All sessions and events booked require a non-refundable retainer paid at booking, as well as a signed contract. Sessions are not considered booked and will not be honored until both the retainer and signed contract have been received. All session retainers can be handled via invoice, wedding retainers due in cash at consultation with review of the contract, with an e-sign contract to follow.
Portrait Sessions: 50% of the session fee
Full-Length Boudoir Sessions: $250
Wedding Event Coverage: 30% of collection investment
Mini-Sessions: Varies
At Melody Ellis Photography, we do our best to accommodate every need for all clients and understand that situations and event scheduling can change without warning and even last-minute. With that being said, we also need to be able to accommodate other clients should you no longer need our services. We appreciate your understanding this and giving us as much notice as possible should your event/session be postponed or canceled.
Cancellations for wedding events should be made no less than 45 days prior to the wedding date. All wedding clients are allowed one reschedule without incurring additional cancellation and/or rebooking fees. Wedding contracts will be honored, including all fees paid, per discretion of Melody Ellis Photography. Should you need to cancel your wedding event for any reason, please contact us so we can discuss contract and cancellation fees. Full wedding policy will be provided to all wedding clients at your consultation.
For all full sessions, a cancellation window of no less than 24 hours applies, and all retainers are 100% non-refundable. Sessions can be rescheduled once if given 24-hour notice and if the new date is set for no more than 90 days of the original session. If you are unable to make your rescheduled full session, your retainer is considered forfeit. Forfeiture policy does not include inclement weather, COVID-19 of client, critical illness, or family death (please see below).
MINI SESSIONS ARE CONSIDERED DIFFERENTLY THAN REGULAR SESSIONS:
Themed/custom mini sessions cannot be rescheduled and will not be refunded.
We understand things happen. Therefore, if for any reason you must completely cancel your session or mini session, we do allow the option for you to "sell" your appointment to someone else (friend, family member, etc.). This means they pay you the amount of your retainer, and the remainder is due at the session they have purchased from you.
No-call/No-show sessions will forfeit all fees paid prior to your session, and any future sessions will require payment in full at scheduling. If the Photographer must reschedule due to weather, acts of God or other unforeseen circumstances, a makeup day will be rescheduled for all that signed up.
Last minute postponement of your session/wedding date shall allow all fees currently paid to be fully transferable, at the original rates set forth in the contract, to the new date under the following conditions:
An eminent threat requiring reschedule due to weather or other forces outside of our control
Death/diagnosis must have according within 48 hours of your submission of notice, proof required.
Death of family pertains only to immediate family directly related to those being photographed
Rescheduled date must be within 3 months of the original date of events/session
All retainers are 100% non-refundable. No refunds will be issue due to cancellations or reschedules, including but not limited to weather not suitable for sessions and common illness.
Melody Ellis Photography is not responsible for the results of photography due to ill conduct of the photographed party. It is understood that weddings are stressful, but it is our recommendation that alcohol consumption be kept to a responsible amount until your reception to ensure all requested photos are captured during the prep time, ceremony, and wedding party photos. Only the best images are included in your gallery. Therefore, your gallery may not contain all photos requested should the photographed party be unable or unwilling to conduct themselves accordingly due to alcohol or other influences.
For all other sessions, it will be at the photographer’s discretion to continue the session should the photographed party be unable or unwilling to conduct themselves accordingly due to alcohol or other influences.
Should Melody Ellis Photography be unable to perform this contract due to any reason on behalf of the contracted client party, venue, or otherwise beyond the scope of photography Melody Ellis Photography shall not be liable for any amount of all monies paid. Should Melody Ellis Photography be unable to perform this contract due to fire, accident, strike, act of nature, illness, or personal emergency, Melody Ellis Photography shall return all fees to the client, but shall have no further liability with respect to the contract, and shall not be held liable for any amount in excess of all monies paid. This limitation on liability shall also apply in the event that the photographic materials are damaged in processing, lost through camera or other media malfunction, lost in the mail, or otherwise lost or damaged without fault on the part of the photographer. In the event Melody Ellis Photography fails to perform for any other reason, Melody Ellis Photography shall not be liable for any amount in excess of all monies paid.