I am sitting here at Ava Roasteria sipping a decaf vanilla latte. If you follow my tweets, you probably often see me say that I’m drinking tea and waiting for a client, or such. I had a friend tell me she thinks all I do is sit around coffee houses.
I just met with a lovely bride and groom planning a 2010 wedding. I got to thinking that maybe my readers might be interested in what actually happens at once of these wedding photography meetings.
As a bride I would probably be scared of hard sales, and lots of pressure. Besides the fact that I can’t sell anything, it’s not what I want to do. (My hubby actually makes me leave the room if someone is coming over to buy something we posted on Craigslist.) To me the purpose is for both of us to decide if we are a good match, to see if I am the best wedding photographer for you.
I typically lug two big bags of stuff. I don’t make you sit for hours and look through all this, it’s just in case there is something extra you want to see. I have two flushmount wedding albums, and one mini flushmount that I show to every couple. I have a slideshow prepared and a box of printed proofs, in case you want to see more work. Some couples can get a feel from the albums, and others want to soak up every image possible.
I ask lots of questions, and answer as many as you have. Here is a list of questions I get asked often. Feel free to google questions to ask a wedding photographer and hit me with some new ones I might not expect.
I present you with a list of my wedding photography packages and lots of pricing details. These are just for you to get an idea. Once you tell me all about your wedding, I can create a custom collection for you. (I am happy to give you a quote before the meeting via email or phone.)
At the end of the meeting, I show you a copy of the contract for you to look over. If you would like to reserve your date at this point, you may. You are welcome to go home, think it over, and/or meet with other photographers. I once had a couple tell me they wanted a few minutes to talk things over on the spot. I got up, left the table, and came back to more questions. For my hubby and I, we always need to chat alone so I completely understand this!
My best meetings feel just like coffee with friends, with a bit more probing I guess.
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