Understanding Your Wedding Videography Contract
Planning a wedding means signing a lot of paperwork. While agreements can feel like dry legal formalities, they are essential for setting clear expectations. Since we first started shooting together as a husband-and-wife team in 2017, our contract has evolved to ensure both our couples and our creative process are fully supported.
Whether we are capturing your day locally around Toronto or traveling for a destination wedding, here is a look at a few specific items you will find in an Eksena Films contract.
4 Key Clauses We Include (And Why)
The Soundtrack to Your Story: Music is the heartbeat of your wedding film, and as your storytellers, we pour a lot of love into hand-selecting the perfect soundtrack. We take all our cues from the energy of your day and the songs you naturally gravitate towards, sourcing incredible, licensed tracks that perfectly match your vibe. If you have a specific vision or want to collaborate on the music selection, we just ask that you let us know before signing the contract so we can map out a creative plan together!
Fueling the Creative Team (and Catching Every Moment!): To keep our energy up for capturing all those beautiful memories, our contract includes one hot vendor meal for each of us. We also kindly ask to be seated in the main reception room with your guests rather than tucked away in a separate vendor room. Being right there in the action means we won't miss a single beat—we want to be completely ready with our cameras the second grandpa decides to stand up for a spontaneous, unscheduled toast!
Artistry Over Strict Timelines: Because we treat every wedding film as a unique piece of art, we don't rush the editing process with hard deadlines. Typically, your film will be ready in 1 to 3 months, depending on the flow of the season (an October celebration during peak season takes a bit longer to edit than a quieter January wedding). However, we always work our hardest to have all our late-season films beautifully wrapped up by Christmas, so you can cozy up and share those memories with your family over the holidays.
A Joyful and Safe Environment: Weddings are all about celebrating love, and keeping that positive, respectful energy flowing is so important to us. While we are incredibly lucky that this clause comes from industry cautionary tales rather than our own personal experience, it is in our contract to ensure a safe environment for everyone. In the highly unlikely event that our team ever feels threatened or unsafe, we would respectfully let you know and depart, and your final film would be edited using the beautiful footage we safely captured up to that moment.
What to Look For in Every Vendor Contract
While our contract sets us up for creative success, your vendor agreements must also protect you. Ensure the following areas are clearly outlined before signing any wedding contract:
Deliverables & Revisions: Clearly defines exactly what you receive (e.g., a 5-minute highlight film) and limits on editing revisions.
Payment Schedule: Breaks down the retainer, milestone payments, and final due dates to avoid any financial surprises.
Cancellation Policy: Outlines what happens to your money and retainer if the wedding is called off or rescheduled.
Force Majeure: Protects both parties from liability during unpredictable acts of God, extreme weather, or emergencies.