8 EASY STEPS TO PLAN A GREAT WEDDING STYLED SHOOT
Step #1: Find A Theme & Prepare A Mood Board
First and foremost, decide a theme for your styled shoot. You can start with collecting inspirations and designing a mood board to determine key elements and project the overall concept. This step is important as without a clear idea, you could end up confusing yourself and may not be able to pitch and convince other vendors to collaborate with you.
Step #2: Set Goals & Budget
Once you have decided on a theme, determine your goals. What are you actually aiming for? Is it to upgrade your portfolio or to get featured on a wedding publication? While thinking about this, do not forget to count your budget as well. It is always good to allocate a budget for everything (including how much you would spend for little decorative items) so you would know how much you could do, whether you need to up the limit, and avoid unnecessary shock later.
Step #3: Form Your Team
Once you have done step 1 and 2, lay them all when you are pitching to other vendors. It is best to be upfront about all of your plans rather than playing the waiting game to see if they are down to collaborate with you. Do not get too hung up by rejections because ultimately, you would want to work with someone who has similar visions and able to deliver the best outcome instead of just empty promises.
Step #4: Pick A Location
If you could settle on a location right away, that will be perfect. However, the truth is, finding a location for your styled shoot can be both easy and difficult. Other than budget, there is also accessibility and availability. When you will be visiting multiple locations, consider going with one or two people responsible for decorations so they can do a site recce and give their two cents on the best one.
Step #5: Prepare A Timeline
Next in line is scheduling! To keep things on track, mark the availability of all the participating vendors. This is to prevent sudden cancellations (unplanned client meeting, anybody?) and keep everything smooth-sailing. With a timeline, all vendors will know what is expected of them by a certain time, the rundown of the styled shoot, and be able plan other things afterwards.
Step #6: Gather For A Kickstart Meeting
A kickstart meeting should include two things: a presentation of the styled shoot and an introduction between vendors. Do not assume everyone will know everyone, even if it is so, break the ice again! Use this opportunity to create a good working environment, ask for collective feedback, and build network for future projects.
Step #7: On The Day
Comes the day, maintain close contact with everyone. If you think you would be too busy doing your own part for the styled shoot, it would be great if you appoint a project manager to help you keep everyone and everything in check. Once the day ended, discuss any concerns and ask for feedback from the others to avoid post-shoot miscommunication.
Step #8: Post-shoot
Congratulations on completing your styled shoot! Now, let’s go back to step number two: achieving your goals. Check all of the pictures, pick your favourite ones, and do what you need to do with them! If you are looking to update your portfolio, then upload these latest works on your social media and so potential clients can view them. If you want to get featured on a wedding publication, then make a submission to wedding blog or wedding magazine. Particularly for this one, you must take note of the exclusivity terms so read carefully.
So, after all these, it really does not sound so difficult to nail a styled shoot. Simply remember that a styled shoot is an opportunity to let yourself shine. So, put forth your best effort, show your signature style, and let people see your works.
With this step-by-step guide, we hope you can ace your styled shoot! If you have past experience in styled shoot, feel free to share your tips below!
