Hey friends,

Hope you're not hoarding toilet paper and fighting with others over the last bottle of hand sanitizer in your local Walmart. In a time of coronavirus outbreak, also known as COVID-19, we need to be kind, patient, and united.

Everything changes more quickly than was expected. Life in the US is grinding to a halt. Sports events, public gatherings, concerts are being postponed or canceled, schools are being closed for at least a few weeks, and the CDC recommends all gatherings of more than 50 people be banned for the next two months. Federal and local governments take drastic measures, and it looks like all events, including weddings, are being postponed or canceled till mid-May as of today. 

As a wedding photographer, I feel it super hard. Four of my weddings are being postponed. The same happens with engagement sessions. I had to cancel my trips to Georgia and Switzerland in late April. Which of course sucks, but I cannot risk it. I understand that though I might not be in a high-risk group, my responsibility is to stop the spread of the virus. The last thing I would want to happen is spreading the virus among wedding guests. 

It's an incredibly stressful time for couples that were planning their weddings this Spring. I know how much time and heart my clients poured into planning their weddings, and I want to take at least some stress off their shoulders and help in any way I can. You, as a wedding photographer, should do it for your clients too. Reassure your couples one more time about your services and what YOU do to protect them and yourself from being struck with any negative consequences from COVID-19. 

Firstly, read, and then re-read your contracts.

Make sure you understand all clauses, especially "Cancelation," "Rescheduling," "Force Majeure," and "Payment" clauses. If your contract lacks some of the information that you discovered in the light of this situation, it's a great time to update your contracts! Don't be sneaky with your clients, though! Be transparent, explain what changes you’ve made, reassure them, and send new contracts only if both parties agree to resign. I am not a lawyer, so I can't tell you what to do in every individual situation, but I want to recommend these resources: 

The Legal Paige - https://thelegalpaige.com/
Paige is a lawyer for creatives, and she specializes in helping photographers! You can find contract templates on her websites, as well as seek legal advice if you need to. 

Also, The Law Tog - https://thelawtog.com/
Another great resource if you're looking for contract templates made my real lawyers. 

However, make sure to have your local attorney look through your contracts too. Your agreements must be intact with local laws!

Secondly, be proactive with your clients! 

Please don't wait for them to contact you first about possible rescheduling/cancellations. They're in a lot of stress right now, and probably dealing with 10-15 other vendors and their contracts. Shoot them supporting email with a short explanation of what happens if they decide to postpone/cancel their wedding. Be transparent with your clients! You're the one who should take care of them and show what a great business owner you are! 

Lastly, stay safe and stay positive!

Don't let fear and uncertainty to fill your heart! Weddings will be postponed and some canceled, but you can use this time to blog, learn something new, update your contracts, read books, spend quality time with your kids and your pets. It's not the end of the world. Stay home. Keep your head up, it will blow over soon.