The Wedding Business

3rdPlanetPhotography

I'm on my second year. Can't get a booking to save my life.... however I think I found part of the problem.

I was catering to the lower end weddings that only turned up broke brides. My wedding package included 2 photographers... all day.. for only $800 plus prints. Well, broke brides don't have $800 and most would run away after they found out that prints were extra.

Now into my 2nd year, I decided that I need to cater to a different crowd and pride my time and my work according to what it's really worth. I dropped all that cheap crap because it's way too much work and time to make pennies out of it. I now (just this week launched) have a single wedding package. It's the All-or-Nothing package. It includes a nice set of prints, bridal album, two parent albums, and the works. I'm calling it the ultimate package. I'm charging $3750 for the package. You must keep in mind that I'm in St. Louis. That's our higher ends around here.

I'm going to try this out. Hopefully I get some business from the crowds that I'd prefer to shoot. The St. Louis area is a large area. I have purchased a large yellowpages.com ad that puts me above all the rest. This will allow me to get across the entire area and not just the brides from one davids bridal store.

Now where to go from here? I think I must get into the bridal shows around the area to cater to this crowd I'm seeking.

What is your marketing strategy?

Halliday

I'm JUST starting to do weddings as well. I would plan on attending the bridal shows as well. Make sure to have a sign-up list for more info with emails. Direct marketing baby

For seniors, I will be buying a mailing list of famlies with kids 16-17 yr old in the house and mailing them postcards.

I'm also using Google Adwords and Yahoo marketing.

dancinkate

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3rdPlanetPhotography

Great thanks for your words.

I decided to post one package but I have noted (options are negotiable) on the package as well. I'm just trying to stay way from the pricing schemes that some of the local photographers have here. Some of them require at least 6 years of college to be able to read and understand their options. I'll happily take off and add on to the package. Occasionally I'll get a request for just the photos and a DVD. I'll do that as well but I think I'm mainly saying that I won't do that $500 cheap stuff anymore.

Any product I release will be an image of myself and my company. I'm only going to release the best and I don't want to be the wal-mart photography firm around here. There are many of those and I think if I cater to a different crowd, release only a perfect product, and be very personable to everyone I meet that it will go a long ways.

dancinkate

I think it's fantastic that you want to do only the best!

bsvirginian

If you have only one package advertised I hope you have a day job. that gives a perspective bride no where to go if she doesn't like the full package. I have a $ 500.00 package that involves 1 hour photography and up to 50 4x5 proofs on a CD. I don't know of too many people that would turn that down if they don't have anything else booked. If you PM me I'll be glad to go over my packages and prices. BS

kapalua

3rdPlanetPhotography wrote:

I now (just this week launched) have a single wedding package. It's the All-or-Nothing package. It includes a nice set of prints, bridal album, two parent albums, and the works. I'm calling it the ultimate package. I'm charging $3750 for the package. You must keep in mind that I'm in St. Louis. That's our higher ends around here.

There is something elegant about the simplicity of offering only a single package. Hopefully, one day my business will reach that "nationally-known" status that allows me to offer a single package.

However, at this stage of the game (your second year) this seems kinda drastic. How about a 3-package strategy (high, mid, low)? The mid-package being the one you hope the majority of your brides will buy, the low-package being the minimum you are willing to get paid, and the high-end package serving only to make the mid-level package seem more reasonable.


Laurence Kim Photography

3rdPlanetPhotography

I'm listening.....

The same day I posted this thread, I put up a DVD ony package. The price is still on the high side but it's for "finished" photos on a DVD.

I'm considering even a lower package that like the last person said... just a minimum package that still is within the $500 range. Basically it will be very little time and the very basics on CD. I agree with all the feed back that has come. Thanks everyone.

Shay Stephens

I'v been doing it for 4 years now, and I am always changing my packages. Experiment, try new things, be creative. It's the only way to get a pulse on what people want and what they are responding to right now.

If you want to, you could change your package(s) every day for a year. There is no limit. This business doesn't have a lot of repeat customers, so every bride and groom is pretty much going to be seeing your package(s) for the first time anyway.

By feeling free to change your offerings, you also feel more ownership of the offerings. This is what *I* offer. It kind of moves you away from offering the same generic stuff everyone else is too and helps you stand out, lets your personality be reflected in what you offer.

3rdPlanetPhotography

Thanks Shay.....

I've changed my packages several times over the past year...

Now I don't feel so bad about changing and re-changing.

urbanaries

Shay Stephens wrote:

I'v been doing it for 4 years now, and I am always changing my packages. Experiment, try new things, be creative. It's the only way to get a pulse on what people want and what they are responding to right now.

If you want to, you could change your package(s) every day for a year. There is no limit. This business doesn't have a lot of repeat aycustomers, so every bride and groom is pretty much going to be seeing your package(s) for the first time anyway.

By feeling free to change your offerings, you also feel more ownership of the offerings. This is what *I* offer. It kind of moves you away from offering the same generic stuff everyone else is too and helps you stand out, lets your personality be reflected in what you offer.

Ok, Shay...I hear ya...and agree flexibility is ideal, because the pulse of supply and demand changes rapidly, and pricing is one part of the marketing mix a photographer has the most control over in order to roll with the changes.

However, I've found price hikes sticky regarding weddings. What do you do when bride A contacts you March 1, schedules a meeting with you for March 15, but you change your pricing March 7? Or, you meet with her March 15 as planned but then change your pricing the next day? Do you tell brides that your prices change all the time (so book fast) or do you lock people in based on other timing factors?

Also, say your print prices went up btw contract signing and wedding...charge the bride old or new prices? what about guests?

thanks as always for your divine wisdom

Shay Stephens

urbanaries wrote:

However, I've found price hikes sticky regarding weddings. What do you do when bride A contacts you March 1, schedules a meeting with you for March 15, but you change your pricing March 7? Or, you meet with her March 15 as planned but then change your pricing the next day? Do you tell brides that your prices change all the time (so book fast) or do you lock people in based on other timing factors?

Also, say your print prices went up btw contract signing and wedding...charge the bride old or new prices? what about guests?

If I am talking with them and the price goes up or otherwise changes, I let them know they are still golden for the original price we talked about. In some cases with a price drop, we let them know the good news that they can take advantage of that. Any new prices or package changes would apply to new contacts.

Although if it is a moldy contact that has gone months without word from them, the new pricing might apply to them. This has worked well for me in being able to stay nimble while still fair to people I am talking to within a reasonable time window.

As far as print pricing, I have not changed that too often nowadays, but I charge the going rate at the time the prints were ordered. It just isn't practical to keep track of different print prices over time with all those weddings. My cost and time put into a print has been pretty stable over the years. So once you find your sweet spot for print pricing, it probably won't change much except to reflect changes in production cost.

jerryr

Hi - I just recently photographed a wedding and did a customized theme for the bride and groom.
They loved it and so did the family and friends.


www.jrphotosandwebdesign.com/rebeccaandryan

Long story short - I did it as a favor for my best friends niece and the
groom.
The good news is that I have another couple interested in their own customized look/feel - reception pictures only since the wedding is out of state. They also like the fact that I will provide them a CD with all of the digital images as well as sell pictures on-line (EZPrints) to family/friends.
They want to make it very easy for all of their family/friends to enjoy
the pictures from the reception.

Just an idea I had - simple as that
-jr

urbanaries

Shay Stephens wrote:

Any new prices or package changes would apply to new contacts.

thanks shay for putting up with all my questions. I'm just turning that corner you know....when I ask I always get a great answer and I appreciate that.

bsvirginian

Hi

I sometimes change prices but make it a habit to staple the prices the bride agreed to on the contract so there won't be any confusion in the future. I also state that these are the prices TODAY and that we sometimes do change prices. If a bride has prices from 6 months ago then it is a decision that you can make to accept them or stand by your current prices. You might consider the fact that we can find a photofinisher somewhere that can print an 8x10 for under a dollar but what should you charge for a FINISHED 8X10? Remember the time thqt you devote to the (post processing) image in PS. BS

mmahoney

Consider having your website redone .. it should reflect the quality of your work and your new pricing.

You have some great photos on your current site, but you need to cull them down to only the strongest images that best represent your style.

But I say go for it on the pricing .. rather a dozen $4,000 weddings a year than five dozen at $800.
Mike

urbanaries

Hey just looking for an update on this thread, 3rd planet....curious how the new structure is going for you.

I'm currently reaping the crappy benefits of all the broke brides I booked last year!!!! Everyone wants something for nothing, although they don't place any value on it.