Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

FM Forum Rules
Wedding Resource List
  

FM Forums | Wedding Photographer | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2016 · Can wedding planners affect

  
 
jmraso
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Can wedding planners affect


Bookings if you are not in their lists ?

I am saying this as they are starting to proliferate around here (this country) and I am not sure how they handle recomendations ! But knowing the sunny Spain, I am sure some of them wont practize fair play !




May 03, 2016 at 09:10 AM
TTLKurtis
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Can wedding planners affect


Well it certainly helps to be recommended by those helping couples plan.


May 03, 2016 at 09:28 AM
IrishDino
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Can wedding planners affect


Where I live (Canada), 3 things get booked right away:

Ceremony location
Reception venue
Photographer

Everything else comes after (cake, decorating, flowers, dress, etc.). So for me the importance of being on a "list" is almost non-existent.




May 03, 2016 at 09:41 AM
glort
Offline
• • • •
[X]
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Can wedding planners affect


ZachOly wrote:
Where I live (Canada), 3 things get booked right away:

Ceremony location
Reception venue
Photographer

Everything else comes after (cake, decorating, flowers, dress, etc.). So for me the importance of being on a "list" is almost non-existent.



Exactly the same here in Oz. In that order.



May 03, 2016 at 10:13 AM
DONIV
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Can wedding planners affect


yes


May 03, 2016 at 11:29 AM
mikethevilla
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Can wedding planners affect


It's important to be aware how your specific niche in your specific market works.

For example, mid-market SoCal brides typically book like this:
-Venue
-Dress
-Photographer
-Planner

But once you get into the upper market, it looks more like this:
-Venue
-Planner
-Dress
-Photographer

Same location, separated by a few thousand dollars, and it has a drastic effect on the strategy needed.

Two years ago I started being way more intentional in the types of industry events I attended, the people I surrounded myself with, and the planners that I befriended. I became actual, genuine friends with a few of them, and often brought them goodies (doughnuts) for no reason other than to get more face time with them.

Two long years later, and it's finally paying off for me. 80% of my weddings come from those three planning companies, and they're always awesome, easy, and high-paying.



May 03, 2016 at 11:39 AM
hardlyboring
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Can wedding planners affect


Mike has it right.

In our area most people get planners because they need them to coordinate with the super high end venues.

We joined a local group of wedding vendors last year (John Gibson is in it too) and it has been great.
Easy to meet people, make friends, get referrals from everyone.
We are friends with a couple planners out here. We hang out and do stuff that has nothing to do with weddings which helps everyone get to know each other as a person. Then referrals come super easy.



May 03, 2016 at 11:48 AM
LeeSimms
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Can wedding planners affect


^ this


May 03, 2016 at 11:55 AM
TTLKurtis
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Can wedding planners affect


Agreed on that order of things. The higher-end weddings have planners, and they book after the venue and before pretty much everything else.


May 03, 2016 at 02:46 PM
level1photog
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Can wedding planners affect


I completely agree with you.

That's why I starting work with venue and wedding dress designers with prime location. Cultivating these relationship is really important.

mikethevilla wrote:
It's important to be aware how your specific niche in your specific market works.

For example, mid-market SoCal brides typically book like this:
-Venue
-Dress
-Photographer
-Planner

But once you get into the upper market, it looks more like this:
-Venue
-Planner
-Dress
-Photographer

Same location, separated by a few thousand dollars, and it has a drastic effect on the strategy needed.

Two years ago I started being way more intentional in the types of industry events I attended, the people I surrounded myself with, and the planners that I befriended. I became actual, genuine friends with a few of them, and often brought them goodies (doughnuts) for no reason other than
...Show more




May 03, 2016 at 02:57 PM
amonline
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Can wedding planners affect


Pretty simple answer, really... If you're on their list, you'll get more offers. If you're not, you won't.


May 03, 2016 at 03:58 PM
FrancisK7
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Can wedding planners affect


ZachOly wrote:
Where I live (Canada), 3 things get booked right away:

Ceremony location
Reception venue
Photographer

Everything else comes after (cake, decorating, flowers, dress, etc.). So for me the importance of being on a "list" is almost non-existent.



Exactly this in the Montreal mid-market as well.

The day couples book us before the venue, I'll know that will be a sign I'll have made it. (that and Kurtis whispering "fu Francis. fu with a bag of chips" in my ear )

Pretty much everyone I've spoken to who has invested in a relationship with high end planners say it's worth it.

How do you guys handle planner referral fees in your part of the world? In Montreal, there are two opposing schools of thought. One side thinks referral fees are part of business and is fair game. The other side argues a fee system lacks transparency and there's no way to tell a planner wouldn't push another vendor more because they offer the planner a bigger cut, and they prefer to show their appreciation with a nice bottle of wine than a flat fee. Which side you fall on has a lot to do with culture and the relationship with money, so francophones and anglophones are often clearly divided on the subject.

How does it go with high end planners in your market? They get a cut?



May 03, 2016 at 11:32 PM
t4haughton
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Can wedding planners affect


Regardless of area, the top tier price point means it's usually not the couple seeking out the photographer, but rather the planner telling them who they should hire.

I'm still a year or two of price hikes before I feel like I'll approach that, but it's something I've thought about. I've talked to a photographer or two in the 8-10k starting range and they're living on referrals from just a few planners and rarely work with couples who aren't doctors, lawyers or in the financial field.



May 04, 2016 at 12:59 AM
mikethevilla
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Can wedding planners affect


How does it go with high end planners in your market? They get a cut?

I pay them with doughnuts.



May 04, 2016 at 01:19 AM
TTLKurtis
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Can wedding planners affect


mikethevilla wrote:
I pay them with doughnuts.


I pay with Deeznuts



May 04, 2016 at 01:23 AM
FrancisK7
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Can wedding planners affect


I hear Cronuts are the bestest.


May 04, 2016 at 01:25 AM
jmraso
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Can wedding planners affect


This is basically my main thinking/corcern ... If they start getting their cut, and knowing the very famous spanish "picaresca", I dont know where it can end up ? All of us paying fees and fees, the higher the better ! Not me.


FrancisK7 wrote:
How does it go with high end planners in your market? They get a cut?





May 04, 2016 at 03:01 AM





FM Forums | Wedding Photographer | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.