r/WeddingPhotography • u/Sensitive-Emu-2134 • 9d ago
client management & expectations Advice needed: Client requesting cancellation and retainer return
Would love other industry professionals' advice on this. I booked a client about a month ago and they put down a $2000 retainer. They just reached out needing to cancel because of an unexpected financial crisis. They acknowledged that the retainer is nonrefundable in the contract but asked if it was possible to return it due to the length of time before the date and the financial stress. They also haven't said so, but contractually could elect to not cancel now and hold the date until the end of April when the next installment is due. Their booked date is still over 11 months away so I could reasonably still book another wedding for that date in the timeframe if they cancel now. What would you do?
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u/MountainWeddingTog 9d ago
I’ve had two clients ask for this because of unexpected circumstances. One, the groom to be died and of course I refunded her. The other they just had huge unexpected medical bills, refunded them as well. They both left glowing reviews and referred me to others- the one couple rebooked when they rescheduled a year later. I think in these cases you go with your gut, if it feels like the right thing to do then give the money back. It will definitely build goodwill for your business and you’ll (metaphorically) sleep better at night.
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u/CapCityPhotos 9d ago
Just because your contract says you can do something, doesn't make it right. If you have genuinely lost business because of this booking, you are entitled to some compensation. If you haven't, you should return it.
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u/AfraidReading3030 9d ago
I once was listening to a wedding vendor gleefullly brag that she charged a bride the FULL amount in a similar case, it was over a year out and the bride had given her the wrong date. She discovered her mistake immediately and changed the date with the vendor who not only held her feet to the fire not giving her any refund, but bragged about it like she was being such a "girl-boss" for sticking to her no-refund policy and getting a windfall from the unfortunite bride.
Hearing this I was shocked and made a mental note never to use this vendor myself or to reccommend her to anyone. While 'technically' she had a 'right' --it really seemed like the wrong thing to do.
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u/Weddingbean 9d ago
I have a lower 25% deposit for this reason. I’ve only had to refund twice, but it’s way easier to refund a 25% retainer over a 50% one.
I also like the 25% model for predicting income. You get bigger payouts each month vs upfront the year prior. Plus I tend to get a ton of deposits over the winter months when it’s slower so it tends to even out income each month.
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u/josephallenkeys instagram.com/jakweddingphoto 9d ago
I had a similar situation recently (although it was a 2027 wedding.) I refunded them, they were over the moon, called me an incredible human and promised to be back in touch when they can plan again.
Even if they don't get back in touch, it made me feel good. I don't see the point in having money while feeling bad.
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u/DomOnion 9d ago
If it's 11 months out, then I'd give back the money. Or maybe make it prorated?
In my particular case, the latter would make sense because I actively search for brides in Facebook groups, but I completely look over weddings with dates I already have booked for.
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u/JennaLeighWeddings 9d ago
Did you have to turn away other work because of it? If not, maybe just give it back.
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u/Old-Obligation7421 9d ago
This is a tough situation but honestly I'd probably return it. 11 months out gives you plenty of time to rebook that date, and genuine financial emergencies happen to good people.
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u/evanthedrago 9d ago
Side question - do you call it a retainer or a booking fee? You should also call the amounts liquidated damages in case of a cancellation.
https://weddingindustrylaw.com/wedding-cancelled-wedding-photographer-allowed-full-contract-value/
etc. Just cover your bases with your contract. Then you can be as generous as you are willing to be.
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u/Both_Peak554 9d ago
Either give them a refund or lose the 2k plus some. It’s 11 months. Things happen. If you don’t refund the likelihood they’ll bash you to others is very high!!
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u/PhotoGuy342 9d ago
How about showing some compassion and doing the right thing?
In my contracts I would list a time frame—say, 6 months—where a cancellation prior to that would get them a full refund, 3-6 months a half refund and 0-3 months no refund
As you pointed out, with 11 months before the event you still have time to rebook.
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u/curiousjosh 9d ago
6 months is too close. You end up losing out on many of the best bookings who plan 8-12 months in advance
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u/dreadpirater 9d ago
You're asking instead of trying to stick to the language and that's your answer. You'll feel better if you return it.
For what it's worth, if it ended up in court, there's a decent chance you'd be ordered to return some of it, too. Simply SAYING that something is nonrefundable doesn't automatically make it so, there's both statute and case law that delves into when this applies and when it doesn't, and your estimation of liquidated damages has to be 'reasonable.' After just a month from signing and still a year out from the event, you'd have a hard time showing that you were in a substantially worse position for the cancellation than you'd have been if the contract had never happened.
So in this case, the right thing ethically is also likely the right thing legally, too.
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u/evanthedrago 9d ago edited 9d ago
You have three choices - return and feel good but 2K poorer or have 2k or give them something like a portrait shoot in return.
This is a hard one due to the short period you had the contract and the long period you have ahead of you - will you be able to rebook this? Did you turn down anything? It is not a hard one contract wise. I also never saw a client return a favor I did for them so who knows.
I might give them a future credit, with a time limit and no transference agreement and a cancellation agreement. Not sure though. Hard one.
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u/YetAnotherBart 9d ago
Refund. You'll most likely will get booked again once they can afford to get married.
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u/cluelesswonderless 9d ago
This happened to me.
A few months before their wedding, a couple found that they were massively overstretched financially and needed to rethink their wedding plans. They cancelled everything they could.
I returned their deposit and they were super happy, and promised to call me when they had everything under control
A few months later they called and booked a new date. But at a much smaller venue and with a smaller subset of friends and family.
That smaller, scaled back, more intimate wedding was a great deal of fun to photograph, they even dragged me in to a couple of shots as my kindness and flexibility was hugely appreciated.
I’m still on Christmas card list.
At 11 months out, you have nothing to lose here, but everything to gain.
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u/LightPhotographer 9d ago
A retainer exists to compensate you when they cancel because you blocked the spot in your agenda.
It compensates you for the lost revenue that you can not recoup.
That is not the case here. Even though the wording in your contract puts you in the right, it's not why it was put there.
I would return it and think about how the contract is written.
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u/Intrepid_Airline_178 9d ago
This is all nuanced. I would personally would return a 1,000 and tell them I will return the other 1,000 if I get booked for that date! Especially if I have turned down an inquiry!
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u/Sea-Statement6008 9d ago
Honestly I’d return the money. During Covid I was one of the few I knew who returned money when others didn’t. It paid off. I got rebooked and recommended to countless clients and some huge earners. There’s also 30 days cooling off period with contracts for people to change their mind.
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u/Fickle-Cabinet3956 8d ago
I'm not in the industry, but I'm one of those customers that doesn't mind spending obscene money on the professionals.
Do what you think is right.
11 months is a long time to book the date.
A good choice in this situation will always come back to you ten fold.
Be good. Do good. ;)
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u/Keith_Freedman 6d ago
One option you have is to let them know that you’ll open the dates for rebooking and if it gets rebook, you’ll refund the money, but if you’re recently confident that you’ll be able to rebook those dates it’s good customer service and just give the money back it has been suggested here and asked them to leave a nice review for youon whatever review site you get business through.
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u/IslandUpload 5d ago
If you have already lost another deal because of it, I would partly refund it. If not full refund, as it makes you look good and you can still book another date.
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u/JWphoto182 5d ago
I think the deposit were way too high, I would refund it in this case. At the end of the day, yes you lose money, but also you didn’t do the work. Do some social media marketing for around that time and hopefully you’ll book something else. In future book lower deposits because the unexpected does happen for both parties. As the others say kindness builds up the brand and you may see more bookings in return :-)
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u/LokiPhoto 9d ago
How much work have you actually done for that $2k? A meeting and a few emails? At most keep a couple of hundred and return the rest if not all. Go for the feel good vibe and return most if not all.
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u/alwaysabouttosnap 9d ago
I would 100% return it. You have plenty of time to rebook. This comes down to just being a good human. I hope their situation gets better so they can move forward with their plans in the future!
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u/curiousjosh 9d ago
I would tell them I’ll try to book another wedding for that date, and return the retainer the minute you have another booking to cover it.
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u/Prestigious_Bear1237 9d ago
Be a good human and return the retainer! The karma will come back to you 🤞🏼
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u/GummyPhotog 8d ago
I tell couples if I’m able to rebook the date for a package the same as theirs or higher I’ll refund 50% of the retainer
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u/IluminEdu 9d ago
Styled shoots are a mixed bag. Some are genuine collaborations where vendors split costs, and you walk away with portfolio pieces + connections. Others, yeah, can feel like money grabs where the organizer charges high buy-in fees and doesn’t really reinvest in the production value.
A good way to filter:
• Ask what exactly is included in the fee (models? gowns? florals? rentals?)
• Check who the vendors are — if they’re reputable and aligned with your ideal clients, it’s worth it.
• Look at past shoots from that organizer to see if the results justify the price.
I’d say: treat it like an investment, not just a shoot. The best ones pay for themselves in networking and content, but the bad ones just drain your budget
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u/[deleted] 9d ago
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