Shooting a destination wedding; what to put in contract?

[JeremyD]

Greetings everyone!

I am having a meeting for my first destination wedding, ever! It is very exciting however I need to get my contract filled with the proper details for traveling etc.

The deal is that I am shooting their wedding for free but they are paying me to travel and my hotel fees and everything expense Pretty good deal for a paid vacation.

My contract is very well done, I received it from my mentor photographer who has had it looked at by many lawyers. However she didn't include her destination contract which would include more details for traveling and those type of details. And since I am doing it for free how should I say that they can't back out when the contract is signed? Since there isn't a 50% deposit on account..

Also, at the time of the wedding I will be 17 and I am wondering if that would complicate the process of flying across the world since I am not a "adult" yet. I don't travel a lot (yet) so this is still a new process to me.

Any feedback, tips, suggestions etc would be highly appreciated! My goal for my wedding brand was to be a destination wedding photographer and this is the perfect opportunity to build my portfolio and brand myself as a one.

Have a great day!

 

[Light Guru]

My contract is very well done, I received it from my mentor photographer who has had it looked at by many lawyers. However she didn't include her destination contract which would include more details for traveling and those type of details. And since I am doing it for free how should I say that they can't back out when the contract is signed? Since there isn't a 50% deposit on account..

Also, at the time of the wedding I will be 17 and I am wondering if that would complicate the process of flying across the world since I am not a "adult" yet. I don't travel a lot (yet) so this is still a new process to me.

If they are not paying you I don't think you can say in a contract that they cannot back out.

Also if your only 17 I don't even think any contract you have then sign would be legally binding. You are not old enough to sign a legally binding contract.

 

[KmH]

I don't know about Canada, but in the US contracts signed by anyone under 18 years old (or that is not legally emancipated from their parents) are not valid.

Your age would not be a deterrent to traveling. You will likely need a passport. US passport books are $110 USD. A passport and card are $140.

 

[JeremyD]

Right, I have come across this before. Until I am 18 I am calling my contracts "Agreements", in addition in Canada it won't be binding contract if I am under 18.

Thanks for the information.

 

[Steve5D]

Until I am 18 I am calling my contracts "Agreements"...

You might want to look up the word "semantics".

If a "contract" isn't valid if you're under 18, what makes you believe that an "agreement" would be?

 

[Light Guru]

Until I am 18 I am calling my contracts "Agreements"...

You might want to look up the word "semantics".

If a "contract" isn't valid if you're under 18, what makes you believe that an "agreement" would be?

Yup. If you want to have a contract or an agreement with any client it is going to need to be between them and your parents.

 

[tirediron]

An agreement by any other name.... As Light Guru indicated, in order to make this binding, you would have to have your parents involved. Do you have a sense that they might back out? If you really want to make this iron-clad, I would use the old "In exchange for the sum of one dollar and other good and valuable considerations" line, and have your parents sign; you will essentially become a sub-contractor to your parents.

 

[Steve5D]

An agreement by any other name.... As Light Guru indicated, in order to make this binding, you would have to have your parents involved. Do you have a sense that they might back out? If you really want to make this iron-clad, I would use the old "In exchange for the sum of one dollar and other good and valuable considerations" line, and have your parents sign; you will essentially become a sub-contractor to your parents.

But that would put his folks on the hook in case he couldn't fulfill his end of the "agreement".

If they do that, and the happy couple is unsatisfied with the results, the parents would have to answer for it and, presumably, be the respondents if sued...

 

[tirediron]

An agreement by any other name.... As Light Guru indicated, in order to make this binding, you would have to have your parents involved. Do you have a sense that they might back out? If you really want to make this iron-clad, I would use the old "In exchange for the sum of one dollar and other good and valuable considerations" line, and have your parents sign; you will essentially become a sub-contractor to your parents.

But that would put his folks on the hook in case he couldn't fulfill his end of the "agreement".

If they do that, and the happy couple is unsatisfied with the results, the parents would have to answer for it and, presumably, be the respondents if sued...

Yep!

 

[JeremyD]

Until I am 18 I am calling my contracts "Agreements"...

You might want to look up the word "semantics".

If a "contract" isn't valid if you're under 18, what makes you believe that an "agreement" would be?

I never said it would be valid, nothing I sign will be until I am 18.

Thanks every for the information, it is helping me out with my planning.

 

[CuffsAlister]

If you feel that a contract is necessary, just have a signed contract between your parents and whomever is hiring you stating that your parents are providing services (photography). As a business law student that is a way of getting out of your struggle of being a minor and having a contract with validity. Just as long as the contract is signed by your parents, you, and your employer for your parents services then everything should be fine.

But to need an extensive contract as a minor makes me wonder why your parents are letting you travel for this wedding.

 

[Steve5D]

Until I am 18 I am calling my contracts "Agreements"...

You might want to look up the word "semantics".

If a "contract" isn't valid if you're under 18, what makes you believe that an "agreement" would be?

I never said it would be valid, nothing I sign will be until I am 18.

Okay.

I guess I'm just a little puzzled by changing it from "contract" to "agreement", since there's really no benefit to doing it...

 

[Steve5D]

If you feel that a contract is necessary, just have a signed contract between your parents and whomever is hiring you stating that your parents are providing services (photography). As a business law student that is a way of getting out of your struggle of being a minor and having a contract with validity. Just as long as the contract is signed by your parents, you, and your employer for your parents services then everything should be fine.

But to need an extensive contract as a minor makes me wonder why your parents are letting you travel for this wedding.

The obvious issue here is, if the parents aren't proficient photographers, their signatures are basically only saying "We think our son is a proficient photographer".

Of course, he may or may no be, but odds are the parents would believe he is, regardless of anything else.

If I were not a proficient photographer, I don't know that I'd hang my neck out there like that...

 

[tirediron]

If you feel that a contract is necessary, just have a signed contract between your parents and whomever is hiring you stating that your parents are providing services (photography). As a business law student that is a way of getting out of your struggle of being a minor and having a contract with validity. Just as long as the contract is signed by your parents, you, and your employer for your parents services then everything should be fine.

But to need an extensive contract as a minor makes me wonder why your parents are letting you travel for this wedding.

The obvious issue here is, if the parents aren't proficient photographers, their signatures are basically only saying "We think our son is a proficient photographer".

Of course, he may or may no be, but odds are the parents would believe he is, regardless of anything else.

If I were not a proficient photographer, I don't know that I'd hang my neck out there like that...

Proficiency isn't normally something covered or guaranteed by contract. If it is, the photographer would be letting himself in for all kinds of lawsuits. Most wedding contracts I'm familiar with cover payment, changes to the agreed coverage, no-show, etc, but NOT a certain quality of work.

 

[Steve5D]

If you feel that a contract is necessary, just have a signed contract between your parents and whomever is hiring you stating that your parents are providing services (photography). As a business law student that is a way of getting out of your struggle of being a minor and having a contract with validity. Just as long as the contract is signed by your parents, you, and your employer for your parents services then everything should be fine.

But to need an extensive contract as a minor makes me wonder why your parents are letting you travel for this wedding.

The obvious issue here is, if the parents aren't proficient photographers, their signatures are basically only saying "We think our son is a proficient photographer".

Of course, he may or may no be, but odds are the parents would believe he is, regardless of anything else.

If I were not a proficient photographer, I don't know that I'd hang my neck out there like that...

Proficiency isn't normally something covered or guaranteed by contract. If it is, the photographer would be letting himself in for all kinds of lawsuits. Most wedding contracts I'm familiar with cover payment, changes to the agreed coverage, no-show, etc, but NOT a certain quality of work.

Oh, I totally understand that.

When I sign a contract with a client, though, that client is comfortable knowing that they're going to be getting a photographer who knows what he's doing. While it's not in the contract, it's certainly implied.

In this case, though, the client would be relying on the parent's assessment of the minor's capability with a camera. To put it in perspective: Being a photographer, I look at my daughter's photography with a critical eye. Her mother, on the other hand, views it as the best thing since white toothpaste.

If the kid is a complete hack (and I'm saying that ONLY for discussion's sake), odds are that Mom and Dad are still going to think he's a great photographer, and will act accordingly.

I just think it's dangerous ground on which to trod...