Terms and Conditions.
FOR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILM SERVICES
In these Terms and Conditions, "the Photographer" means Once in a Lifetime Photography, Paul Hickey, or any photographer or filmmaker appointed by Once in a Lifetime Photography. "The Clients" means the individuals named on the booking portal.
These Terms and Conditions, together with the package details on the booking portal, form the whole agreement between the Photographer and the Clients. They can only be changed if both parties agree in writing.
Where a third party pays some or all of the booking costs, the agreement remains solely with the Clients.
By paying the booking fee, the Clients confirm that they have read, understood and agreed to these Terms and Conditions in full. Payment of the booking fee forms a binding agreement, whether or not a separate written contract has been signed.
1. Booking and Payment
A booking fee of 10% of the total package price secures the wedding date. Once the cooling-off period in clause 2 has ended, the booking fee is non-refundable. It reflects the Photographer's genuine estimate of the loss caused by turning away other bookings for that date.
The remaining balance is due no later than 28 days before the wedding date.
Payments can be made by bank transfer, credit card or debit card.
All quotations are valid for 30 days from the date issued.
If the balance is not paid by the due date, the Photographer may treat the booking as cancelled by the Clients.
No images or films will be delivered until all payments due have been made in full.
Travel within approximately 60 miles of Worcestershire is included. Travel and any accommodation needed for weddings further away will be quoted and agreed before booking.
2. Your 14-Day Cooling-Off Period
If the Clients booked online, by email or by phone, they may cancel within 14 days of paying the booking fee and receive a full refund.
If the Clients ask the Photographer to start work within those 14 days, for example a pre-wedding shoot or planning consultation, a proportionate charge may be made for work already carried out.
Cancellations within the cooling-off period must be made in writing.
3. Cancellation by the Clients
All cancellations must be made in writing. After the cooling-off period, the following charges apply:
More than 3 months before the wedding date: the booking fee is retained.
1 to 3 months before the wedding date: 50% of the total fee is payable.
Less than 1 month before the wedding date: 100% of the total fee is payable.
Any amount owed under these charges becomes payable immediately on cancellation.
4. Changing the Wedding Date
The Clients may move their wedding to a new date once, provided the new date falls within 12 months of the original date and the Photographer is available.
All payments already made will transfer to the new date. If the new date falls in a later year, that year's package pricing applies and any difference is payable with the balance.
If the Photographer is not available on the new date, or the new date is more than 12 months after the original date, the change will be treated as a cancellation. The charges in clause 3 will then apply, based on the original wedding date.
Any further date changes will also be treated as a cancellation.
5. Coverage
The Photographer will personally photograph the wedding day.
Where coverage of more than one location is needed at the same time, for example separate morning preparations, a professional second photographer can be added for £300. This must be agreed in advance.
Coverage times are set out in the Clients' package. For full-day packages, coverage usually begins around three hours before the ceremony and continues until at least one hour after the first dance.
If the Clients ask the Photographer to stay beyond the agreed coverage, additional time is charged at £100 per hour or part hour. Extra time is subject to the Photographer's availability on the day.
6. Creative Licence, Requested and Must-Have Shots
The Photographer has creative discretion over posing and staging, locations, shooting style, editing approach, and technical decisions.
The Photographer works in a documentary style, photographing the day as it unfolds. Coverage reflects what happens on the day. Moments, portraits or groupings that do not take place cannot be photographed afterwards.
Any must-have images, such as particular portraits, family groupings or people photographed together, must be listed in the wedding questionnaire and confirmed at the pre-wedding consultation. Images not listed in this way cannot be guaranteed.
Reasonable efforts will be made to capture all requested images. However, weather, changes to the day's timings, venue rules, and the willingness of guests to take part may mean that not every requested image can be taken. If preparations or other parts of the day run late, time for portraits may be shortened.
Some venues, registrars and officiants restrict photography or filming, for example during the ceremony or the use of flash. The Photographer will follow these rules and cannot be held responsible for images or footage that cannot be taken as a result.
7. Creative Night Portraits and Effects
Evening portraits may use off-camera flash, coloured gels, smoke, bubbles, champagne sprays and similar effects. These are only used with the Clients' agreement and where the venue permits them.
The Clients and any guests take part in these effects voluntarily. The Photographer will take reasonable care, but is not liable for marks, staining or damage to clothing, hair, make-up or personal property caused by effects the Clients have agreed to.
8. Wedding Films
8.1 All films. This clause applies where any film is included in the Clients’ package. Every film is an edit, not a record of every moment. Clips are arranged to suit the music and the story of the day, and may not appear in time order. Unedited footage is not supplied.
8.2 Films with a dedicated videographer. The Wedding Highlights Film, Signature Wedding Film and Complete Film Collection are filmed by a dedicated videographer. Running times and inclusions are as described for the Clients’ package.
8.3 Hybrid Highlight Reel. The Hybrid Highlight Reel is a 3 to 5 minute reel made from short clips recorded by the photography team between photographs. Photography takes priority throughout, so a moment being photographed may not also be filmed. It does not include the full ceremony, full speeches or speech audio, and is not a substitute for a dedicated videographer.
8.4 Music. Films are edited to licensed music. The Clients may suggest up to three songs before the wedding. The final choice rests with the Photographer, to suit the footage and music licensing.
8.5 Audio. Ceremony and speech audio depends on venue and officiant rules, and on the equipment that can be used on the day. Clear audio cannot be guaranteed in every setting.
8.6 Delivery. Films are delivered within 8 to 10 weeks of the wedding.
8.7 Changes after delivery. The Clients may request one round of minor changes within 14 days of receiving their film, such as swapping a clip or a short section. Changes must be sent in writing as a single list. Further changes, or a substantially different edit, are charged at £75 per hour.
9. Image Delivery
Final edited images will be delivered within 6 to 8 weeks of the wedding, or up to 12 weeks during peak season.
Images are supplied through a private online gallery as high-resolution digital files, edited to the Photographer's professional standard.
A natural colour balance will be provided. Exact colour matching cannot be guaranteed, as some fabrics, dyes and lighting conditions record differently on camera from how they appear to the eye.
Images and films are stored securely for a minimum of 12 months after delivery. The Clients are responsible for downloading and keeping their own backup copies.
10. Copyright and Image Usage
Copyright of all images and films remains with the Photographer under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
The Photographer grants the Clients:
Personal usage rights
Full printing rights for personal use
Permission to share images on social media
Permission to supply images to other wedding suppliers for non-commercial use
The Clients may edit images for personal use. When tagging or crediting Once in a Lifetime Photography, only the unedited images as delivered should be used, so that the Photographer's work is represented accurately.
11. Display and Promotional Use
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Clients allow the Photographer to:
Display images and films from the wedding
Use them on the Photographer's website, social media, portfolio, marketing and advertising
Enter them into competitions and professional wedding photography awards
All images will be used respectfully. The Clients may tell the Photographer at booking, in writing, if they would prefer their images not to be used, and any specific concerns will be respected.
12. Albums, Prints and Additional Orders
All album, print and product orders must be confirmed in writing and are payable when ordered.
Album designs must be approved by the Clients before printing. The Photographer is not responsible for errors in an album or order that the Clients have approved.
13. Equipment and Insurance
The Photographer carries professional indemnity insurance and uses professional backup systems, including:
Multiple camera bodies
Dual memory card recording
Same-day image backups
Secure cloud storage
14. If the Photographer Cannot Attend
If total photographic failure or the Photographer's illness or injury prevents the agreed service from being provided, all money paid for that service will be refunded in full.
The Photographer will also give reasonable help to find a replacement photographer where possible.
15. Limitation of Liability
The Photographer's total liability to the Clients, for any reason, is limited to the total value of the agreement.
The Photographer is not liable for any indirect or consequential loss.
Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or any other liability that cannot be limited by law.
16. Events Beyond Reasonable Control
Neither party will be liable for failure or delay caused by events beyond their reasonable control. These include accident, extreme weather, natural disaster, fire, flood, epidemic or pandemic, civil unrest, government orders or restrictions, venue closure, and failure of transport or power.
The affected party will tell the other party as soon as reasonably possible and take reasonable steps to limit the disruption.
The parties will first try to agree a new date under clause 4. If no new date can be agreed, either party may end the agreement in writing, and all payments made will be refunded except the booking fee.
The Photographer's own illness or injury is covered by clause 14.
17. Planning and Timeline
A detailed questionnaire will be issued on booking.
A pre-wedding consultation, in person, by phone or by video call, will take place around 2 to 3 weeks before the wedding.
Venue visits are available within 25 miles of DY11 6UQ.
Group photographs usually take around 5 minutes per group.
Three couple portrait sessions are usually scheduled: after the group photographs, after the wedding breakfast, and an evening creative session. Exact timings will be agreed during planning.
18. Meals and Breaks
A hot main meal is requested for the Photographer, and for any second photographer, during the wedding breakfast.
The Photographer may be seated separately and will remain available to capture key moments during this time.
19. Privacy and Data Protection
The Photographer handles personal data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Personal information is stored securely and used only to plan and deliver the Clients' wedding photography and film.
Personal data is never sold. It is shared only with the services needed to deliver the work, such as client management software, online gallery hosting, print laboratories and any second photographer.
Contact details are used only for wedding-related communication.
20. Raising Concerns
If the Clients have any concerns about their images or film, they are asked to raise them in writing within 28 days of delivery, so they can be looked at promptly. This does not affect the Clients’ statutory rights.