How to Provide Wedding Proofs?

[NCHornet]

OK,
My wife has owned a wedding photography business for 12 years, all self taught and I am proud of her. I handle all the business stuff, and I am getting into photography myself. We are finally making the change from film to digital. I want to change the way we offer our proofs to our customers. We live in a small , very small, southern town and folks aren't very high tech around here, lol!! But I have noticed a growing trend in my orders are less and less larger prints and more 4X6's. I'm not stupid I know folks are scanning them at home and making their own copies. Once they scan the image and place it on a media my copyright stamp on the back of the photo means nothing!!
I am concidering using a hosting service for the proofs, but many of my customers have relatives with no computers, imagine that!!
I was thinking of having a proof album made from one of these photo book places. I just want to get away from the proofs in print form that can be so easily scanned. I am curious as to how some of the other studios out there that have been digital for awhile are handling this issue. Can you recommend any good hosting services that are reasonable? I appreciate any and all help that is provided.
Thanks
Kevin

 

[Mike30D]

Once I finish my website, the bride and groom will be able to view their proofs in a private gallery. Relatives and friends have to go to Collages.net to view the gallery from the wedding. They are also able to order prints through the gallery also.

If that's not going to work for you (relatives don't have computers), I would suggest having a lab do your proof books. When you have them done, I would try to place close to 9 images per page. This makes them small enough that they can still look at them but deter them from scanning and enlarging them.

 

[NCHornet]

Mike,
Thanks for the help. Do you have any suggestions for a reasonable proof books?
Thanks
Kevin

 

[Mike30D]

Try White House Custom Color. You have to sign up with them first.

 

[NCHornet]

Thanks again. It looks like I will eed three companies to deal with. One for hosting and ordering prints, one for in expensive proof books and yet another for more expensive wedding albums.
If anyone else has suggestions on any of the above I would appreciate it. I have yet to be able to find a one source for all my needs. I will check out the places your recommended Mike, Thanks Again
Kevin

 

[Txaggie08]

A huge number of the wedding photographers I know just hand the customer a disk unless they ask for prints. The prices are a lot higher for the basic service + CD than a service, but they can print crappy walgreens copies of them till there hearts content.

 

[Mike30D]

but they can print crappy walgreens copies of them till there hearts content.

Yeah, and then when someone sees one of those crappy prints with your name on it, that makes you look REAL good. No thanks.

To each his own I guess...

 

[Jeff Wendling]

We use hard bound proof books for weddings, seniors and baby progressive sessions. We found a new company that lets us mix layouts instead of having to do the basic contact sheet style, which has been great to help separate our selves from our competition. Here's the site if it anyone is looking for a solution. www.esqueproofbooks.com

 

[a_kraker99]

Zenfolio has been awesome for all of our proofing needs. you can check out our proofing site from a link off our main website link below. They print through MPIX and they have a bunch of differnt products to choose from. Good luck. If you go with Zenfolio you can use this Promo code and save some money. 5HV-17T-Q3Y