What types of releases are needed for wedding pics?

I just shot my first wedding this past Sunday. My second shooter and I are in the process of processing all the pictures we took. Meanwhile, this was a good-size wedding (170 people), many with cameras, and also several professional photographers among them. Two different people attending the wedding and taking pictures there decided to go to Walmart and Ritz Camera to make prints of *their* pictures. They were denied without a release from the professonal photographer at the wedding. Now I can see why they might need a release to print my pictures or why I might need a release to use the pictures I took to make money, but why would anyone need a release to print their own pictures? Do some pros have exclusive rights to all photos taken at a wedding?

why would anyone need a release to print their own pictures?
They are protecting themselves from being sued by a photographer. Last year I had to leave my business card and sign a waiver at a Walmart.

Do some pros have exclusive rights to all photos taken at a wedding?
No but Walmart has a policy. If it looks professional,they have to cover their butt.

I have had people not believe that I have taken the images before. I think its a general rule of thumb, if they were taken with an SLR, get a release.

This just goes to show how differently things work acroos the world. In Australia I could not imagine this being an issue.

highway0691 wrote in post #13185837
This just goes to show how differently things work acroos the world. In Australia I could not imagine this being an issue.

Nor here in the UK.

Well, I really don't want to stand in the way of guests at the wedding trying to print their own pictures! So if I do need to sign some sort of release or waiver to give to the wedding guests, are there examples anywhere that I could use? Thanks.

PM me you email address and I'll send you one

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #13185509
I have had people not believe that I have taken the images before. I think its a general rule of thumb, if they were taken with an SLR, get a release.

It seems if there is shallow depth of field in an image then they ask for a release at the photo dept at the big boxes. I needed a 8x10 quick for the local county fair comp and printed at Walmart.

They made me sign one saying it was my image.

Wow, I didn't know this kind of stuff happens. I am glad I got my own printer now.

Is it me only, but Scorpio, the links don't work fore me.

Mike wrote in post #13185844
Nor here in the UK.

Last year at Boots i took in some sports photos id taken at a local football match and it took me 15 minutes and 2 assistants to convince them id taken them, i only wanted a couple of prints to take back to the club house