One of my 2020 couples had a big wedding planned last spring. There were going to be hundreds of guests at a really unique industrial venue downtown. Like so many other 2020 couples, they had to change plans. At one point, they were so devastated, they actually canceled. Their wedding venue was closing down and they felt their options were limited. (I bet this might have happened to one of your couples as well!)

But then a funny thing happened, they came back to me a week later with a different plan (with the help of their amazing and resourceful wedding planner!) for an intimate wedding with 50 of their closest family + friends at a new, outdoor (aka safer) venue where everything was more scaled back, but still elegant + beautiful. Including fun details like a choreographed dance by the wedding party with masks of the couple and a wedding cake piñata filled with dance floor props (YES PLEASE!).

My heart has been so happy the last few weeks because I am seeing an increase in inquiries for weddings. People are starting to have more confidence in the world,  and therefore are starting to make plans again. And this includes getting married! And one of the things I have loved is that so many people are changing things up. All the “have tos” and “must dos” are thrown out right now with weddings and many of my spring couples are opting for smaller, more intimate weddings.

In this unusual season of life, I wanted to share what has been working in my business to increase these inquiries, and book more intimate weddings!

 

 

How to Book More Intimate Weddings

1. Listen. Really listen to the couple. No two weddings for this year are the same, so you need to listen to exactly what your client needs/wants in order to deliver the images they will treasure for a lifetime. All of your pre-planned shoot guidelines might be thrown out the window after this last year, but that is okay! This is the time to listen, and really take in your client’s unique needs.
2. Pre-plan for a pricing strategy for smaller weddings. I have an hourly rate with a 2-hour minimum for elopement-type packages. But then for some of my clients, I still recommend a full wedding collection. But my main point here is to be prepared + confident with your answer. You want to have your solution ready for your client and be able to meet their needs for whatever type of plans they are celebrating.

 

Get the guide: 5 Steps to WOW Your Clients

How I Shoot Smaller Weddings Differently.

Wonder how I shoot smaller weddings differently? I don’t. Plain & simple. My goal is still the same. To tell the story of how the two of them became one on a very special day. I shot the wedding that I told you about above with a 9-hour collection with a second photographer. A smaller wedding’s floral budget may look different than a bigger wedding’s (or maybe not! Insert ideal client for me here!), but our coverage stays pretty much the same. I still style details at the beginning, I still capture both the groom + bride getting ready, I still capture family formals and couple portraits, etc.

My main point here is that no matter what you are capturing – an elopement, a micro wedding, a 50-person wedding or a 400-person wedding – have a plan in place for how to capture these different types of weddings and pricing that you can confidently explain to your ideal client so they know what you recommend. I had a discovery call with a client the other day who thought she only wanted 2 hours of coverage for her tiny wedding, but after we talked through her day and the images she was envisioning, I sent her a booking proposal with my suggestion of 4 hours of coverage with only me as the photographer.

Intimate Wedding Coaching.

Friend, you are the expert! Don’t be afraid to speak your mind and make recommendations for how you feel a day should be captured to get the best results. Your ideal clients won’t think twice and will book! If you are navigating this new season of intimate weddings, my coaching calls might be perfect for you! My 2-hour intensives will allow us to break down your ideal clients, and focus on ways to market to them. Release your fear + find your new horizon! Learn more about my coaching, here!