I Need Help With Creating a Bridal Show Display...

[dawssvt]

As I dig deeper into my wedding photography business, I'm starting to look into bridal shows. There are a few coming up in January and I want to start planning for them now. I have a single sample wedding album - nothing more. So let's discuss this...

1. What does a good bridal show display contain?
2. What has/hasn't worked for you in bridal shows?
3. What to expect, booking wise, from a bridal show? (ex: I booked 3,4,5, ect. weddings)

 

[Guido44]

WOW!

That's a fantastic set up!

I've only done 3 bridal shows(assisting someone else), but yours looks first rate.

Nice job.

Dan

 

[dawssvt]

WOW!

That's a fantastic set up!

I've only done 3 bridal shows(assisting someone else), but yours looks first rate.

Nice job.

Dan

Those aren't mine. They are just samples that I found that I liked.

 

[Big Mike]

That's nice, but I've seen a lot better.

The background stand looks like typical trade show gear, you can usually buy the stands, background and lights in a kit.

Where can I get prints like these made?

:scratch: Prints are prints...you get them made at a print lab.
For something like this, you would probably want them mounted onto a stilf substrate. Ask your lab about mounting options. A little bit of self adhesive Velcro and you can arrange them onto your stand, any way you like.

It's certainly a good idea to have some great looking, large prints. These get people's attention and hopefully brings them into your booth. I might consider less prints than shown above, but mix in some larger pieces...maybe canvas prints or custom framing, if that's something you offer.

Of course, it's a great idea to have some albums on hand...especially if you are trying to sell albums. Albums are also good for keeping people at your booth. They might walk by a photo and take a quick look, but if you can entice them to look through a whole album (or two, or three), then they will be there much longer...and the longer the better. Even if they don't book, a busy booth just looks good.

A good way to get people staying in your booth, is to give them a place to sit down. Some of the best photographer's booths I've seen, have a comfy couch or two, with a coffee table to hold the albums. Basically a nice little living room that people can feel comfortable in. That sense of comfort can a) put them more into a buying mood and b) separate you from the great photographer in the next stall. A classy look for the whole booth can be important as well. So consider everything, from the color of the couch, chairs to the table cloth & carpet.
Offering refreshments is also a good trick.

A lot of photographers also use slide shows. From a basic laptop on a table, right up to a 40" flat screen. You can show more images and have the impact of a nice slide show, but on the other hand, it's probably not as impressive and a really nice wall print.

So I'm sure you are adding this all up in your head. I can be very expensive, no doubt. The good part is that if you buy all of this, you can reuse it over and over again. I know a photographer or two who just takes the furniture from their studio sitting room, so it serves double duty.

As for how successful these things are. That's hard to say. I've heard some of some photographers booking 20 weddings and others book 3 and call it worthwhile. There are a ton of different factors to consider.

 

[erphoto]

I'm pretty frugal (as are my prices) and I cannot AFFORD to do what you have found. (I love it though! maybe some day!) What I do for my shows is I have an arrangement of 11x14 frames (2) and then smaller frames, 8x10s, 5x7's, etc, that have my prints framed. I also had a huge sign made that had my name and my lowest package price on it... I also have 2 portfolio's and an 8x10 album (from pictage) and a proof book available. I put everything on the tables and stand behind. I also put a stack of cards so people can grab and go (some do) and also a flyer that people can take with them on pricing and additional services.

I do very well at bridal shows. It's important to have beautiful work and also to be friendly and informative and just smile. I booked 4 on the spot at my last wedding and filled up my next year from calls after the show.