Photographing during COVID-19

Hi Everyone! What a year 2020 was and what a year 2021 is becoming. I know times have been very difficult filled with loss, challenges and heartbreak but I am hoping everyone is doing as well as they can be during these times. I don't update this blog often but I do want to share that I am still booking photoshoots during this time. I had stopped photographing most of last year to practice safety but towards the end of last year I began accepting smaller photoshoots. At this time, I am accepting inquiries and apologies for any missed ones too. There seemed to be a bug on my website and I wasn't receiving all the messages in my email. Below are a few Q/A's for booking during COVID-19. XOXO - Analú

WILL YOU STILL BE PHOTOGRAPHING OUR WEDDING/EVENT/PHOTO SESSION? 

Yes, absolutely! I still plan to photograph 100% of the weddings I have scheduled for this year, as long as your event carries forward and we are within any laws and limitations set by the State of Illinois and the United States. 

ON CANCELLATIONS AND RESCHEDULING –

WEDDINGS:

Should you need to reschedule, postpone, or cancel your wedding, your first point of call should be your wedding insurance if you have it. They should be able to talk you through their position that is specific to your policy if the government declares a lockdown, or if the wedding has to be postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19. They will let you know your next steps, which will help when you chat with your vendors. 

Should the government or CDC recommendations of social distancing and quarantine lead you to cancel your wedding, whether as a result of the venue, planner, other vendors or your own personal choice, I understand and respect your decision. 

As the situation is (still) evolving and I expect you would like to see how things change and progress as time passes. I imagine that the last thing you want to do is cancel or reschedule and I know that your choices will be largely dependent on so many personal factors: Travel plans of your guests, home location of your families and friends, recommendations and requests by your venue and vendors, etc.

I won’t pressure you to make this call sooner than you have to; please know I am on your team.  

OTHER EVENTS & PHOTO SESSIONS: 

If you need to cancel any other event or photo session, I can work with you to reschedule and use the deposit towards a credit for future photoshoots but at this time I an unable to issue a refund. 

WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR RETAINER, CONTRACT, WEDDING DATE, ETC., IF WE NEED TO RESCHEDULE OUR WEDDING?

As you know, I received a non-refundable retainer upon booking your wedding. If the wedding is cancelled or rescheduled, whether as a result of government recommendation, third party choice (venue, etc) or personal choice, I will not refund this retainer. That said, should you choose to cancel and not reschedule you will of course not be expected to pay any remaining balance beyond the retainer on your wedding photo contract.

I am making a huge exception to my contract because of the pandemic: You may reschedule your 2020/2021 wedding date and apply the entire retainer towards a new date. While under normal circumstances this would be considered a cancellation, I am allowing you to transfer your contract to a new date with no fee or penalty. 

HOW DO WE RESCHEDULE OUR WEDDING? 

• You must reach out before locking in a reschedule date to get my availability. I will be making every possible day available to you that I am not already booked.
• Once you have a new date that you have checked on with me booked with your venue we will sign a new contract transferring your existing contract to the new date.
• Should you choose a date without checking on my availability first or should you choose a date that you know that I am booked for, you will be considered as cancelling your contract and forfeiting your retainer.
• All rescheduled weddings must take place before the end of 2021 or 2022 or your contract will be considered cancelled by you and your retainer forfeited.

WHAT IF WE DECIDE TO CANCEL THE WEDDING ALTOGETHER? CAN WE GET A REFUND?

Refunds on retainers for cancelled weddings are not available. I am not making an exception to this part of our contract.

That being said, beyond a rescheduled wedding, I am making additional exceptions to our contract under the unique circumstances of this pandemic: Your retainer can be used toward another photo session such as an elopement, engagement photos or adventure session, or something else we discuss that is comparable in scope to wedding photography. These must be scheduled and used by the end of 2021.

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE GET SICK?  WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET SICK?

I do ask that if you or your future spouse present symptoms of illness and if you choose to go against CDC recommendations and still have your wedding, that you let me know. It is my feeling that in this case you should immediately cancel your event to reduce the spread of this virus to your guests and vendors. As your photographer I spend a lot of time with you and come in very close contact all day. I do not feel comfortable or safe photographing your wedding if you are exhibiting possible symptoms of COVID-19.

Similarly, if I exhibit symptoms I will find a replacement shooter to cover your wedding based on the agreement laid out in our contract. I take your health very seriously. I am in regular and close contact with a large network of amazing photographers both locally and internationally and we have all agreed to support and cover each other if need be.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

If there is something that I didn’t cover in the above text, please let me know. I am on your team and want you to have the most amazing wedding you can possibly have. I am here to help you however I can. If you have any questions as to my protocols, plans, contracts or payment schedules, please ask. I think it’s important for all of us to know where we stand and so that you can communicate clearly with each other, your family, your guests, your other wedding vendors and your wedding insurance should you need to. Please reach out via email if you have any additional questions or want to start a personal conversation.