Last updated April 2020
From the Owner:
“This webpage is designed to be a helpful resource for current clients and pending inquires about Mark Spooner Photography’s current response to the coronavirus outbreak. These circumstances are very fluid and I empathize with the additional stress that I’m sure this causes as you evaluate the potential impact these circumstances might have on your wedding plans. I want to assure you that my business and I are prepared to handle these unknowns with careful discernment and I personally want to be as accommodating as I can be to help manage the process. Below is a summary of FAQs that I have been fielding, along with a summary of MSP’s current operational plan given the fluid nature of these circumstances. I will plan to update this page as needed as I continue to monitor the situation. Remember that despite the situation, your wedding is an important day that that deserves to be celebrated. We are all in this together and community is fear’s greatest adversary.”
Best,
Mark
FAQ
*the information below is in direct response to the coronavirus outbreak. Changes in wedding plans not directly related to the COVID-19 outbreak will be treated on a case-by-case basis per the terms of our contract(s). The details and offerings below also hinge on cheerful and reliable communication between client and MSP.
What is MSP’s response if we need to postpone our wedding due to coronavirus?
I understand the very real possibility that coronavirus may impact your wedding plans—whether due to travel restrictions, quarantines, concern for the health of family members, or being sick yourself. In the event that you do choose to reschedule due to coronavirus for a new date that I am available for, I would be happy to transfer your retainer fee to that new wedding date. My 2020 wedding season is densely packed with other booked wedding dates, so please be in touch as soon as possible if you anticipate transitioning your wedding plans so that I can evaluate my availability as quickly as possible. Should rescheduling require you to push your wedding date out into 2021, we can connect on a case-by-case basis to evaluate payment schedules and potential modifications to your wedding package rate. Given the circumstances, MSP is making an effort to be as flexible as possible while still preserving the capacity for my business to take on new work next year. For this reason, my working framework for 2021 rescheduling availability is to attempt to reschedule all COVID-related postponements to early 2021 if at all possible (March through May). If we need to look beyond May 2021, I'm encouraging clients to consider Friday and Sunday dates. Weddings rescheduled to prime Saturday dates in 2021 may incur a rebooking fee to reflect the loss of MSP’s ability to book new work on that date.
What if we choose to change the size & scope of our wedding celebration?
Many of my clients are opting for an elopement or intimate wedding (pending CDC and local guidelines) to take place on their original wedding date with subsequent plans to reschedule their large celebration until a later time. MSP is very willing to work with clients to evaluate how their current wedding plans might be adapted in size & scope in response to COVID-19. I have photographed many elopements over the years and these are still a beautiful way of celebrating your marriage. If you choose to transition your initial wedding plans into an elopement or significantly more intimate celebration to avoid the potential risks associated with larger crowds, we can transition your existing payments to this celebration and re-evaluate an appropriate package to suit the scope of your new plans. Please reach out to discuss the possibilities.
What happens if MSP becomes sick or quarantined before our wedding?
If MSP becomes sick with symptoms of COVID-19 or am quarantined and unable to photograph your wedding, MSP will contact you as early as possible to keep you appraised of the situation. MSP will make quick efforts to connect you with a substitute photographer in the event of its inability to perform (See substitute photographer clause in our contract). In the event of such a substitution, MSP will edit your photos to ensure that they are processed in a manor consistent with its brand.
What happens if we choose to reschedule our wedding for a date that MSP is not available?
In the event that you choose to reschedule your wedding to a date that Mark Spooner is not personally available to photograph, MSP will make quick efforts to connect you with a substitute photographer to function as an associate shooter for the day (See transfer of services clause in our contract). In these circumstances, Mark Spooner would then take care of editing and delivering all images to ensure that the final product is in-line with the look & feel of MSP’s brand.
What happens to our reservation fee if we choose to cancel or do not want to work with an associate photographer?
Given the circumstances—MSP is currently working hard to reschedule with clients through either Mark Spooner or an associate photographer, and is happy to transfer existing reservation fees to a new wedding date when possible (see bullet one above). In the event that you move the wedding to a date that MSP is not able to cover, we can certainly connect to strategize an amicable solution. In such circumstances, any remaining balance would be waived. Per the terms of our contract, the reservation fee is unfortunately non-refundable. As a largely seasonal business, these payments support the administrative work and operational costs of MSP through out the calendar year, and also cover our work together thus far. MSP is certainly sympathetic to the challenges of this situation and the many moving parts of these decisions—and would of course be happy to connect by phone to talk through how we might otherwise allocate these funds towards another shoot (family photos, couples shoot, elopement or other) in the future. As a small business owner, I am simultaneously trying to protect the financial stability of my business while also remaining committed to the human connection that motivates the core of what I do.
What steps is MSP taking to ensure photographers are staying healthy?
Now, more than ever, we are vigilant about our hygiene—making sure to wash our hands frequently and robustly. We are also careful to limit physical contact with photography clients and other event guests.
Careful monitoring of the CDC and other health organization updates
Avoiding unnecessary travel and large crowds as possible
Careful monitoring of personal staff health, diet and sleep
Are there helpful resources we can use as we continue to evaluate options?
Confirm your cancellation or postponement policy with wedding insurance you may have purchased!