Do the brides book mostly in winter?

Weisel

This post applies mostly to those who live in seasonal weather places like I do. I'm in Nashville, not sunny Florida. We do have frigid winters here, no good for weddings.

I started out less than a year ago shooting weddings on my own. I had a very small portfolio to show, and not that impressive. I quickly booked about 10 weddings for 2010.

Now.....since my website has been vastly improved, as have my galleries, plus I have a blog going since about Feb.....I haven't really been booking anyone! I hope to God almighty that this is just the season of weddings and not of bookings. I did almost all my bookings in the winter. Do I expect this to happen again?

Again, everything about my website and quality of photos has gone way way up since I started, and my prices have not gone much higher yet.

So...is the winter time the season of booking brides, or am I in some type of funk for some reason?

ssimmonsphoto

Sounds like we've been at this almost the same amount of time. Last year I did all my booking in the winter, and even spring, and wound up with 19 couples total (18 weddings since one was a double). For this year I booked in the fall and winter with not many openings at all available come Spring. For 2011, I've already booked a four and some of those are more than a year in advance. But I haven't had a ton of inquiries yet. So I'm thinking I'll still be lining stuff up come fall and winter.

P.S. I'm in Maine, so we are definitely a seasonal wedding area. Very few get hitched in the winter.

mmmatt

I've been hearing from a lot of wedding photogs that brides are booking later than they have in years past. I booked as much in the spring as I did last winter, and I am booking fairly well now just as backlash from wedding party guests who have witnessed first hand my awesomeness. Ha! JK, but that has been the source of my summer bookings. My prices are almost double what they were this time last year so we will see what happens, but I think the price range I am in now is getting me in front of the right kind of brides. You can be too low just as easily as being too high... you have to hit the right demographic for your style and quality of shooting.

Matt

Weisel

Yeah I agree Matt. Hitting the right price range for the demo is key. I started out pretty dang low, and now that I've raised it up a bit, I'm still low compared to most legit wedding shooters in Nashville. I THINK I'm right where I need to be with pricing to quality to demographic ratio. I hate having to wait till winter to find out though if I'm tanking! lol Crystal ball anyone?

Thanks for far for the posts.

Sam

Weisel,

Can you provide a link to your web site?

Sam

Weisel

Sam wrote: »

Weisel,

Can you provide a link to your web site?

Sam

Here it is. You can also find my blog from there, which shows all my latest.
***I have now deleted the link, because it is skewing my Google Analytics numbers***

Thanks for any ideas.

Matthew Saville

You have a small portfolio and quickly booked 10 weddings for 2010? Jeez, I had to bust my ass to get the first 10 weddings of 2010, and I've been doing this for years and I like to think my portfolio is pretty dang good compared to my competition! But, that's not what this topic is about .

I may live in Southern California, but I've photographed weddings everywhere including Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Michigan, Seattle, and San Fransisco. As far as I can recall, there isn't a real pattern, bookings just seem to come and go.

I think you need to be EXTREMELY well-established and in-demand before you can notice a booking cycle / season. Unfortunately, there are precious few wedding professionals here on D-Grin who have been in business for +5-10 years...

=Matt=

Weisel

Yeah I'm originally from So Cali myself. Palmdale to be exact. High desert. ack!

I think there must be a pattern out here, but I'll find out in about a week. One of Nashville's (and the nation's) very finest wedding photog's hosts a Smug group at a top secret location once per month, and this will be my first time attending, next week. I'll be sure to hit up all my attending fellow Nashville photogs about this question.
It just doesn't make sense to me that my website and my photography have vastly improved, yet I haven't booked in months. I even went through a stage for 2 months with no inquiries! This was immediately after having my Smug site tricked out to look pro. Maybe I should make it look amateur again? It worked well. Not only did I book 10 weddings for 2010, I had to turn down about 7 inquiries for same-dates that were booked. Too bad, I would have had one awesome first year. Still, I can't complain a bit!

Jeremy Winterberg

I live in Wisconsin and all two of my weddings for 2010 were booked in December. I also tricked out my website with a fancy ProPhoto Blog theme, and I have lots more portfolio examples now. I've only had 1 inquiry in the past 7 months... it was an email.. I responded back.. got no reply... = fail.

I feel your pain. I shoved out around $600 to get my new website, a decent logo, and sick business cards designed.. I have the appearance of a pro, pretty good quality (I think at least) portfolio, and the pricing of the average photographer.. yet.. nothing.

Often I feel discouraged, but then I remember something. I love doing this. It will work out if its meant to. If not, meh, not the end of the world I guess.

Chris Geiger

I'm in my fourth year of wedding photography and I book more than 1/2 of my weddings in the Jan-Feb-Mar months each year. It always picks up a few weeks after Christmas. Then it's crickets for most of the rest of the year.

mmmatt

Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »

I live in Wisconsin and all two of my weddings for 2010 were booked in December. I also tricked out my website with a fancy ProPhoto Blog theme, and I have lots more portfolio examples now. I've only had 1 inquiry in the past 7 months... it was an email.. I responded back.. got no reply... = fail.

I feel your pain. I shoved out around $600 to get my new website, a decent logo, and sick business cards designed.. I have the appearance of a pro, pretty good quality (I think at least) portfolio, and the pricing of the average photographer.. yet.. nothing.

Often I feel discouraged, but then I remember something. I love doing this. It will work out if its meant to. If not, meh, not the end of the world I guess.

I bet it is because you don't have any good cake shots.

matt

Jeremy Winterberg

mmmatt wrote: »

I bet it is because you don't have any good cake shots.

matt

dangit!

Weisel

mmmatt wrote: »

I bet it is because you don't have any good cake shots.

matt

Matt. That is only funny to those of who who have read the cake shot thread recently. ...and I was one. Good stuff, my friend.
God bless the cake shots.

Now, back to why I am not booking brides lately. Hmmm. Nevermind, I think I just have a strong feeling it's going to really turn around when the winter kicks in. Oh yes, it will. Maybe I need some more cake shots though. :hotcake

mmmatt

Speaking from someone who is amidst his 2nd year attempting to book all his own events, I can say it is really tough. It takes awhile to get rolling. I have tried some advertising but regardless, 99% of what I get is either a referral or the client simply found me on Google. The referral's are key though... those are the easy ones and the ones that give you confidence to go forward. Not every gig has even potential for a referral but the ones that do, you need to work them. If someone shows interest GET THEIR info and contact them. Don't bug them or spam them but make sure they know you are interested and EXCITED to shoot their wedding. When you only have a couple of gigs a year it is tougher to get in front of enough people, but as you get more gigs you meet more engaged bridesmaids and the rest is just chatting it up. Suddenly next year is looking brighter for me and I can see myself being as busy as I want to be the year after that... Let's hope I'm right!

Matt

mmmatt

Weisel wrote: »

Matt. That is only funny to those of who who have read the cake shot thread recently. ...and I was one. Good stuff, my friend.
God bless the cake shots.

Now, back to why I am not booking brides lately. Hmmm. Nevermind, I think I just have a strong feeling it's going to really turn around when the winter kicks in. Oh yes, it will. Maybe I need some more cake shots though. :hotcake

yeah... thanks for being a good sport Jeremy and letting me have my fun!

Matt

Jeremy Winterberg

mmmatt wrote: »

yeah... thanks for being a good sport Jeremy and letting me have my fun!

Matt

No Problem! I actually make fun of myself all the time. Keeps me humble I suppose? All these good looks and amazing skill I have get to one's head sometimes

You know, you're not too far away from me... if you ever need a second shooter, hit me up. I dont mind driving to Milwaukee for extra, much needed, experience!

shutterbug616

So here is my tough neck of the woods. I started three years ago and have only two weddings under my belt. I live in a remote area of Soutern Oregon, about ten minutes from California. I've had buisness cards made, brochures made, phone listing, even had stenciling work done on one of my vehicles and yet, i'm not pulling in any work. My first wedding I was nervouse about as I'm sure most new photogs are, my second one I couldn't get to creative because.... "It was inside a workers Union Hall" so I did the best with what I had. I've checked around with other photographers.. trust me not many here in a hundred mile radius, about four i think.. and my prices are set a couple of hundred bucks lower than the rest. I'm just not sure what to do or how to get out of this empty well. Any advice folks?

shutterbug616

Chris Geiger wrote: »

I'm in my fourth year of wedding photography and I book more than 1/2 of my weddings in the Jan-Feb-Mar months each year. It always picks up a few weeks after Christmas. Then it's crickets for most of the rest of the year.

Crickets would be more activety than I'm use too lol

Jeremy Winterberg

shutterbug616 wrote: »

So here is my tough neck of the woods. I started three years ago and have only two weddings under my belt. I live in a remote area of Soutern Oregon, about ten minutes from California. I've had buisness cards made, brochures made, phone listing, even had stenciling work done on one of my vehicles and yet, i'm not pulling in any work. My first wedding I was nervouse about as I'm sure most new photogs are, my second one I couldn't get to creative because.... "It was inside a workers Union Hall" so I did the best with what I had. I've checked around with other photographers.. trust me not many here in a hundred mile radius, about four i think.. and my prices are set a couple of hundred bucks lower than the rest. I'm just not sure what to do or how to get out of this empty well. Any advice folks?

Network like crazy! Thats what I'm doing. Or, you might want to think about actual advertising? Networking with other wedding professionals in your area (maybe 100 mile radius?): cake makers, flower people, dj's, musicians, wedding planners, etc... They can bring in referrals.

I'm currently working on a relationship with the event planner of a country club in our town that hosts a lot of weddings. I go to school with her and am friends with her, so I'm hoping I get some weddings from that!

mmmatt

Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »

Network like crazy! Thats what I'm doing. Or, you might want to think about actual advertising? Networking with other wedding professionals in your area (maybe 100 mile radius?): cake makers, flower people, dj's, musicians, wedding planners, etc... They can bring in referrals.

I'm currently working on a relationship with the event planner of a country club in our town that hosts a lot of weddings. I go to school with her and am friends with her, so I'm hoping I get some weddings from that!

yeah, I need to do some more of that myself. I was planning on contacting venues that I had shot in and offering to provide an album for them showing a wedding at their facility and then filling in with close crops and other non-location oriented details that could be anywhere. My flush mount supplier will print sample books (stamped on the covers with their logo) for only $50. Those are $300-500 albums, so it is basically just the labor. I think most vendors will do something like that.

Dealing with vendors can be really tough for the unestablished though... think about it, if you are a person who has been making cakes for 20 years would you be willing to hinge your reputation on someone who is inexperienced? Not to be discouraging, but if you don't have some experience behind you you won't likely get anyone other than another newbie to recommend you. Jeremy, your situation may be a little different since she is a friend from school, but I know that is why I wasn't really pursuing that sort of thing until recently.

A friend/former co-worker of mine was just talking about how both of her sisters got married last year and my jaw dropped... I said why didn't you recommend me to them? She said she just didn't think about it. Don't be afraid to remind people that you know that you are a wedding photographer! People forget! In the case with my friend it is a real loss too. She could easily be a model and she and her sisters could be triplets. Short of a 2-3 inch height difference they all look identical. I could have had a lot of fun with them!

Ah well, that is life but a lesson learned. I think I am going to go on facebook now and remind my Florida friends that I am offering no destination fee weddings in the Orlando area!

Matt

shutterbug616

I liked the networking ideas. Not use to talking up myself, but I guess thats what I'm going to have to do to compete in this profession. Thanks for the info fellas.

smurfy

Here's what has worked to some extent lately-

Doing complimentary e-sessions for already booked wedding clients, then making Mini Moo cards for the couple to hand out at their wedding. Seems like a cute, personal tiny favor, but on the back is the web site address and password for the wedding gallery, and if they want it, their new address or an e-mail. I think these cards get put in wallets or on fridges, and have gotten some inquiries and booked a couple of nice weddings from them.

Jeremy Winterberg

I did what smurfy is saying for my first wedding with the cards. But, I didn't do moo cards, they're pretty expensive. I instead just had one picture from their engagement session on the front with a link to their wedding event on my smugmug, and my info on the back. Got them on 16pt business cards through gotprint.com, order 250 of them for like $10. Very thick, very professional. But, I have yet to get any inquiries or print orders from that wedding. FAIL. But the cards were amazing!

Oh, and my engagement sessions are always complimentary when they book me for the wedding. Its my policy/thank you for booking thing. It also helps me get to know them better, and for them to get to know me better/get used to being in front of my camera.

mmmatt

Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »

Oh, and my engagement sessions are always complimentary when they book me for the wedding. Its my policy/thank you for booking thing. It also helps me get to know them better, and for them to get to know me better/get used to being in front of my camera.

I agree with this technique, especially for someone just starting out. I was allowing a 25% retainer and was throwing in a free e-session if they paid a 50% retainer. I just recently changed that and made a 50% retainer mandatory and included the e-session with all but the budget package. When you get to the wedding, and all the important people have already seen your work, you get some instant respect. It is nice! Get people raving about you and recomending you before the wedding even happens!!!!!

My big thing lately has been using the e-session shots as photos in a guest book for them to use at the wedding. People hover over the books and I keep a stack of cards next to it (with brides permission) so people can grab one if they want. When I see a couple looking at the book I approach them, take a shot of them, and see if they are close to their date as well! Here is a link to my most recently completed guest book. A 40 page (20 page/40 sides) printed hard cover, premium paper 10x8 book is less than $60 shipped from Blurb and I think the quality is great for the price. I make sure people pick up a couple acid-free, archival quality (scrapbooking) felt tip pens to sign them so they don't dent/degrade the paper or smudge.

As Jeremy said though, there is no substitute for having a good relationship with your b&g before the wedding day. Knowing how to shoot them and starting with a relaxed and stress-free e-session is huge come wedding day.

Matt

FedererPhoto

I'm in Minnesota -- seasonal at it's best.

My slow season for 'booking' is May-June. Other than that, things are pretty consistent... though most of the dates they are looking for fall between May and October. There is sometimes a 'bump' in Jan-Feb for bookings, but I've noticed this less and less as my rates have risen.

Weisel

Well I'm banking on it being seasonal for bookings out here in TN. If not, I'm screwed!
Otherwise there's no explanation I know of as to why my portfolio is 1,000x better, but my bookings are dead now.

Things that make you go "hmmmm"