The Process of Booking a Photographer

So, you're ready to book me as your photographer for your session or your wedding day, but you're just not sure what the process even looks like.
Or worse. You're afraid to reach out because you don't know how much it's going to cost you upfront.

Yeah, I can understand the fear surrounding that. I'd be kinda nervous too, to be quite honest.

So in today's post, I'm explaining the process of what booking looks like and what happens even after booking.
Let's dive in!


The Contact Form

Every inquiry starts from the contact form.

Let me start off by saying that filling up the contact form even if you’re not 100% sure you want to hire me as your photographer is totally okay. I mean, of course, I’d love for you to be completely on-board, but if you’re just contacting for more information or just to get an idea if I’m your perfect fit that’s 1000% okay. As a matter of fact, if you’re not on board yet, I HIGHLY encourage you to fill out the contact form and let’s have a conversation. I’d rather have any and all of your questions answered than have you sit in uncertainty. I promise, no string attached. (I’m not that kind of photographer.)


The Virtual Consultation

Once you submit your contact form, I usually get my inquiries within 24 hours (but usually sooner) to send out a wedding pricing guide. You may or may not have heard of the wedding pricing guide. But think of it as more of a mini-magazine rather than a price package guided book.  Along with the wedding pricing guide I also send out a calendar invite where you can select the best date and time that works with you and your partner to meet on a virtual meeting either on Facetime or Google Hangout.

If you decide to book whether right on the spot, or you need some time to think, no problem. 

Whenever you decide to book, a link to an invoice is sent directly to your email inbox where you will also find the official wedding photography contract/agreement (fun fact: the term contract and agreement is interchangeable.) 


The Questionnaire

Once you’re booked, another link with a lengthy questionnaire gets sent to your email inbox. 
This questionnaire is SO IMPORTANT. I cannot stress this questionnaire enough for my couples. 

What this questionnaire does is breaks down ALL THE DETAILS of your wedding all in once place. 

The reason why I love to ask these questions is so that I can completely engulf myself in what to expect on your wedding day from details about who’s who, the names of all of your wedding party, the names of your vendors, and even the family dynamic. (Trust me, this will help EVERYONE. More about this questionnaire for another blog post. #Trust)


Engagement Session (if desired)
Usually this is about the time we set you up with an engagement session date and time. The cost of the engagement is typically paid up front unless it’s part of a wedding collection.

(If you’re still unsure about whether or not you need an engagement session, go ahead of pause right here and read this post right here. It’s all about why I think it’s important for you to have an engagement session.)

The engagement session calendar invite gets sent over to you to decide on the best times and dates for you to select.


Months Leading Up to Wedding
Unlike a lot of other vendors, I strive to keep open communication between us. So, months leading up to the big day, I tend to write up a few emails here and there with reference guides, follow-ups and even some words of encouragement. Because sometimes all you want to know is that you’re being taken care of. And that’s exactly what I intend to do. 
Even the weeks leading up to the wedding, I like to blur the lines between photographer and planner where I talk timelines and itineraries for your day. (Fun fact: if you don’t have a planner who’s working with you on your timeline, I got you!)


The Week of the Wedding
This week is crucial. 
This is the week we talk about finalizing any changes to the timeline, any updates and making sure we touch upon who you’ve designated for certain tasks on your wedding day.
I’ve written a whole post about the importance of designating tasks to others on your wedding day. You can read more about it here.
And on the day before your big day, you bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be sending you a text message full of excitement for what’s to come.
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I cannot wait to hear from you, friend. It’s going to be a wild and fun ride.