I’ve had a few clients and even established and aspiring wedding professionals ask my why I do Styled Wedding Shoots and I have a few reasons aside from the fun I have creating:
The Planner’s Perspective:
It’s an opportunity for me to connect with vendors near and far. Because it’s not a real wedding, our motivation to perform is mostly self serving. The only people I have to please are the vendors I invited to participate. I have certain logistic responsibilities to all of the vendors involved but they just need to provide their service as we’ve agreed upon. In the styled wedding shoot setting we not only see how well we work together but it’s a chance to determine if I would ever refer them to my clients. There’s really no difference in my role when planning a styled shoot except the lack of wedding guests, an officiant and a caterer.
To be frank, I find it annoying that most people think they can become wedding planners overnight when they get engaged, go crazy with Pinterest, blow their budget on nonsense and THEN try to hire us for Month of (aka “day of”) Coordination when there’s no money left. I’m a new kid on the block, but I learned very quickly that the preexisting stress and tension makes for an unpleasant experience when I’m stepping in as the ‘underpaid wedding planning cleanup crew’ under the title of “Month of Coordinator”. If I wanted to find joy in my role I needed to avoid “those jobs”… give you a reason to hire me for something else… Real Planning AND Styling. (See: Bohemian Styled Wedding)
The Stylist’s Perspective:
I began getting frustrated with the misconceptions surrounding Month of Coordination and actual Wedding Planning & Styling very early on. Although I can execute the logistics of weddings and events, my passion lies with the creative side of weddings & events. If I want you to book me for my beautifully styled settings, how would you ever know my style and design capabilities without styled shoots.
Most people are planning their weddings themselves (sometimes with the help of their caterer) and booking me to coordinate their day (Month of Coordination). I can’t show you weddings I coordinated that were planned & styled by the brides and their moms and expect you to book me for skills you have no visual representation of me having. Styled shoots are my opportunity to have some creative fun and exercise my styling and design skill set.
The Photographer’s Perspective:
It’s probably obvious that photographers want beautiful photos for their portfolios, marketing, etc. I often hear criticism about styled shoots as a tool for misrepresenting their work to potential clients. Although, some photographers may do that, most have no problem with showcasing the difference between styled shoots and real weddings. Styled shoots provide an opportunity for photographers to work under the most ideal circumstances without the pressure of a wedding day timeline. They can use that as an opportunity to explain why taking photos at a particular time of day is preferred, or why you should hire me as your planner (just kidding. Not really).
Styled shoots are the perfect opportunity for photographers to try new techniques, equipment and editing styles. You don’t want your photographer trying something for the first time at your wedding, you never want your wedding to be their first. Let the styled shoot be their time to experiment and if they are an aspiring wedding photographer, they can 2nd shoot real weddings under an experienced wedding photographer until they feel comfortable to take the lead on your big day.
From Your Prospective (the client):
I can’t speak for others, but my styled shoots are visual wedding stories. I love trying new things, pushing boundaries, and showcasing what a cohesive styled wedding looks like. When you look at the albums and/or galleries of your prospective wedding photographers, each wedding (that I’ve executed) should look like they their own complete love story. Pay attention to the editing style of each photographer. I have multiple photographers participating in my shoots which gives you a rare chance to see how different photographers capture and edit the same material.
I hope this has helped you better understand why styled shoots are so special and necessary in our industry for us as the professionals and you as the client! If you have found this post helpful or have anything to add, please do so in the comments ? Thanks for reading!
