Should I Do Wedding Shows? || Tips For Beginner Wedding Photographers
I know that this is a question I’ve asked myself through the years. Should I do weddings shows? If yes then how many should I do, when, where and how can I make the biggest impact at them? If I’ve asked it them I’m sure you’ve been asking yourself it too. Let me give you the rundown on how I tackle this topic with my own business.
How Do I Know If Wedding Shows Are Right For Me?
Do you need to find clients? Are you failing to drum up business through other resources at the rate you are looking to?Do you have the budget to cover the show costs? Then I would say that wedding shows are for you lol.
After a few years of different shows I know that they bring in a variety of different brides. Higher end with lavish budgets, those on a pinch, outdoor weddings, destinations weddings as well as banquet halls and city halls. So no matter which clients you are looking to book they will be there.
Something to think about when considering if hitting the shows is for you is how comfortable you feel sparking conversation and engaging with complete strangers. I for one find it difficult to sell myself, I don’t struggle with chatting to new couples but I do and will always probably cringe at the thought of trying to sell myself but it’s 100% part of the shows. There will be a lot of other photogs there rocking their business so you need to too. If the thought of chatting with strangers is a no go then maybe an alternate route my be a better investment of your time and resources.
What Part Of Your Calendar Are You Looking To Fill?
Are you looking to book up brides for within the next 6-8 months? If the answer is yes then keep in mind that the wedding show you are about to do most likely will NOT fill that time frame. From my experience the weddings I book from shows tend to be anywhere from 10-24 months out. Very rarely do I find brides whose wedding is within the next 6 months looking for their photographer at a show. They are still shopping the show for some items on their wedding checklist but photographer isn’t one of them.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do the show because in reality you have to start somewhere and it’s important to be booking up your next wedding season now. That way you are not in the same predicament this time next year. Just know that your goal is to be booking that following wedding season and if you manage to bag a wedding for this season at the same time that’s a massive bonus!
They Are Expensive
Wedding shows come at a fairly high financial cost so it’s important you are ready to take the hit. Yes the return on your investment can be great but you may not be reaping that return for another 12-18 months!
To start with there is the fee to be a vendor. This varies from show to show and can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. Then you need your prints, products, albums, business cards and so on. Each year you tend to update those photos as your work improves or you find your style which means these costs can be on going.
I LOVE wedding shows and they give me a great return on my money but that’s not the case for everyone. Photography tends to be the most saturated group of vendors at almost all wedding shows and so you have to stand out. On Monday I will be releasing an awesome blog on How To Stand Out & Book Out At A Wedding Show. In that I will share all the tips and tricks I’ve learnt over the years that have helped me to get the most clients from the shows I hit. I can’t wait to share it with you! Stay tuned.
In the meantime I thought I’d share a list of some of the weddings shows around for you to check out!
The Wedding Co Market
Canada’s Bridal Show
The Burlington Oakville Bridal Show
Modern Bride Wedding Show
The Bridal Affair Show
The Wedding Rings Newmarket Expo
The Wedding Show