By default, the person who presses the shutter button owns the copyright. In most cases, a written contract will be signed by the wedding photographer and the couple, and this contract should address the issue of copyright and any model release. The terms of the contract are negotiable, but a contract presented by the photographer will typically contain a model release and state that the photographer retains the copyright in the photos. Here is a wedding photography contract template that photographers may use as a starting point.