…is something my clients will never say.

This is a communication problem. Being on the wrong end of this creates fear: of getting ripped off, short changed, misled, mis-sold or downright defrauded.

The reason this is a communication problem is because  photographers have a duty to help their clients understand what they are paying for. If the contract is going to say that all delivered images must be paid for on top of the up-front fee then it's beholden to the photographer to make sure that's understood before the contract is signed.

Good communication is not the same as constant communication — calling the couple every week for a year to check everything is still on track; sending a large volume of texts and emails to try to build a personal relationship on top of the professional one — this could be your style as a photographer, and if it is, that's something else the couple needs to know before they engage you.

Good communication is returning their calls when they do wish to talk, being clear and consistent from the outset and definitely not hiding basic costs in the smallprint.

I don't personally know any photographer or other wedding supplier who is not intentionally clear about their costs, so I hope this is a dying ‘breed’. The wedding suppliers that I know understand that they have a responsibility to handle a person's wedding day experience with the utmost care — that's the job.

‍