Dear Jasmine,
My photography collections are differentiated partly, by the number of hours of wedding day coverage. I begin with 7 hours, and my highest package is 10 hours. When I shoot a wedding where there is no planner/coordinator, I create the photography timeline with my clients 4-6 weeks prior to the wedding and together we discuss what time is needed for various aspects of the day.
However, I'm beginning to shoot more weddings that involve a planner, and I'm encountering a persistent and frustrating problem with the timeline process. Firstly, I'm not involved in the process at all. Is this the industry norm? Secondly, I often receive the timeline a day or two prior to the wedding – a week at the most. Thirdly, once I have received the timeline, I'm frequently scheduled in excess of the hours purchased from my client – sometimes more than an hour. Lastly, even with the extra hours scheduled, there is often an insufficient amount of time allotted for important parts of the day – e.g., 10mins for bride and groom portraits, or 15mins for details.
I would really appreciate some advice on how to open up a conversation with the planner.
Sincerely,
Lost in Time
Dear Lost in Time,
Your questions are great and I wish I had asked the same when I was starting out…I would've saved a lot of headaches in the process. Wedding timelines can be your best friend or worst enemy, so let's dive in on your questions…
I'm not involved in the process at all. Is this the industry norm?
If a bride is working with a coordinator, then, yes, this is primarily the norm. However, if I'm working with a coordinator for the first time, I send an email about five weeks in advance letting her know I'd love to chat more about the ideal schedule for my needs. Sometimes a coordinator will include you in the process as a result, and sometimes she won't, but the key is to let her know you're invested in how the day unfolds.
Also, I'll email/call/Skype with my bride to let her know what a perfect timeline looks like for me. If she'd like to loop me in with her coordinator, then that's always best as it won't appear like I'm a pushy photographer.
I often receive the timeline a day or two prior to the wedding – a week at the most
Again, this is totally the norm (remember, coordinators have to deal with a ton of moving pieces and don't want to finalize everything until it's set in stone). However, if you've been proactive and part of the process like I outlined above, the timeline shouldn't be a surprise to you.
Once I have received the timeline, I'm frequently scheduled in excess of the hours purchased from my client – sometimes more than an hour.
This is an easy fix, but something you need to address as soon as you receive the timeline from the coordinator. Simply send her an email like the following: “Hi X! I'm thrilled to be shooting John and Jane's wedding this Saturday and I know amazing things are in store. After reviewing the timeline (which was wonderfully organized, thank you), I noticed my services are slated for 10 hours. The clients opted for nine hours of coverage, but if they'd like to add on an additional hour, I'd be more than happy to oblige. The additional hourly rate is $____ and billed in 15-minute increments if that's easier.”
Boom, done. You just managed expectation in advance and do not have to worry about having this conversation on the wedding day.
Even with the extra hours scheduled, there is often an insufficient amount of time allotted for important parts of the day – e.g., 10mins for bride and groom portraits, or 15mins for details.
This will forever be a struggle between coordinators and photographers, let's just be real. For the most part, wedding photographers want time, and coordinators don't have much to give. By contacting the coordinator in advance, feel free to outline how much time you'll need for important portions of the day (25 minutes for bridal party photos, 25 minutes for formal family photos, etc.). Your requests may not alway be heeded, but at least there's a professional suggestion put forth and everyone is on the same page. And a side note: 15 minutes to capture details is the norm…if I get anything more than that to capture details, I'm dancing a jig during the reception. Really.
Lost in Time, I hope this encourages you to speak up in advance to ensure you're providing the service you're accustomed to for your clients.
Cheers!
j*
