Photographs of a custom can be taken and kept private. Decide in advance which customs are photographed, which of those images may be shared and where, and who approves any change. We record your choices in the brief and follow them in selection, delivery and any use. Whether a photograph may be published is a separate decision from whether it is taken.
Families make different choices about which customs to photograph and which images to share. Some customs are open and celebrated, and others are quiet and private. This page helps hosts record those choices so that they are followed at every stage: on the day, in selection, in delivery and in any later use.
It sits with our Chinese wedding occasions overview. Every customary image is private until you say otherwise, and your family decides which customs are included.
Taking and publishing are different decisions
A photograph that is taken is not automatically a photograph that may be shared. You might be happy for us to take a picture of a custom for the family, while asking that it never appears online. Our guide on permission to photograph and permission to publish explains the difference.
Write both decisions in the brief, for each custom, so they are not confused.
What can you decide?
| Choice | Meaning | Record it as |
|---|---|---|
| Not photographed | No images taken of this custom | "No photography" |
| Photographed, family only | Delivered to the family, not shared further | "Private to family" |
| Photographed, limited sharing | Shared with named people or in a closed gallery | "Limited, with names" |
| Photographed, shared widely | Used in public posts | "Public, with approval" |
Our photo sharing and privacy plan lists the channels, and the image-use and approval register holds your choices.
How do you set boundaries on selection and use?
The boundary has to follow the image. If a custom is private, the images should be marked as private when we select them, and left out of any preview, album or sample unless you say otherwise. Our guide on agreeing whether photographs may appear in a portfolio explains how portfolio use is agreed separately.
If a photograph is later requested for use by a guest, a venue or a publication, the person you named decides. See photographs restricted from publication.
What about legal and rights questions?
Whether a photograph may be used depends on the permissions agreed and on the applicable rules, not on the label of the event. Our guide on event photography privacy, permission and image use explains the questions to settle, and the guide on copyright ownership and permission to use event photographs covers rights. For personal data, the Personal Data Protection Department (JPDP) is the authority to consult for official guidance. We do not give legal advice, and we do not infer legal permission from an occasion.
An example
For example, imagine a family who agree to photographs of a home ceremony but ask that images of one custom stay with the family. They name the groom's mother as the person who can change the choice.
The brief marks that custom as "photographed, family only", leaves it out of all previews, and notes that the portfolio is not to include it. The remaining customs are shared in a closed gallery. The mother will review captions before any is sent to relatives.
What if someone objects afterwards?
A relative may ask later for an image to be removed or not shared. Our guide on removal, withdrawal and deletion requests explains what to settle in advance, and the page on a guest who objects after photographs have been shared describes the steps. Having the choices written down makes any later conversation simpler.
What is a common mistake, and how do you avoid it?
The mistake is assuming a private custom is protected because it was discussed once. Guests, relatives and other suppliers have not seen the brief. Tell the people who will stand near the camera, and ask the host to put a short note where guests will see it. Then ask us to confirm your choices back in writing.
What to send us
Send your list of customs with your choice for each, where images may appear and who approves changes. We confirm the plan, the crew and the deliverables in writing.
Checklist
- List customs that may be photographed, and customs that may not.
- For each photographed custom, say whether images may be shared.
- Say where images may appear: family only, a gallery, social media, a portfolio.
- Name who approves any change to the choices.
- Ask for captions to be reviewed before any sharing.
- Tell guests of the preference in advance, if you wish.
- Record the choices in the brief and keep a copy.
Tell us which customs and images should stay private, who may see them and who approves changes, and we will record this in the brief.
Record our privacy choices for the weddingCommon questions
Can some pictures be taken but never published?
Yes. Taking a photograph and publishing it are separate decisions. You can ask for images to be delivered to the family only, kept out of our portfolio and left off social media. Record it in the brief.
Do we have to explain why?
No. Tell us the boundary, and we follow it. We do not need the reasons, and we treat it as an ordinary request.
Who can change the choice later?
Name the person or people with the authority, such as the couple or a parent. A change needs their agreement. We keep a record so that the original choice is not lost.
What if a guest posts a photograph anyway?
We can only control the images we take and deliver. Ask the host to tell guests the preference, perhaps by a short note. Our guide on removal and deletion requests explains how to handle a post that is already online.
Sources checked
Record our privacy choices for the wedding
Tell us which customs and images should stay private, who may see them and who approves changes, and we will record this in the brief.
What happens next: You send your event details on WhatsApp. Our team reads the brief, asks what is missing, then confirms in writing whether the date, venue and coverage can be booked, with a quotation. Opening WhatsApp does not send anything, and a message is not a booking until both sides confirm.
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