Latest / Wedding Pros who are ready to grow - with Becca Pountney / How to plan a styled shoot with Natalie Stevenson

Transcript

How to plan a styled shoot with Natalie Stevenson · Wedding Pros who are ready to grow - with Becca Pountney

0:00
Natalie: Once I got home, edited the shoot, got it featured in Wedding Chicks.
0:04
I got an influx of Mexico wedding inquiries and actually booked four
0:07
dream weddings in Mexico at my full destination rate plus expenses.
0:12
So going back to my point, don't give up, just make it happen and accept that
0:16
there may be obstacles along the way.
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Becca: I'm Becca Pountney, wedding business, marketing
0:22
expert, speaker, and blogger.
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And you're listening to the wedding pros who are ready to grow podcast.
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I'm here to share with you actionable tips, strategies, and real life
0:31
examples to help you take your wedding business to the next level.
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If you are an ambitious wedding business owner that wants to take your passion
0:39
and use it to build a profitable, sustainable business, doing what you
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love, then you're in the right place.
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Let's get going with today's episode.
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It's the summer and this August I've got a special series for you on the podcast.
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I'm taking you behind the scenes of the Wedding Pro Members Lounge and
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bringing you some of the best training we have inside of there and putting it
0:59
on the podcast for you to listen to.
1:01
Now, today's session is really one from the archives, but still
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so helpful and still relevant.
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In this session, wedding photographer Natalie Stevenson talks all about
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styled shoots and how to organize them.
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I often reference Natalie in the talks I do on stage because she's incredible
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at organizing the most beautiful style shoots all over the world.
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Today's talk is from the build section of the wedding pro success ladder, which
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you can find inside the members lounge.
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And it comes under get connected because style shoots not only are great for your
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business, but also a great way for you to network and meet other wedding pros.
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I'd love for you to join us inside the wedding pro members lounge.
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We have trainings like this.
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Every single month and you're always on top of your game.
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Not only that, we also have accountability sessions and lounge calls where
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you get to meet other members too.
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If you want to find out what the Wedding Pro Members Lounge is
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all about this summer, I have a special deal going for you.
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You can get the first month for just 10.
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Go to the Wedding Pro Members Lounge page.
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I'll link to it in the show notes.
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Use the discount coupon code SUMMER and it will make that first month just 10.
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I'd love to welcome inside the Members Lounge.
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Enjoy Natalie's session.
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Natalie: Hi Natalie!
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Hi!
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How are you doing?
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I'm good, thank you so much for bringing me on to speak
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tonight, I'm really excited.
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Becca: Well we are excited to hear from you.
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I know style shoots are a big thing right now for lots of
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people and I know you're going to answer lots of people's questions.
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Just before I hand over to you, do you want to just say who you are, where
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you're based, that kind of thing?
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Natalie: Yeah, of course.
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So I am a fine art wedding photographer.
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I'm based in Bedfordshire, but I serve couples getting married
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anywhere in the UK or abroad.
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I also have two other sides to my business.
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I do branding and I have a studio as well to keep me nice and busy.
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But yeah, tonight isall about style shoots..
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I'm really excited to share a little insight into my process of how I run.
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successful style shoots with you.
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Becca: And Natalie is the queen of running amazing style shoots, so
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you're going to learn so much from her.
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If you are sharing on Instagram, you can find both me and Natalie on Instagram.
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Do tag us in your stories.
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You're at Natalie Stevenson photography.
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Is that correct?
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There we go.
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At Natalie Stephenson Photo, I'm at Becca Poutney, and I'm sure we
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will both be resharing any of those stories later tonight as well.
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So, Natalie, if you want to get your presentation ready I'm going
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to leave and then you can crack on.
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Natalie: Okay, I'm ready to go.
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Can everyone see it okay?
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Awesome.
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Right, so I'm really excited to be sharing some of my experiences
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with you, what I've learned from others in the wedding industry, and
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from these successes and mistakes.
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I've now developed a process of running a successful styled
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shoot, and I'm excited to share an insight into my process with you.
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I'm going to start by sharing my journey into photography, as it gives
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an insight into how styled shoots have become such a passion for me, so
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hopefully this won't bore you too much.
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Okay.
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So as I said, I'm a final wedding photographer.
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I'm based in Bedfordshire and I serve couples getting
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married in the UK and abroad.
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I do have two other sides of my business.
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I run a studio in Bedfordshire and I predominantly catch
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newborns and family sessions.
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And as of late, I've been doing more and more branding sessions and I've
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loved supporting fellow business owners in upleveling their brand visuals.
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Okay, so my photography journey began in 2010 when I started
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studying photography at school.
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From a young age, I've always been creative and a planner at heart, so
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wheOkay, so my photography journey beganed some very adventurous
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shoots in all sorts of locations.
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Whether it was underwater fashion photography, inspired by movement of
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water, or dressing my friends up like a vintage clown and creating a harness
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which shrunk her from a tree on a cold winter's night, I did some very random
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but fun projects, and fell in love with photography being my expression of art.
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Fast forward to 2012.
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My cousin was getting married in Las Vegas.
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She had bought a wedding.
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Can you see that little message?
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Sorry about that.
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From a young age, I've always been creative.
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Oh, okay.
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So fast forward to 2012, my cousin was getting married in Las Vegas.
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She'd brought a wedding package with the hotel, which included photography coverage
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of the ceremony and asked me to photograph everything before and after this.
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I had never even been to a wedding before, so I had no idea what I was in
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for, but it was a perfect opportunity for me as there were only 30 or so guests,
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they were all family and friends, and I also knew that the photographer was
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capturing those all important ceremony photos, so I felt a lot less pressure
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and was excited to capture what I could.
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I absolutely thrived off the buzz and how much joy and
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emotion can be felt in one day.
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And I knew in that moment, age 16, a wedding photographer was
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exactly what I wanted to be.
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I then reached out to a number of photographers and second shot a lot of
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weddings along, along with a few of my own weddings here and there all over
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the course of four years, developing my style and giving me a wealth
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of experience working at weddings.
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But I was always adamant I wanted to do quite a bit more traveling
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before setting up my own business.
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Fast forward again to 2016.
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I went traveling with my partner to some of the most incredible places in
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the world, which included attending another cousin's wedding in Bali
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and capturing some amazing moments.
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This confirmed my love for destination weddings, all before launching
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my photography business in June 2017, just after returning home.
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I was running my business alongside my full time role of events management
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for almost two years, giving me more experience in meticulously
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planning events before giving up my full time role early March 2019, and
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have been loving work ever since.
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Well, until the pandemic hit, but hopefully we'll be on
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the other side of that soon.
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And here we are.
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So let's dive into styled shoots.
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One of my biggest achievements so far, I most definitely styled shoots and
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all this is brought to my business.
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I organized my first shoot late spring, 2019.
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And over the course of 2019 and 2020, I organized and photographed
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almost 20 styled shoots.
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Most in the UK with destinations, including Mexico, Cyprus,
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Jamaica, and Santorini.
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And if it wasn't for the travel restrictions last year, there
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would have been at least three more destinations on that list.
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Over these two years, styled shoots have generated a significant
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amount of income for me.
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Helped me up level my brand.
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Expand my network and speak to my ideal client.
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How, you might ask?
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Well, I'm going to explain all the ups and downs, what I have done, and the
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outcome throughout this talk to show you how Styled Shoots have done this for me.
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All Styled Shoots that I've done have been featured on these online bridal
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blogs and print magazines, but I'll be honest in that pressed features are
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never my main aim for Styled Shoots, but I do always try and get the shoot's
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features to get all businesses who worked on the shoot further exposure.
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So, yeah.
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Okay, so style shoots, what are they?
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I'm sure most of you are, but if you're not already familiar with style
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shoots, here is a general definition.
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A style shoot is a collaborative effort of wedding suppliers who put their
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talents and resources together to create a stunning visual concept for a wedding.
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for wedding inspiration.
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Now, my natural love for planning and background and event management has given
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me a platform to knowing how to plan a style shoot in great depth and detail.
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So although you're here to find out how to plan a successful style shoot,
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by the end of this talk, you will see that there's a lot of work involved.
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And if that's not for you, then just carry out the research to
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find a planner or photographer.
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to collaborate with who has a brand aesthetic that is exactly the vibe
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you're trying to achieve and reach out to them to help you plan.
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And a little side tip, don't give up if the first few decline your offer.
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I've got a little story behind this tip.
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So this is my first destination shoot held in Mexico.
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And let me tell you, it was not an easy task to organize.
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Firstly, I should let you know that I was already booked for a wedding in
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Cancun, so my expenses were covered.
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I then thought, if I'm going all this way, why not do a shoot out there to
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increase my destination portfolio?
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So I created a dreamy mood board and sent it to around 40 ideal wedding
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planners through an Instagram private message who are based in the area.
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I got a lot of rejections, but one morning I woke up to a message from my now good
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friend, Christine, who had loved my work and wanted to jump straight on board.
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My partner literally couldn't get a word out of me because I was too busy running
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around the house screaming with excitement that I was not only about to create
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something epic in Mexico, but with a style me pretty recommended wedding planner.
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Christy had never actually organized a style shoot before.
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And although at the time I was currently planning to, I
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hadn't completed one yet either.
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So it was very new to us both.
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And there were so many setbacks during the process.
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We had to constantly adapt our design to suit all these changes.
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For example, the furniture being made for the shoot was not ready on time,
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and we struggled to get a florist on board because style shoes aren't
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really a thing in Mexico, so it was difficult to find someone who would
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part with their time and resources.
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After constant messaging, emailing and voice noting back and forth
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for months, we managed to get all vendors on board and a plan in place.
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I flew out the dress from a designer in London, stationery and accessories
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from lovely local suppliers and booked the model through Instagram, searching
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through hundreds of Cancun model hashtags.
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And there were still occasions right before when I thought it would all
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fall through, but I just kept telling myself, I need this to happen.
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So we'll find a solution to any problem and it will go ahead.
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I mean, worst case scenario, I had a model book and had the
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dresses and accessories with me.
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So a shoot would still happen somehow.
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After flying all of these items out there, trying to steam the dresses
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in the hotel room bathroom, making sure everything had traveled safely,
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getting a taxi to the venue, being the first ones there for the first half
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an hour, and praying that everyone, or at least someone, turns up, they did!
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And it was unbelievably gorgeous.
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I actually had to pinch myself on the day that it had all come together so well.
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And I'm so grateful to the amazing team behind these images for
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being so good at what they do.
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It was a turning point in my business and a very memorable day.
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Once I got home, edited the shoot, got it featured in Wedding Chicks.
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I've got an influx of Mexico wedding inquiries and actually booked four
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dream weddings in Mexico at my full destination rate plus expenses.
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So going back to my point, don't give up.
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Just make it happen and accept that there may be obstacles along the way.
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I've had to completely, I've had to find a completely new venue and secure a florist.
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Just days before a huge tutorial was due to take place in the
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uk all in peak wedding season.
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And this included print changes to stationary, all
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the delivery and travel plans.
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I have so many stories of unexpected mishaps, but you'll be surprised what
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you can do with a great team involved.
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So just don't give up.
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So what are the benefits of styled shoots?
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I have a number of ways they can help any business in the wedding industry.
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Styled shoots will help build your portfolio.
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If you're just starting out, they're a great opportunity to build your portfolio
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and gain experience working with a team.
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Express your creativity and try new things without the pressure of paying clients.
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Show your capability.
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Niche your style.
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Elevate your brand and aesthetic.
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Increase your brand awareness through features and sharing between supplier
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audiences, improving your SEO and Google ranking too, expanding your network.
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You can build relationships with suppliers who brand, whose brands
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align with your work, who may then also become industry buddies.
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I've met so many like minded and wonderful individuals on shoots that
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have become close friends, people I speak to on a daily basis, share inspiration,
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understanding of the wedding industry, and who have really supported me and kept
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me moving, especially during the pandemic last year, well, this year as well.
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Work in ideal venues and ideal suppliers.
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Speak to your ideal client.
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And most importantly, book your idol client.
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Ultimately, what you put out there to your audience is exactly what you will attract.
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If you put out rustic weddings, you will attract couples wanting a rustic theme.
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If you put out mansion houses, you will attract couples who are
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getting married in a mansion house.
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It's as simple as that.
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So whether it's a style shoot you're planning or you've been asked to be
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involved in a shoot, particularly if by an industry friend, make sure it's the
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right fit for you and your business.
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Try not to share a mixture of different wedding styles as
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it becomes a bit confusing.
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And ultimately you want your customer's experience to be simple and easy.
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So they understand who you are, like you, trust you and book you.
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One of the main ways styleshoots can generate income is because
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you are providing the inspiration.
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So if you're specifically inspiring your ideal couples, they will
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of course want to book you.
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We are the industry.
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Clients don't always have the vision.
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So create it for them.
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And another little tip, every now and then, just schedule time in to
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review your work and make sure that it's consistent in style and content
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for your ideal client across each and every one of your platforms.
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Okay.
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I hope you're hooked now and can really see the true benefit of style shoots.
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Any of these reasons can be the purpose of your style of shoot.
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And it's so important for your shoot to have a purpose, so that you can
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keep focused when planning and not stray away from your main goal.
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When other creatives come on board and suggest ideas, the shoot designs and
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concept can easily change direction.
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Therefore, it's important to ensure you bring the right team on board, so that
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any new ideas are still in keeping with your ideal client and goal for the shoot.
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Depending on which purpose you choose, this will change the
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process of your planning slightly.
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For instance, if your purpose is to speak to your ideal client, then you
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will need to spend more time carefully considering what platforms they're using
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what content they're already seeing and produce something that really wows them.
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This also means carefully considering your venue and every single supplier
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to ensure all brands align and will resonate with that ideal client.
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If your purpose is to get featured.
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on a certain blog, then you're planning what will include heavy research
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of that particular blog to find out exactly what they're looking for, their
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tone of voice et cetera, to curate the perfect piece of content that
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they will not be able to turn down.
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Or if your purpose is to express your creativity and try new things.
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Then you might not need to worry too much about a venue as such, but
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maybe an epic location that's going to really blow your audience away.
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So that is your first step to planning a successful styled shoot.
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Finding your purpose.
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Okay.
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So once you have your purpose, the next step is to start creating your
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concept, finding your inspiration and making your mood board for the shoot.
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This may change over time and as you bring suppliers on and incorporate their ideas
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too, but it's good to start somewhere.
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Sending mood boards to suppliers gives them a clear visual idea
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on the shoot, of the shoot style, and if it's good for them.
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You can start by brainstorming and visualising for your shoot, looking at
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what's most important in the planning stage in relation to your purpose.
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And I'd always, always recommend finding inspiration from non
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wedding related resources before heading straight onto Pinterest.
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The reason for this is to make a concept that's different, as once
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you start looking on Pinterest, inevitably wedding inspiration will
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start to show up and your shoot will end up being similar to all the rest.
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So try to be inspired by different elements to bring
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your shoot design together.
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You can find inspiration from the venue itself if you already
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have one in mind, fashion, a book or storyline, interiors, TV.
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I mean, we can all expect a lot of Bridgerton inspired
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shoots coming out soon.
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So you can then brainstorm the atmosphere, the location, the types of supplies
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you're looking for, the look of the models, some keywords that you want your
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shoot to portray, The colors, different looks within the wedding that aren't
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often covered in style shoots, etc.
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And this is the foundation for your shoot.
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And from here, create your mood board.
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So this is to keep the shoot on track and to make sure the purpose
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of the shoot is kept front of mind when planning your details.
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Here are a couple of examples of my initial mood board and final images to
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show that by sending out a clear vision, suppliers have a better understanding
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of the look and style, can interpret the overall concept perfectly, as well
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as adding their own creative input.
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No matter the purpose of your style, I think it's really important
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that each shoot has a story.
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A story helps your design, it helps you design the different looks
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that will be within the shoot and always helps with marketing to your
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audience as people always connect better with images that have a story.
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So this is a great time to write a short story or descriptive paragraph
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about the overall wedding style, including any important details.
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And this will also help inspire the suppliers who will then join the team.
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It may not be your main purpose, but if you would like the shoot featured too,
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make sure you consider where you would like to get the shoot featured in this
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initial stage and build the concept with your desired blog or magazine in mind.
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And make sure you pick a blog that is in line with your your brand.
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You can add inspiration from your desired blog into your mood board.
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Okay, so step three is setting your budget for the shoot.
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This should come from your marketing budget and will cover expenses
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such as models, props, travel expenses, food, drink, posting
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products back to suppliers, etc.
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Models can cost anywhere between time for prints to over 500 a day.
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I usually budget between 100 to 300 for both models per shoot.
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I'm not going to go into too much detail right now as I'll be talking about
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finding your models a little later on.
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There's also an opportunity here when setting your budget to look at the overall
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amount and what you can put towards it.
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If you can't cover the whole budget, you can ask for a small contribution when
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pitching your shoot to your suppliers to help towards say cost of models.
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This obviously has to be reasonable and it's important to look at this
20:08
before contacting suppliers as once they're already on board, it's not
20:12
fair to ask them for contributions.
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I'd also avoid asking those who are already spending out large
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amounts of money on the shoot, including like the florist,
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right?
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So once you've done your research, got some ideas in place, written a short
20:27
story, finished your mood board and set your budget, it's time to get your team
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on board and plan all the logistics.
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So ideally six weeks is the minimum amount of time to plan a successful style shoot.
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This can change depending on how elaborate the shoot is.
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I have been known to put together a shoot in less than 24 hours
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before and we have some amazing, amazingly accommodating suppliers.
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And this was to use up some beautiful flowers that would have otherwise died.
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However, if you're planning a really elaborate shoot, you might
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take a couple of months to get all of the logistics in place.
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No matter the purpose of the shoot, I always think it's important to ensure that
21:07
all suppliers have brands which align, having a similar style, ideal client, and
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suppliers should be carefully chosen to be involved with this in mind in order
21:16
for the shoot to be truly successful.
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This is especially important if the purpose and intention of your shoot
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is to speak to your ideal client.
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If this is the case, I would advise against doing a general StyleShoot shout
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out post asking if any suppliers want to join a StyleShoot as this is not
21:34
the best way to find your suppliers.
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You can however make this very specific towards a certain type of supplier, like
21:41
I'm looking for a fine art calligrapher to work on StyleShoot inspired by the
21:45
history of dot dot dot and attach a mood board to the post, but it's still
21:49
important to check all of their socials and brand visuals to ensure that that
21:54
their brand aligns with yours as well as the overshoot concept and the purpose.
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You will also find that by having a team with all brands align in that
22:04
the suppliers will be much more invested in the shoe and commit fully.
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So there is less likely to be last minute dropouts.
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Suppliers can bring so much to the shoot and go above and beyond your
22:17
expectations by picking the right ones.
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They can completely up the game for your style shoot.
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When reaching out to work with suppliers, especially if you don't know them
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or haven't worked with them before, follow them before you're getting in
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touch with them, engage with them and share their work to get on their radar.
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Then when you're ready to get in touch, be friendly, clear and concise.
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Introduce yourself and the shoot with your short story.
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Any suppliers already on board, mood board, and allow them to contribute
22:48
their own creative freedom in line with the overall shoot style.
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If you're not the photographer, I would make sure you bring
22:56
this supplier in first.
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It will be a lot of time and investment for them, so it's really important they
23:02
are fully committed to the style of shoot.
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It's also important to clarify from the offset any important details.
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such as copyright, sharing of the images if they can
23:12
capture behind the scenes, etc.
23:15
Ensure there is always clear communication throughout the process.
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If suppliers are posting products out, ask them if there are any
23:23
specific images that they need.
23:25
For example, the hair and makeup might want images of their the hair and then
23:29
the makeup as well to add to her portfolio or an accessory designer might want them
23:34
in a flat lay as well as And also ask how much time that they need to set up.
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And this will help you when you're planning your schedule.
23:44
So you're prepared and can estimate the timings more accurately.
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I always think it's important to bring a videographer on board to maximize
23:52
your coverage, as well as helping tell the story in a genuine way
23:57
that can connect with the audience.
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And again, make sure their style aligns with your ideal client.
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Another supplier, which is often not included is a stylist.
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This is so important to make sure the overall style and look comes together.
24:12
This can be either an independent stylist or some florist or stylist
24:16
as well, but just make sure there's someone in charge of general styling.
24:21
And also ensure that there are enough hands on deck.
24:24
Things such as unloading and setting up can often take longer than you think.
24:29
So if you can get any friends or assistants to help with
24:31
that part, you won't regret it.
24:34
And time, then more time can be spent creating and capturing the
24:37
all important beautiful content.
24:39
Some venues can be really tricky to get into as they host a lot of shoots.
24:44
So if the purpose of your shoot is to work at a particular aspirational venue,
24:48
then you'll need to get completely involved in every aspect of that venue.
24:52
Their website, their socials, find their tone of voice.
24:56
Who they speak to and align with that see what other shoots or weddings
25:00
have been done there before You could perhaps offer a unique color palette Or
25:05
shoot concepts so they have some show stopping content which stands out but
25:09
still speaks to their ideal client And really sell them the benefits of the
25:14
shoot to make them look good To make them, you know, make it the desirable
25:18
opportunity that they can't turn down.
25:22
Okay, so model.
25:23
So as I mentioned earlier, models can be quite an expensive cost for
25:27
whoever is planning the shoot and often the most difficult part to organize.
25:31
I have found the perfect combination to be a real model couple, two people
25:36
who are used to being together and cosy in front of the camera, and allows the
25:40
photographer time to try new things and focus on other details of the
25:44
shoot too, not just a couple portraits.
25:47
You can also just have a bride model or if your, if your focus is on bridal
25:51
portraits and other wedding details.
25:53
This will bring down your costs, but without the romance of a couple, the
25:57
shoot story will never be complete.
26:00
There are a number of ways that you can find models.
26:03
Friends can model, but unless the photographer has the time to direct
26:07
them through a series of posing techniques I often find models save
26:11
time as well as giving much more variety in images and move more
26:15
naturally in front of the camera.
26:18
Instagram using the search function or just searching through the hashtags
26:22
like London module, et cetera.
26:24
There are also lots of Facebook modeling groups where photographers
26:28
and models can find each other's work.
26:30
You can put a shout out list in with shoot details like the day, the
26:34
time, the concept, what they will gain, and images to use in their
26:38
portfolio or press features, etc.
26:41
And lots usually message you to find out more.
26:44
This also adds as a great backup option if your original models ever pull out
26:49
as you know that there are a number of other models that are possibly
26:52
still available on the same day.
26:56
You can contact model agencies with your mood board and exactly what you're looking
26:59
for, as many new models will be willing to model for free and build their portfolio.
27:05
There are also websites such as Starnow or Contact Agency, which are free websites
27:10
where you can book models directly.
27:13
And a little tip, I have found that those with experience in acting actually give
27:18
much more to the shoot, because unless models have a lot of experience in bridal
27:22
modelling, some can be a little serious.
27:25
So I found actresses and actors fit the role of the bride and groom really well.
27:31
If you're planning a destination shoot, there are many other logistics
27:34
you'll need to consider, including traveling, especially with supplies,
27:39
products, and possibly your own expensive equipment if you're a
27:42
photographer or videographer, visas.
27:45
The weather and how this will affect your shoot, just to name a few.
27:49
Make sure you have a planner on board for any destination shoot who is either based
27:54
in the area or has lots of experience there to avoid any obvious issues
27:58
such as language barrier, et cetera.
28:02
Okay, so moving on to your shoot plan.
28:06
Now you have all of your suppliers on board, you have a better idea
28:10
on the looks you'll be creating during the shoot time, so now it's
28:14
time to create your shoot plan.
28:17
You can put this into a PDF document to send to all suppliers, ideally at least
28:21
one week before the shoot takes place.
28:24
So that everyone is on the same page and knows exactly what is expected of them and
28:29
it allows the chance for anyone to notice anything missing from the plan, etc.
28:34
Make sure that it includes your shoot details, like the day, the time, etc.
28:39
Purpose of the shoot and where you plan to get the shoot featured.
28:43
Supplier credits.
28:45
A list of both Instagram and Facebook so that you can all follow each
28:49
other in advance of the shoot.
28:51
And this also makes it easier to tag everyone in behind the
28:54
scenes images and videos on the shoot day of the shoot itself.
28:59
You also want athe time, etc.Al mood board and short story and any keywords.
29:07
Also, who is attending the shoot itself, who is passing products to
29:11
somebody else, a schedule for the day, a detailed shot list, and any helpful
29:19
tips, including directions, where to park, unload, access to food and
29:25
drink, toilet facilities, and contact numbers for the main shoot organizers.
29:30
You can, of course, go into much more detail depending on
29:33
how elaborate the shoot is.
29:35
You can have a page for each look or even each supplier.
29:39
But it's definitely good to put it all into one document ahead of the shoot
29:43
so that everyone can really visualize the shoot coming together and they have
29:47
all the information that they need.
29:50
It also allows the chance for getting any last minute things that you may need, and
29:54
checking with all suppliers to make sure that everything and everyone is okay.
29:59
I tend to print a couple copies of the plan to have a paper version to
30:03
hand, and as a reference on the day.
30:07
You can also make a packing list after you've done this.
30:10
So you can gather everything you need the day before the shoot and
30:14
make sure nothing is left behind.
30:16
And remember that no matter how much you plan or prepare, there
30:21
is always a possibility for something unexpected happening.
30:25
I've tried to eliminate as many hurdles as I can from my past experiences,
30:30
but to give you a little insight, these past experiences have included.
30:34
Having models pull out two days before a major shoot,much you plan or
30:39
prepare,stones that were not forecast in an outdoor setting where we had
30:44
to dry everything carefully trying not to ruin the acrylic stationery, a
30:48
male model who forgot their shirt even after being reminded numerous times,
30:53
and then led to driving around a very small foreign island in a hire car on
30:57
the day of the shoot trying to locate.
30:59
a white shirt and pen extortionate amounts for it.
31:03
And that doesn't even scratch the surface.
31:05
So just be prepared to adapt and think on your feet.
31:10
Okay, so shoot days are usually long and tiring.
31:15
So start it right by waking up in plenty of time, having a good
31:19
breakfast, wear something practical, including your footwear, but don't
31:24
forget that there might be behind the scenes photos and videos taken.
31:28
Check your packing list and make sure you have your design brief
31:31
with shortness and all the details.
31:33
Try to arrive first so that you can unload anything you have, and
31:38
then meet all the suppliers as they arrive and help them if necessary.
31:42
For the photographer, remember to check your shoot plan throughout the day,
31:46
keep on track of timings, shoot both a mixture of portrait and landscape where
31:50
possible, and don't forget the details.
31:54
All suppliers present can get lots of sneaky behind the scenes images which can
31:59
be sent into a group whatsapp So everyone has something to share even for the
32:03
suppliers not present on the day Once you have completed your shoot, make sure you
32:08
leave the venue or location exactly how you found it Tidy up and take all rubbish
32:14
away with you and make sure there is no mess As this will help build a positive
32:18
relationship with you in the venue after the shoot package up all the products
32:23
neatly To send back to suppliers promptly as they may need the item for another
32:28
shoot So don't delay that you can send a friendly Thank you email for participating
32:33
with a reminder to send back to send behind the scenes images into the group
32:38
chat and keeping the team updated with when the photos will be released Okay.
32:45
Cool.
32:47
Delivering photos and videos.
32:49
So it's great if possible for the sneak peek to go out the
32:52
following day after the shoot.
32:55
This is when anticipation and excitement is high on social media, the behind
33:00
the scenes will still be showing on supplier stories, so it's great
33:03
to get some of the finished content out there as soon as you can for all
33:07
suppliers to share and shout about.
33:10
Make sure that along with the gallery link, the credits are in the email to one
33:14
list for Instagram and one for Facebook to make sure that each and make sure that
33:18
each post credits the whole team, not just who's featured in the photo, and
33:23
this is to increase exposure for everyone in terms of delivering the full gallery.
33:30
Most blogs are actually okay with suppliers sharing content, so there's
33:35
often no need to wait to release the images before a feature is secured.
33:39
Just remind suppliers to not share all the images at once and to hold
33:43
back some of the killer photos for when the shoot does get featured.
33:49
Okay, so submissions.
33:50
So blogs receive hundreds and hundreds of submissions a day.
33:55
So be prepared that this can be a lengthy process and you need to
33:58
give some seriously killer context to the shoot to win them over.
34:03
Each blog submission is each blog submission process.
34:07
is different.
34:08
So your written content will change depending on what they are looking for.
34:12
Some blogs have a set of questions you need to answer, whereas some ask
34:16
for a few descriptive paragraphs.
34:18
Make sure you read exactly what the blog is looking for and read some
34:22
of their recent features to help achieve the tone of voice and make
34:26
sure that your content is helpful to future couples as ultimately that is
34:31
the purpose of these wedding blogs.
34:34
Make sure that you start your submission with a personal message, ideally
34:39
addressing with the correct name.
34:41
You can usually find this in the about page.
34:44
Just look for who's in charge of editorial submissions.
34:47
before introducing your shoot.
34:50
Over time, if you build a relationship with the blog,
34:52
then this won't be necessary.
34:55
If or when the blog accepts your submission, keep your team updated
35:00
with the submission progress by sending them the feature date and
35:03
badge along with a link to the gallery and or video again with the credits.
35:08
Remind them on how to credit and ask for the whole team to really promote
35:12
the shoot on feature day to improve the exposure and reach for all involved.
35:18
Keep a track of where you have submitted your shoot or shoots.
35:21
Write down the time frame they say they will get back to you by and pop
35:25
that date into your diary so you can keep on top of submissions and ensure
35:29
that there are no unnecessary delays.
35:33
And there's no need to stop after one feature.
35:36
Some blogs will accept non exclusive content, so just make sure that the shoot
35:40
is, so just mention that the shoot has been featured where and when, and make
35:45
sure you wait out the gross period from your first blog before submitting again.
35:50
And don't forget that exposure is not just provided in the form of blogs.
35:55
As all suppliers involved have aligned brands, they should be sharing
35:59
the content everywhere, blogging, welcome guides, socials, et cetera,
36:03
with reference to all businesses.
36:05
That reach alone can be so beneficial to finding your ideal client
36:09
through this amazing content, securing their confidence in you.
36:15
Okay.
36:16
So from every shoe I've organized or been a part of, I've learned
36:20
something new to add to this process.
36:22
I could honestly go on for hours longer.
36:25
So this really does only scratch the surface and is a snapshot of my
36:29
proven process to a successful style shoot and how they can fast track your
36:33
business to securing your ideal clients.
36:36
To finish, I just wanted to mention a few key tips that most people forget, which I
36:41
think make a style shoot a real success.
36:44
These are finding your purpose of your shoot, finding inspiration from
36:49
non wedding related resources, having a story, selecting the suppliers
36:54
carefully, sharing the photos before the shoot is featured, not just picking
37:00
any random blog, but making sure it's the right fit for your ideal client.
37:05
And don't forget to push the limits and have some fun.
37:08
So yeah, if you haven't already, please go ahead and follow my
37:11
Instagram page for lots more tips and style shoots and resources.
37:14
so much for watching
37:14
Becca: I really hope you enjoyed today's sneaky look inside
37:19
the Members Lounge portal.
37:21
I hope that you will consider joining us in the Members Lounge.
37:24
We have current up to date training just like this every single month,
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plus a huge library of training that we've had previously.
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Also, if you want to see this video again, but with the PowerPoint visuals
37:34
or with the Q& A at the end, you'll find it all inside the Members Lounge.
37:37
I'll see you next time.