Venue, Bride, and Photos

I was pondering this through my mind and my contract doesn't specify anything of the sort. Let's say you book a wedding with the bride and groom and you are taken care of. Then they book with the venue/church they are getting married at. When they book with the venue/church their contract with them says that the bride/groom will provide images of the day for promotional usage and it is a stipulation of being wedded there.

You find out that images taken at the venue, according to the bride/groom contract with them, are to be used for the venue for promotional purposes and in order for you to shoot their wedding the venue says that any images taken on their property can be used as promotional purposes (as stated in the b/g contract).

What do you do? You are confronted by the venue that it is in the b/g contract and unless you provide images of the venue you are not allowed to shoot upon their property.

I know that's not tremendously realistic but I've run into it for senior photography here and there. That's why I ask. Basically the teenagers have picked a spot and contacted the venue. I show up and then the venue says, "We get some of these shots right? That was my agreement with the family that asked to use this place."

I can see that happening with a local place that people get married at as the business owner is just that way. If you use their property you need to provide photos even if you are contracted by someone they contracted with.

Do you shoot? Do you not shoot? Do you try and explain copyright and usage limitations?

I say Weeee,
Give them the shots and plaster my logo on them.
Free Advertising!
If you are not into free advertising then I would say it is on the couple to notify you prior to booking your services that they will require the images. If they do not it is on them. They have signed the agreement with the venue, not you. Unless your contract releases the rights to them they cannot release the rights to the venue.

I would do the same. I just know there might be a few who would want pay for a venue using their photos in magazines, advertisements, etc. Not just a a tag line.

First, let me say that nearly always, the venue is the first thing the bride books so she already has that contracted by the time she meets with photographers. Secondly, her legal ability to do that is driven by how you write the ownership portion of your contract. In mine, she has no commercial rights to the photos and this includes use by third parties like the venue. That said, I'm more than happy to have the venue use my images, but in general, I want to manage that directly so I can ensure that I'm properly credited, etc.

I know that they most always know where they are getting married before they book a photographer. I highly doubt the photographer checks the venue contract with the bride and only asks if there are any rules that they know off the top of their head. I at least get the contact information for the venue and if I know it's something out of the ordinary I will give them a call.

On an engagement session a couple wanted to use a hotel to pose at. Before going I called the venue and asked if there were rules, guidelines, busy times, etc. I could have just showed up but it was good for me to check with the hotel before just going around and taking photos. They asked for a kickback of a few images and all was well.

I just thought about this scenario the other night while coming back from a wedding and I know of a few businesses around here that bend things so that everything benefits them in some form or fashion. I also have a few lines in my contract about third party usage (basically I can share them but the bride/groom can't without prior approval).

In general, its good practice to share some of your images with venues. It's best to include a line your contract about third party rights to your photos, but getting goodwill and networking with venues is never a bad thing.

tfizzle wrote in post #10972914
I know that they most always know where they are getting married before they book a photographer. I highly doubt the photographer checks the venue contract with the bride and only asks if there are any rules that they know off the top of their head. I at least get the contact information for the venue and if I know it's something out of the ordinary I will give them a call.

On an engagement session a couple wanted to use a hotel to pose at. Before going I called the venue and asked if there were rules, guidelines, busy times, etc. I could have just showed up but it was good for me to check with the hotel before just going around and taking photos. They asked for a kickback of a few images and all was well.

I just thought about this scenario the other night while coming back from a wedding and I know of a few businesses around here that bend things so that everything benefits them in some form or fashion. I also have a few lines in my contract about third party usage (basically I can share them but the bride/groom can't without prior approval).

I have never booked a couple who didn't already book their venue. I don't think I would book a client unless they already had their venue booked. It is the only way they can really lock in their date.

I have never seen a contract from the venue either. But the couple most certainly would have and it needs to be on them to let you know.

Depending on the place, I often will not ask before hand with an engagement shoot. I will start shooting and give them an opportunity to ask me to stop. It is just too easy for them to say no upfront, and with an engagement session you can always go somewhere else.

tfizzle wrote in post #10972914
I highly doubt the photographer checks the venue contract with the bride and only asks if there are any rules that they know off the top of their head. I at least get the contact information for the venue and if I know it's something out of the ordinary I will give them a call.

You have no business nor a legal right to view the couple's contract with the venue; you're not a party to it. It all comes down to how you right your ownerhip and copyright paragraphy and whether or not they adhere to it. And at the end of the day, you'll want to reach out to the venue to offer photos anyway.