This is a multifaceted question, and here’s why. There are a couple of things that I would ask the bride first, to be able to better give her some advice. First would be, was it an execution issue, like an issue of technique, or was it about miscommunication? And the look that was desired wasn’t delivered. So in the first scenario, the question would be, okay, the execution, the delivery, were the lashes falling off or glue showing? Was the foundation mismatched? For hair, it might be, did the curls not hold? Were the pins showing? So those are more about technique and execution. And so in that case, you might have somebody who’s just not up to the skill level that you desire. But on the other side of that is communication. So something I always talk to brides about is that the inspiration photos you choose communicate 1000 words. And if your hairstylist or makeup artist isn’t asking a lot of questions about those pictures, then they could be getting the wrong message. Something you can do on your end is, when you’re choosing those inspiration photos, make sure that the person looks like you. Sometimes we’re drawn to those inspiration photos because it’s a beautiful model, but you want to make sure they have the face shape, the skin tone, even the age of you, as well as the hair type. So those are some things to look for and think about. And then also, when you were at your trial with your artist, were they asking questions about the picture? Because I cannot tell you how many times a bride will show me a macro image of an eye. Like a close up, right? And they’re like, oh, my God, I love this. And I will dissect that picture with them. I will ask, okay, what do you love about it? Oh, I just think it’s really pretty. And I love how the eye is just really popping. But I’ll continue to ask questions. Okay, what do you think about the eyeshadow color? Oh, my gosh, I love it. What do you think about the glitter? Not really a fan of glitter. Okay. What do you think about the eyeliner? I love it. But maybe not top and bottom. Meanwhile, the picture has, like, top and bottom liner. What do you think about the lashes? What do you think about the brows? So I’m literally dissecting that picture with them. So if your artist didn’t do that, then that tells me there might be an opportunity for you to maybe do another trial and get on the same page. So there’s a third component I want to talk to you about. So when listening to this, if your situation was on the side that maybe the execution and the technique wasn’t there. We need to have a real conversation about budget, because I cannot tell you how many times we will get a bride with a champagne taste on a beer budget. And we all know those exist. So if you have chosen to go with somebody that is a lower price point, and you made that choice because you’re working within a budget, then sometimes concessions have to be made. Sometimes you’re going to get maybe a less experienced artist who needs a second trial to properly match your foundation. Doesn’t mean they can’t do it. It just might take them a little longer to get exactly what you’re wanting. So just keep that in mind. I hope this helps. Thanks for checking in on these questions. I love it. And I can’t wait to see you on the next one.
Here are some tips and tricks to film a great video that stops the scroll:
You’ve got 3-5 seconds to stop the viewer’s scroll. Be creative… start with a phrase like:
We’ll put your name and bio in the title and links, so you can say something more general like:
Give them your hot take, and don’t hold anything back.
check out how Sal nailed it in this video and so did Megan in this one and Nichole told it straight (from her car).
Do you feel like the industry charges more “because it’s a wedding” and they know it’s an emotional purchase?
Do companies think that they can charge more for weddings since the bride and groom may be willing to spend more on their dream wedding?
Hey wedding pros – is this higher price tag justified? Why? Do you charge more for your service if it is a wedding?
This is a taboo topic, whispered but not discussed… until now.
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2 comments
I have been asked this so many times... does the wedding industry inflate prices when they hear it's a wedding?
Here is my honest answer (as a former wedding photographer)... NO. Did I charge more for a wedding than a 50th birthday party or a family portrait session? Yes, absolutely. I charged A LOT more for a wedding.
Was I taking advantage of the emotional sell? Absolutely not.
The main reasons I charged more for a wedding were: the unseen amount of work involved in the 12+ months leading up to the wedding, the skill level needed on the day, the INTENSE pressure to create perfect "portfolio level work" no matter what the reality of the situation- but mostly it is to compensate for the time AFTER the wedding in post production.
Little known fact about wedding photography - the real job is sitting at a computer editing photos. Photographers spend many hours behind the computer carefully selecting and editing photos. They make adjustments, crop, and adjust colors to ensure each image it's best. Don't forget the time it takes for batching, renaming, importing, exporting and uploading the photos and preparing them for delivery.
Do you think this justifies why photographers charge more for weddings than for other types of shoots?
Couldn’t agree more! And on the videography side its an absolute ton of data + editing discipline.
Its a double sided coin- weddings are extremely high pressure but also high reward when we nail it.
Our products (photo video) in particular are the only thing that genuinely will last forever . Having fun and ALSO nailing the product is worth the price of entry and frankly more.