Perfecting the art of a styled shoot is a pro's opportunity to challenge their creativity. Styled shoots allow for wedding and event pros to collaborate and make something beautiful that inspires and connects them with future clients. There are many ways that a styled shoot could go wrong, so let’s talk about some go-to styled shoot best practices. Read on to see our tips on how you can truly showcase your work, build relationships with other vendors and future partners, and reach couples searching for exactly what you have to offer.
Why We Love Styled Shoots on AP
When a couple first gets engaged they want to be inspired. If they didn’t plan every detail of their dream wedding out as a child then they'll certainly need some inspiration. So where do they go to get inspired? They come across pages like The Aisle Guide where they find the inspiration they’re looking for and with it they find you! We know how hard it can be to get your work in front of the right eyes so we’ve made an interconnected platform for your work to be published. The Aisle Guide houses the all of our featured real weddings and styled shoots which feeds into our Design Studio. What that means is that your work can be seen by not only future couples but also other pros that are looking for new partners. Plus, you can save images of your own work into your client’s style guides. Learn more about How to Submit Your Styled Shoot to The Aisle Guide.
Plan Like It’s a Wedding
So you’ve decided to do a styled shoot, where to begin?
Idea Formation: Coming up with a splendid theme is the foundation of a successful styled shoot.
- Who is your target audience?
- Is this a new and unique idea?
- How can you tell a story?
- What is the goal of this shoot?
- What is your color scheme and aesthetic?
Organizing: Once you’ve figured out what direction you want to go in so now you can start the planning.
- Create a timeline and checklist through AP
- Create mood boards and style guides in the AP Design Studio
- Secure a location that perfectly suits your theme
- Contact vendors (Try out a new photographer, florist, baker, etc.)
- Find the best models to tell the story
Read How to Plan a Styled Shoot on Aisle Planner for more specific details on the planning process.
Diverse Collaboration
When you’re looking to build your vendor team, think about how you can give a voice and represent all identities and communities. Look into BIPOC and LGBTQ vendors that have the same values in supporting and uplifting people of color, people of all sizes, religions, and abilities. This is an active way that you can take a part in creating a more diverse and representative narrative. Now you'll have built relationships with new vendors that you can recommend to your couples. The same goes for models. Search for diverse models from all different walks of life.
Beautiful Can Still Be Authentic & Realistic
Be inspirational with your ideas. Try something new that you’ve always dreamed of. This is the time to really unleash your creativity to see what you can do for a couple’s real wedding. But with that said, always make these shoots realistic for what most of your couples can afford. Think beautiful but on a reasonable budget. You’re making these shoots for your couples after all, so if they’re totally unattainable then you’re misleading your future clients. Once you’ve booked a couple, be transparent about how much it will cost to make that styled shoot inspiration into an actual wedding.
Celebrate Everyone’s Work
Be a united team throughout the whole process. Styled shoots are a team effort. Make sure you give credit where credit is due. Compile a detailed list of every vendor that was a part of the project. Make sure you use their proper business name, collect their emails, websites, and social media handles. We’re all in this together and we’re here to uplift each other!
Hero photo courtesy: Rebecca Carpenter Photography
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