That confirmation line decoded
Short answer first: the amount is your package total, the date is your wedding day, and the code in brackets is our internal shorthand for location or package type. It is not an extra fee. Think of it as the label that keeps your booking tied to the right plan, especially when the venue, travel, or second shooter details affect how we staff the day.
Longer answer, because clarity saves stress. In our system, a line that reads like agreement confirmed, a dollar figure, a date, and a brief code means your date has been reserved, a retainer has been recorded, and we have flagged specific logistics. If you see letters that look like a venue, for example SPH, it often points to Sandstone Point Hotel in the Moreton Bay region near Bribie Island, or to a specific service configuration. If you are not at that venue, ask us and we will translate it in two sentences.
What each part means
- Agreement confirmed: your date is held once the retainer clears and both of you e-sign the proposal
- The dollar figure: the full package price including GST and listed inclusions
- The date: your wedding date in day/month/year format used across Australia
- The short code: internal shorthand for venue or package, used for scheduling and travel
If any part of that line does not match your plan, reply to the email. We fix it before it flows into timelines, invoices, and gallery labels.
What your contract includes
Every contract should answer six practical questions: who turns up, how long for, what gets delivered, when, what happens if plans shift, and what it costs to extend. Ours does all of that in plain language, and the cover sheet mirrors your chosen package from our wedding photography options.
- Coverage hours and start time, for example 8 hours from morning prep until first dance
- Number of photographers, usually 1 for up to 120 guests, 2 for larger stories or split locations
- Deliverables, like a curated online gallery, high resolution downloads, and an optional album
- Delivery window, typically 6 to 10 weeks for the full gallery, with a preview set in 7 days
- Travel and parking, including any regional loadings for the Sunshine Coast Hinterland or Gold Coast Hinterland
- Overtime rates, applied only if you ask us to stay beyond the booked hours
If you are adding film as well, we document video coverage in a separate section so you can compare edits and audio inclusions. See side by side examples on our wedding videography page and in our recent wedding galleries.
Money, timing, and price locks
Here is the part most couples want in numbers. Typical Brisbane photography packages sit between $3,200 and $5,500 depending on hours and second shooter. A retainer of 20 to 30 percent secures the date. The balance is usually due 14 days before the wedding. If you book at today’s rates, that price is locked for your listed inclusions even if our public guide changes later.
- Retainer: 20 to 30 percent, applied to your total, not an extra fee
- Balance due: often 14 days before the date, so there is no admin on the week of the wedding
- Overtime: quoted per 30 or 60 minute block so you can decide on the night
Timing also matters for light. In June around Brisbane, sunset draws a line through the plan at roughly 5 pm, which is why an 8 hour booking starting at 1 pm often covers prep, ceremony, portraits in daylight, and speeches before the first dance. Your contract anchors that start time so every other vendor can stack to it.
Where the fine print bites
Trade offs exist. The retainer is the safety net that keeps your date reserved, which is why it is usually non refundable. Reschedules are possible within available dates, but peak Saturdays from August to October book fast, so a change may require flexibility or an off peak day. Copyright stays with the photographer by Australian law, but your contract should grant broad personal use so you can print and share freely.
Travel is another one to read closely. Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Tamborine Mountain are 60 to 90 minutes from Brisbane, and some agreements include a kilometre allowance before per km rates apply. City locations can create surprise parking costs. At Howard Smith Wharves on a Saturday, allow 10 to 15 minutes to move between the riverside and the lawns, because the boardwalk is lively by late afternoon.
Pros and cons in real terms
Clarity on hours is a pro, because it helps you pin the day to a start time that suits light and travel. The con is that a fixed start can feel rigid if hair and makeup run late, so plan 15 extra minutes into prep.
A defined delivery window builds trust and lets you plan album time with family. The con is that peak season can push to the far end of that range, which is why we send a preview within a week to tide you over.
Overtime listed in clean blocks helps you decide with a single sentence during the reception. The con is cost creep if speeches overrun, so ask your MC to combine toasts where possible and keep formalities tight.
Alternatives and plan B
If your plans change and the code on your agreement no longer fits, you have options. Shift the location but keep the date, for example from Sandstone Point Hotel in Moreton Bay to a Brisbane venue like Highgate Hill, and we simply update travel. Move to a Friday or Sunday to secure a new date without peak-season pressure. Or scale hours instead of cutting coverage completely. If film was a maybe, add it later once the budget settles, using our modular wedding videography add ons.
Alternatives that keep a similar feel: for coastal portraits, Wynnum or Cleveland give you water without highway travel. For hinterland air without Maleny, try Mount Mee or Clear Mountain. For city energy and greenery, Roma Street Parkland pairs well with a reception in Fortitude Valley.
What we would do differently
If you are about to sign, do this before you click accept. It turns a block of legal text into a plan you can see and feel. If any answer below is missing, ask us and we will amend the agreement so you have it in writing.
- Confirm the start time and hour count against your exact ceremony time and June sunset if relevant
- List travel and parking for each location, including Kangaroo Point cliffs stairs if you plan portraits there
- Write the delivery window and preview timing next to your family calendar
- Note overtime in 30 or 60 minute blocks plus the rate, so a quick decision is easy on the night
- Check reschedule terms and any fee, plus how far out you must decide in severe weather
- Verify album or print credits if listed, and the deadline to use them
If you still feel stuck, send us your top three priorities in one email. We will adjust the agreement or suggest a different hour count. You can also browse how different timelines look in our Brisbane and hinterland sets inside recent wedding galleries, then enquire with the one that feels most like your day. If you are early in planning, our broader notes on planning flow live on the blog and across our weddings overview.