Why We Do Styled Shoots
Photographer: Type & Timber
First of all, what is a styled shoot?
A styled shoot is a staged wedding photo shoot. Similar to a real wedding, we put together a wedding design, find our vendor dream team to bring it to life, and then execute the vision on the day of. We bring in models who pretend to be getting married, and dress up in wedding attire + jewelry from local retailers.
Then, a photographer and videographer turn that design into content that everyone on the team gets to use in exchange for their time. After the content is edited, vendors typically use it for their social media, blogs, websites, branding, and sometimes even submit for publication in print or online.
Why do we plan styled shoots?
There are lots of reasons to plan a styled shoot, but there are 3 main reasons we plan ours:
To push ourselves. Planning a styled shoot is the perfect time to be creative, try something new, and hone our skills. It gives us the opportunity to ignore current trends and try to predict future wedding trends. So when a client reaches out looking for something outside of the box, we can feel confident in our abilities to create the perfect, unique wedding for them!
To diversify our portfolio. The goal here is not to tokenize any group, but rather to show that your brand wants to work with LGBTQ+, BIPOC, differently abled, and older engaged couples! We know there are engaged couples out there looking for planners who have experience working with diverse clients. We all have to start somewhere, and styled shoots can be a great way to prove inclusivity and build trust.
To build new relationships. Every wedding professional has a bucket list of dream venues and vendors they want to work with. Planning a styled shoot together can be the perfect way to connect with these vendors and learn to work together! Furthermore, when a new vendor is first entering the industry, this is a great way to work with them so we can get a sense of their style and work ethic prior to referring them to a client. Once we build these relationships, we can offer new ideas and experiences for potential clients and attract different types of couples that align with our values and goals.
How do we plan styled shoots?
Photographer: Type & Timber
Before planning, we typically start with a concept or piece of inspiration. This can come from our ideas, or from a vendor partner that approaches us with their own. From there we create a mood board and do research to find our vendor dream team. We reach out to everyone on our list to gauge their interest in the design. We’ll then visit décor rental companies to pick out products for the shoot, build the day-of timeline, and ensure everyone on the team understands the plan.
On the day of the shoot, we show up bright and early to decorate the space, spend time communicating with each vendor on the team, and ensure everything happens on time. The hair + makeup artists get the models ready, the attire + jewelry designers outfit them, and then the photographers pose them around the venue. We also ask the photographers to get a few photos of each vendor working “behind the scenes” so everyone has personal content for their blogs + social media. Then we spend the rest of the day making sure everyone gets what they need and leaves the shoot excited to work with us again!
We recently planned our “Provençal Dreams” shoot at Ashery Lane Farm, so to give you a better picture of our process behind planning a styled shoot, here’s a peek at our notes from the planning phase!
Planning Our “Provençal Dreams” Shoot
Photographer: Type & Timber
Mara Marie Bridal and I had the idea of building a French-inspired styled shoot for the longest time, honoring one of our favorite destinations. In case you didn’t know, I actually lived abroad in Paris with my family during my middle and high school years! You can read more about that here.
The first step for us was to find the venue, and we ultimately landed on Ashery Lane Farm. The French country vibe there is spectacular and fit well with our vision.
The design inspiration really stemmed from the lavender fields in Provence, and we wanted to play into the beautiful purple tones. We knew we wanted this aspect to be found in every element of the design. We wanted it to stand for elegance, which we tried to show through the luxurious linens, timeless place settings, dreamy wedding dresses, and uber-romantic invitation suite.
It has been a goal of ours at Availed to prove to potential clients that we are more than just talk when it comes to being inclusive. That’s why we went out of our way to find models from the LGBTQ+ community who were in a real relationship, rather than just hiring two women to pretend to be a lesbian couple. We were so excited to find Karissa and Lindsey because their love is authentic - they recently got engaged and we’re secretly waiting by the phone for their call!
Now that you understand what a styled shoot is and how to plan one, you’re probably ready to start planning your own! Here are some of my best tips for wedding planners creating their first styled shoot.
Tips for Planning Styled Shoots
Photographer: Type & Timber
Make a timeline. Even if you do decide to go off-script a little bit, set expectations for start and end times as well as a rough structure so vendors know what to expect going in to the shoot.
Make a shot list. This will help you communicate effectively to your photo + video team what your priorities are, and also ensure nothing gets left out during the shoot. We highly recommend doing this for your actual wedding day too!
Bring help. Photographers and videographers can gather so much more content with a second shooter, and other vendors can also benefit from bringing an assistant or mentee. This is a great opportunity for low-stress training!
BRING SNACKS. Food is SO important, not just to make sure people are fed but also to enhance the overall experience! It’s a small price to pay to make sure the entire team is happy, fueled, and ready to tackle the day. Again, this advice also holds true for your wedding day!
Have fun! This is really meant to be a stress-free day for you to can learn new things, meet new people, and be creative. Keep it light and remember to enjoy yourself.
Want to know more about styled shoots or wedding planning in general? Leave a comment below! There is so much more where this came from. If you’re engaged and ready to start planning your dream wedding, send us an inquiry.
Thanks for reading! - Lexie
VENUE | Ashery Lane Farm
CATERER | D’amico Catering
BRIDAL | Mara Marie Bridal
PHOTO | Type & Timber
VIDEO | Blush Film Co.
HAIR + MAKEUP | Styled by Abbi
FLORAL | Daisy Co Florals
DECOR | Festivities, Après, Rudy’s Event Rentals, Borrowed Beginnings
STATIONER | Ivory Isle Designs
JEWELER | Wixon Jewelers