Wedding photography is one of the most AMAZING careers out there. You get to capture love, emotion, memories, and serve clients on the best day of their lives. But let’s be real for a second, the business side of things is not always as glamorous shooting the actual wedding! Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve shot several weddings already, there are a few costly mistakes that could seriously mess with your business, client experience, and profit. However, I am here to HELP! I’m going to walk you through 5 costly mistakes wedding photographers often make, and more importantly how you can avoid them and level up your business!!

1. Poor Client Communication

Clear and efficient communication with your clients is one of the biggest indicators of a successful wedding photography business. When you and your couples are on the same page, wedding days typically run seamlessly! Without it? Things can get sideways really fast.

Why it’s costly:

• Clients will feel unheard and trust can slip away.
• Misunderstandings about packages or expectations can lead to disappointment.
• Lack of communication might leave you scrambling last minute on a wedding day

How to fix it:

• Be responsive and available for questions. Seriously, respond to emails, messages, and calls in a timely manner. It is not possible to immediately respond to everyone. However, be punctual in response times. This will set you up for success with your clients and new inquires.
• Have a crystal clear contract that covers everything. There are sites that you can purchase contracts from if you do not have one. Be sure to have an attorney review your contracts.
  • The Legal Paige wedding contract
  • The Law Tog wedding contract
  • Honey book is a client management system that also has contract templates built in that you get access to with your subscription. If you are interested in Honeybook I have a referral code for 30% off! Honeybook referral coupon.
• Send a questionnaire. If you are not sending a questionnaire to your brides, start TODAY! This will help you be on the same page as your client, and help you plan and prepare for the wedding day in advance. I also send my questionnaire through Honeybook!

2. Not Creating a Wedding Day Timeline

A wedding day without a timeline!? That’s ABSOLUTE CHAOS waiting to happen. You NEED to have a photo timeline for EVERY wedding day. This can look different depending on if your client has a full service wedding planner or not. As the photographer you are the professional and are responsible for educating your client on how long photos take. They are hiring you to capture their day. You cannot do that if you do not have the time to do so. This is why having a timeline is a necessity as a wedding photographer.

Why it’s costly:

• Missing key moments like the bride getting ready and family portraits
• Wasting time to find people or figure out what’s next
• A lack of organization can make you look unprofessional and cause clients not to refer you to their friends. A wedding day is truly the best advertisement you give. If you are scrambling, it is not a good look for your current couple or any future client.

How to fix it:

• CREATE AN EFFICIENT TIMELINE! It is so important to have a photo timeline with each client you serve. This may look different for some if they have a full service wedding planner. However, it is your job to create a timeline or work with the planner to create one.
  • I have a timeline template available for purchase for wedding photographers. This template walks you through how to create a timeline and has customizable templates! View timeline template.
• Build in buffer time. No matter how prepared you are, things are going to happen. Give yourself some wiggle room before the ceremony so if you are running a tad behind you can make it up.
• Make sure you share this timeline with the couple and have them make everyone aware of when they need to be ready for photos. If they are not aware, this is immediately going to put you behind with waiting on people for photos.

3. Not Charging Enough for Your Services

Okay let’s talk about money, friend! I know it can feel very icky, but at the end of the day you are running a BUSINESS! Undercharging is one of the fastest ways to burn out and undervalue yourself. You are a professional and your prices should reflect that!

Why it’s costly:

• You’ll burn out working long hours for way less than you deserve.
• You book clients who don’t respect your time or value your work.
• You won’t be able to invest in the gear or help you need to really thrive.
• You will not have a profit.

How to fix it:

• KNOW your worth! Own your skills, your time, and the value you bring and price accordingly.
• Factor in ALL the costs of doing business like coverage time, sessions, travel time, hotel accomodations, systems needed to run your business, and editing.
  • My friend Marissa Chrzan has a full pricing calculator for wedding photographers to know how to correctly price yourself and remain profitable. View pricing calculator.
• As you gain experience and your portfolio grows, DON’T be afraid to raise your rates. The biggest lie I told myself when I started was I wasn’t good enough. I am here to tell you that isn’t true. Your time and service is valuable and should be priced to reflect that.

4. Missing Key Shots on the Big Day

Weddings are fast-paced, and it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind. But, you do NOT want to be the reason you are missing out on important moments for your couples. Your couples are trusting you to document the entirety of their wedding day and if photos are missing you can guarantee the result will be a disappointed client.

Why it’s costly:

• Missing key photos = unhappy clients that might not book you or refer you again.
• You can’t recover from missing photos. You can fix a lot of things, but you cannot remake a photo that wasn’t taken in the moment.
• Negative reviews that can hurt your future bookings.

How to fix it:

• Make a shot list and review what you need to take before the wedding.
  • I have a FREE wedding day photo checklist that you can use to prepare before your next wedding. Download the FREE checklist HERE.
• Get a second shooter or an assistant. If you are able to hire a second, DO IT! This helps you have another set of hands and eyes to capture the day. You are human and you might not be able to see everything on your own. Having a backup is always ideal.
• Send a questionnaire before the wedding. Be sure to have your clients answer a questionnaire so that you are all on the same page. This allows you to prepare for time to capture all of the special events of the day.
• Create and use a timeline! If you are not already using a timeline, START TODAY!
  • If you are in need of a customizable timeline template, view mine HERE!

5. Not Having a Post-Processing System

Our work doesn’t end when the wedding is over! Editing and delivering your couples photos is just as important as taking them! If you don’t have a post-processing system in place, you’re setting yourself up for burnout and frustration.

Why it’s costly:

• Inconsistent editing or missed deadlines can lead to disappointed clients.
• If your photos don’t match your usual style, your brand will suffer.
• Losing photos in post processing. If you don’t have a way to backup photos for post processing you could be at risk for losing images, and not being able to deliver photos to your clients.

How to fix it:

• Develop a streamlined workflow that helps you in post processing for every wedding.
• Set clear deadlines for delivery in your contract so your clients know exactly when to expect their images. I always recommend a deadline that is further out that you actually need. This will help you underpromise and overdeliver.
• Create and stick to a consistent style while editing.
• Hire an editor if needed to send galleries out on time. Marissa Chrzan is an editor that I highly recommend!
  • Contact Marissa here.
• Backup all images to 2 external hard drives. I also recommend keeping all files on your SD cards until the gallery has been delivered.

There you have it!

Wedding photography is an art AND a business, and if you’re making these 5 mistakes, it’s time to turn things around! By communicating better with your clients, organizing a solid timeline, charging what you’re worth, staying on top of your must have photos, and streamlining your editing, you’ll be setting yourself up for long-term success.

If you have any questions, or thought this blog was helpful would you leave me a comment below!? You can also email me or DM me on Instagram anytime!

Want to learn more from me? Visit my education site here!