What To Do If a Wedding Client Requests an NDA
When a client requests a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), it’s easy to assume your only choices are to:
Say yes and hide your work
Say no and lose the booking
But there are multiple ways to navigate NDAs without losing the ability to showcase your work, regardless of whether your clients are high-profile, private, or just particular about their online presence.
3 Ways To Compromise With An NDA Client
Understanding how NDAs work (and how to negotiate them) gives you the ability to create professional agreements that protect both your client’s privacy and your creative portfolio.
For a deeper understanding of NDAs (and why they’re not just for A-listers), read this article.
Now, let’s look at three ways to find common ground with clients requesting a bit more privacy.
DIG TO THE ROOT OF THEIR CONCERNS
Get curious about your client’s NDA request instead of jumping to conclusions.
Start by acknowledging their concern and asking about their specific hesitations.
Are they nervous about family dynamics? Do they work in a public-facing role? Have they seen another wedding shared “too much”?
From there, you can propose a compromise that keeps you both satisfied. For example, “Would you be comfortable if I used detail shots, like décor, the venue, or the backs of guests’ heads, as long as no one is personally identifiable?”
That’s often the perfect middle ground for most clients.
GET APPROVAL, ONE-BY-ONE
Don’t panic if they say no to detail shots.
Instead of walking away, narrow the scope even further by offering to get their approval for any image you want to share.
If they agree, include language in your contract that says the client’s approval “shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed.”
In English: they can’t drag their feet forever or say “no” without good reason.
(Read this to learn seven must-haves for every client contract.)
Then, make it easy for them to say yes, fast.
Create a mini gallery of the images you’d like to showcase and have them check off their favorites.
This respects their privacy and gives you legal permission to share approved work.
NO NAME? NO PROBLEMS
Sometimes clients don’t actually want total secrecy…
They just don’t want to be Googleable, which makes anonymity one of the easiest compromises.
If that’s the case, agree to remove names, tags, or any identifying details when you share their images to keep their personal lives private.
You’ll drop the “who” (that isn’t relevant) and keep the wow that sells your work.
How Weinberg Legal Protects You (Especially When An NDA Is Involved)
Even with the best legalese clauses in your contract, no agreement is perfect, because people are always going to do what they want.
What happens when a client approves an image, then challenges it later? Or when they take three months to look at your showcase gallery? Or what if they agree to anonymity but report your images once they’re posted?
Weinberg Legal helps wedding vendors turn what-if scenarios into practical NDA resolutions that hold up in the real world (and don’t just sound good on paper).