Today, we’re talking about…Taking the plunge on wedding venue photography.
NB: This is an article from Tambourine
Make the first move.
Newly engaged couples are trying to envision a picture perfect setting in which to say their vows. How are they supposed to make an informed decision when all they have to look at are pictures of empty ballrooms? Help them out. One great venue photo could be the difference between a newly engaged couple choosing your hotel or opting for a venue down the street. One bad photo (or, worse, no photos at all) could be the deal-breaker on a $34,000 piece of business.
That’s an expensive knot to tie!
According to a recent study, $34,000 is the average wedding cost in 2019. Give your sales team the tools to win that business. One great photo could win them over before they even set foot in your ballroom.
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Why is this so hard?
There’s a few reasons hotel wedding venue photography always gets punted year after year.
Budgeting. We’ve got to get better at it.
Finding an extra $20K in the budget for wedding photos is always going to be tough. But amortized over the five years you’ll be using those images, that’s just over $300 per month. How does $300 compare to the average monthly revenue of your weddings program?
Quality. We’ve got to get better at it.
Staging high-quality wedding photography is not the place to save a few pennies. It’s not enough to show a scarcely decorated empty ballroom. Partner with local vendors (florists, caterers, etc.) to create picture worthy-setups and share the photography as well as the expense. And partner with quality photographers who have a great eye, professional equipment, and on-time delivery. Vet your options by asking to review their portfolio. Do you see photos that would inspire you to plunk down your parent’s money?
Building Relationships. We’ve got to get better at it.
If every wedding at your hotel has a wedding photographer, why is it so hard to get wedding photography? The answer boils down to this: who owns the photos? Some photographers retain ownership while others grant image rights back to the bride and groom. The bottom line? Ask. And sweeten the deal with discounts or upgrades for the bride and groom and/or publicity for the photographer in exchange for using their photos.
Flash back!
Think about your last venue walkthrough. How critical was photography to your sales team? What imagery are they using? How much of that wedding day experience are you relying on your potential customers to imagine without ever seeing a photo?
