during the services. Since you undoubtedly will be returning for other shoots, perhaps you might break the ice with the oversee’er. Play your cards right and you may be considered their model or preferred professional and end up with some new referrals sent in your direction. Bottom line though, I would not have wanted to be the recipient of the letter. I’d be scratching my head too. Well at least you don’t have to convert. Paul (Philly)

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