Most couples have never planned a wedding before (for 60% of couples, it’s their first marriage!), and thus are often learning off the cuff how the process of booking their vendors go. To make things more complicated, this is often a slightly different process for every vendor. To make sure you have all of the information you need, today I’m breaking down the four step process of how to work with me!
1. Inquire
The first step of this process to work with me is to fill out my contact form with info like your dream place and time, and some big-picture details about where you are with your wedding experience vision right now (it’s okay if it evolves!).
If you really have no idea where you would like to get married, that’s totally fine! (and honestly understandable, how are you supposed to choose??) You’re welcome to put in a general region or maybe even a whole state or country. Same thing with your date; if you have no idea when to get married, or just don’t care, you can leave that field blank. I can help you nail both of those details down later; at this stage in the process, it’s okay to be unsure about them.
2. Schedule a video call
Once I review your inquiry, I’ll send over a personalized email in response. One of the tidbits I’ll include in that email is a link to my consultation meeting calendar; you and your partner will choose a day and time that’s best for both of you to hop on a video call with me, and we’ll chat about all the things! These calls are usually around 60 minutes; I like to hear more about what type of wedding day you’re dreaming about, the photography needs you have, and any questions you might have.
The second reason I like chatting on the phone with a couple is to get to know them as humans, and for them to get to know me. In order to have the best working relationship possible, it’s really important for me and my couples to be aligned along our personalities!
3. Choose a booking option
After I hear all about you and your ideas and/or plans, we’ll go over your booking options together live on our video call. My packages begin at 5 hours and go up to 2 days, with a few options in between. By this point in our meeting I’ll have enough info about you two and your priorities for your experience to offer my recommendation that I think will be the best option for you.
One thing to note about these options is that any and all travel fees are built in. You don’t have to worry about “shipping and handling” or taxes being added on at the end of checkout; the numbers you see on these options are the total amounts you’ll pay for your photography.
4. Officially book your date
After we’ve determined that we’re a mutual great fit and you choose a package, you’re in the final stretch of the booking process to work with me! In order for me to consider you locked into my calendar, I require a signed contract (with both of your signatures) and a non-refundable retainer payment of $1,500. This fee is non-refundable because it compensates me for reserving a specific date for you; in exchange, I turn away other inquiries/income for that date. Same concept with keeping a lawyer on retainer!
Signing a contract sounds kinda scary, but this is industry standard. So standard, in fact, that I would recommend questioning a vendor’s professionalism/credibility if they do not require one. In addition to my laid back, casual personality, I know by the time your wedding day rolls around, it’ll feel like we’re friends (it’s also entirely possible we’ll become *actual* friends!) — for those reasons the idea of a contract might feel stuffy and formal, but it’s really important. A contract is a fancy way of outlining all of my expectations and making sure we’re all on the same page so there aren’t any surprises down the road.
In addition to protecting me from the possibility of life going rogue on your end (not meeting said expectations in any way, cancelling, etc), it also protects you. In case life goes rogue on my end (not showing up to your session/wedding, not delivering images, etc), you have a legal course of action to take against me. Without a signed contract in place, you wouldn’t have those protections!
So there you have it, the four steps of my booking process! I hope you found this helpful, and hope to see you on the other side of my camera soon. And in case that’s sooner rather than later, here’s the link again to get in touch and complete Step 1. 😉
