I know I haven’t written a blog post in a while, and this might seem like a really strange thing to write about. However, as the wedding industry is still trying to works its way through a massive backlog of weddings from lockdown and postponements, I think this is a really bit of food for thought for my couples.
It may only be February, but here I am saying I’m nearly fully booked… for the year. Yes, the whole year of 2022 is already nearly fully booked.
So what exactly does that mean…?
The short answer is exactly what it says on the tin, I mean page. Each year I set a number for how many bookings I want to undertake, not just for the whole year but also for each month. Once I have hit that number, even if I may have enquiries for dates I am not already booked on, I will turn them down and recommend a referral.
But why, surely you want more business and to be busy!
Well yes of course I do, however the on the day filming is only one small side to my business and the work I do. What couple won’t see is all the mountain of admin work (like this blog post for example!) that needs doing, along with time spent with each couple for consultations and pre-wedding chats along. After the day is done there is my favourite but most time consuming part – the editing! It can take me up to two days to complete a Highlights film (often the longest part of this is choosing juuust the right music for each couple!), and two – four days for a full Feature film. Minimum. Per wedding. Even after a really crazy busy year such as 2021, I will never rush an edit because I always want to deliver the best wedding film each and every time!
Not to mention, I love spending time with my family and on my hobbies. So because I love my job, I never want to get to the point where I am burnt out from working in the wedding industry.
Being fully booked can also apply to an individual month, for me in 2022 that means June is completely and utterly booked. I have one weekend free, but overall the month is fully booked due to the high number of mid-week weddings as well as weekend ones. Again, I really don’t want to get either burnt out or to make mistakes. A wedding can be a really long day, so it’s important I’m ready and at my best so I won’t miss capturing any precious memories. It also gives me enough time to sort out and check over my equipment between each wedding, making sure everything is working right and all my batteries are fully charged ready for the next big day!
So, what is your limit?
Honestly this can vary month to month and year by year, the reason for that depends on the packages that booked the most. For example, there is a lot more work involved in cutting together a full Feature film from an all-day Rose package. Whereas a short but sweet elopement wedding with a Carnation package, will require far less time to edit.
On average I like to aim for around 35-40, this year is heading very closely now towards the 40-limit due to still trying to fit in postponements. Once again 2022 is going to be another crazy busy year the same as 2021, I also have to be mindful this year because I myself am finally getting married so I need to manage my diary around that fairly important life event!
Essentially it all comes down to the fact that this is my own business, I am not a factory company that hires out associates to capture and edit weddings like a conveyor belt. That is not my style or ethos at all, it will always be me who answers your questions, me who turns up on the day to film and me who personally crafts your beautiful weddings films.
At the end of the day, no amount of extra money is worth trying to squeeze in as many weddings as possible.
Caroline x
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