Issue 62

FUNCTION VENUES
Styled Shoots
GETTY IMAGES
Why you should say ‘I do’ to styled shoots, and how to get your
shoot published. Advice from The Wedding Owl, Sam Lloyd
STYLED SHOOTS are the perfect opportunity
for you to work with your favourite suppliers
to create promotional material for use on
marketing platforms in magazines and
on your own website. As a venue owner,
the big win is to create content that ends
up being published on an influential blog
or in a wedding magazine, but there are
other significant reasons for creating and
capturing a faux wedding. These include:
› capturing your style, brand or vision for a
new direction
› showcasing your venue in its best light
› demonstrating you are keeping up with
the latest wedding trends
› showcasing your team of suppliers’ work
› giving suppliers time to be creative, an
opportunity that isn’t always there during
a real wedding
› quality networking.
GETTING PUBLISHED
It is my understanding that wedding
blogs publish fewer styled shoots than
real weddings, as the editors can pick and
choose what to feature depending on their
audience and their marketing plan. So
securing a blog, especially on one of the top
sites (i.e. with massive reach), is never easy
or guaranteed. To give you the best chance,
there are a few things you should know and
some guidelines to follow.
The more realistic the styled shoot, the
better chance it has at performing long term.
Using real couples can help you to achieve
this, as photographing them can be easier
than using models who haven’t met before
and don’t feel comfortable getting intimate –
it is a wedding after all!
Without the dedication and hard work,
you will not deliver stunning blog-worthy,
content. So, everyone within the team needs
to help, support, guide and collaborate
to provide the best quality work, whilst
understanding that everyone is on a budget.
All of the suppliers involved need to
collaborate on ideas to deliver on the details.
The best way to achieve this is by creating a
minimum of three and up to five vignettes
that real couples can associate with and can
pull inspiration from. These might include
a bridal changing room scene, a groom
changing room scene, a ceremony space
inside, a ceremony outside, a top table, a
sweetheart table, tablescapes, a cake ‘table’,
and alternative focus points – perhaps
something playful that would entertain
guests like an alternative photobooth.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Stylist
Working with a stylist is advisable if not
essential. They will be responsible for
conceiving the concept and overall design
that should include a colour palette, a sense
of the season being evoked, and a style e.g.
classic, eclectic, festival, glam, modern,
romantic etc. to attract/speak to a certain
couple.
Work with a stylist to create a mood
board, a title and brief one-liner to give your
team of suppliers inspiration but that also
keeps your target couple in mind at all times.
Create a floor plan, showing where tables
are located and how many chairs are around
each as this has an impact on how many
table cloths, napkins, cutlery, escort cards,
favours etc will be needed. Also provide
information on restrictions e.g. no naked
flames.
Stylists will also be well versed in putting
together a call sheet for the photographer
and a drumroll of the cast that have agreed
to be involved. Stylists are very often the
best ones to submit pitches to blogs and
magazines.
Suppliers
Your suppliers should be instructed to
provide their contact and social media
details, let you know what they need from
you (eg. any step ladders, tools etc), and
specify/prioritise the shots they need
for their own purposes. It is also useful
if they can provide a brief description
of themselves, their business and their
contribution to the shoot. This might not
get used but will help if a blog, magazine or
couple ends up wanting more information.
Photographer
You need to choose a photographer who
will really capture the mood of the ‘faux
wedding’. Let them take the lead on the day
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