The Ultimate Styled Shoot Guide + Toolkit
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO COMPILE A PHOTOSHOOT SO YOU CAN CREATE CONTENT THAT ATTRACTS YOUR dream CLIENTS WITHOUT A PORTFOLIO OF DESTINATION WEDDINGS.
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As a photographer, you know the power of styled shoots to boost your profile and help you book new clients.
(At least, that’s what you’ve heard on the ‘gram from your fellow photographers.)
As destination wedding photographers ourselves, we’ve seen the power of styled photoshoots when it came to growing our multi six-figure photography business.
That’s exactly why we created The Ultimate Styled Shoot Guide+Toolkit, a step-by-step guide showing you how to create curated content designed to attract the couples you can’t wait to work with.
Our books were full but we were taking any and all clients that came our way. (You know as well as we do what a disaster that can be!)
We were burned out, unhappy, and super stressed. We thought about quitting a few times because it was driving us CRAZY.
Then it hit us. Why stay frustrated when we could completely change our business? Why couldn’t all our clients be our favorite?
After relocating to San Francisco and starting our photography business, we felt like something was missing.
that’s when we discovered styled shoots, the method we used to go from booked out but totally unhappy to booking top-dollar weddings from only the very best clients.
These sessions will often include all the components of a typical wedding day: make-up and hair styling, boudoir, first look, ceremony, reception—and most importantly, the wedding details (venue, flowers, and table settings) and even a theme.
A Styled Shoot shows clients what you can do by way of a “mock” wedding. You create an inspiring photoshoot for real couples as well as wedding industry professionals.
Here's how it works:
the difference?
You work with models who are hired to pose for your photos instead of a real couple getting married.
the best part?
Whether you are just starting out or have been doing this for years and want to reinvent yourself, or even if you are satisfied with your business and feel like trying something new, the content you create can then be shared and published to give your work more visibility and exposure.
But it’s not only about creating content with the goal of getting potential clients.
Styled sessions also allow you to connect with people in the wedding industry and identify potential collaborators and referral partners in the future. In effect, collaborating with these individuals in virtual settings lets you see how they might work in real weddings. And, if all the various styles and personalities align, you can be confident in referring these professionals for future events, and vice versa, thereby growing your businesses together.
With the Ultimate Styled Shoot Guide +Toolkit, you can do all this... and more.
We can say for sure that styled Photoshoots lead to real clients and paid work because we, and countless fellow photographers, have seen it work in our business.
with the exact steps from start to finish to plan and execute your own styled photoshoot so you can create curated content that resonates with your ideal client.
What you'll find in our 68-page guide:
step by step process
to follow with planning worksheets, email examples, vendor lists, model release forms, Pinterest, moodboard, and storyboard examples, a shot list, timeline, budgeting spreadsheet, and a full day's styled shoot BTS video.
Samples and templates
including where to get inspiration from, how far in advance to start planning, how to stand out in saturated market, how often I get turned down from vendors, and more.
Common questions and answers
Beyond our detailed 68-page Styled Shoot Guide, you also get:
Email templates that we personally use when reaching out to new vendors for styled shoots.
Vendor Email Templates
Use our worksheet to develop your styled shoot concept and set the tone for a successful photoshoot.
Concept Worksheet
Witness everything that goes into a full-day’s styled shoot with our behind-the-scenes video.
Full Shoot BTS Video
Use our Canva template to create a stunning moodboard for your styled shoot.
Moodboard Template
A model release form and styled shoot collaboration agreement to help you dot the i’s and cross the t’s.
Legal Agreements
Use our budget tracker to work out your styled shoot costs and get the best return on your investment.
Budget Tracker
Make the most of your styled shoot content with our extensive content strategy checklist.
Content Strategy Checklist
See an example of a styled shoot timeline and use our template to create your own.
Styled Shoot Timeline
Scout locations like a pro with a helpful checklist that covers all the bases, plus room for your own notes.
Location Scouting Worksheet
Plus, you’ll also discover…
How to build your dream team, even if you think they are out of your league
Where and how to find the perfect model couple that will make your clients see themselves and want to work with you
How to push yourself and go beyond your comfort zone so that you can grow and not get lost in the crowd of “standard” or “good enough”
How to create a concept and set the style so that all the vendors are on point and following the same vision
How to build a budget and share costs including what common expenses typically cost
How to land your epic venue that is going to be reposted on Instagram
How to get a designer dressmaker to loan you their $8000 wedding dress without begging
How to maximize the visibility of your photoshoot so that it gets reposted and shared
How to increase your chances of getting published and how to stand out among the other 400 submissions that blogs receive every week
How to build your shot list and timeline so that you guarantee success on the photoshoot day without wasting the best natural light
What Destination Wedding Photographers Are Saying About The Guide
ELLE MARIE
“As a former venue manager I was able to see several styled shoots come to life before my eyes, but never had a hand in making it all take shape from a creative standpoint. This is my first shoot I am planning from start to finish! I’m excited, and nervous, but having your guide is helping calm some of my nerves. I opened it and found so many answers to questions I had … but more importantly answers to questions I had not yet thought of! This is so helpful, as I can now dedicate loads of time to making sure each base is covered in the months leading up to the shoot.”
“Having your guide is helping calm some of my nerves!”
DAWN PHOTO
“I love how you provide questions to make people really think about their business and why they are even doing a styled shoot. The guide has way more information than I could have imagined but it’s perfect. You rocked this so much!”
“Wow, this guide is UNREAL AMAZING!”
KAYLEIGH RUST
“Thanks for such a thoughtful and straightforward no B.S. guide. It was totally worth the investment!”
“I just got a wedding dress vendor that I NEVER thought I’d get to say yes!”
Dearest Lilly, today was the day that I got my belated birthday present – your Styled Shoot Guide 🙌🏻 FINALLY!!! YAY!!! 🥰 and gosh, I can’t get over all the information in there…I haven’t had the time to read it properly yet, BUT girl, thank you SO MUCH for sharing this all! I literally can’t wait to soak it all in like a sponge and start into a great new year full of inspiration and successful business 💪🏻 cheers to you
"I can't wait to soak it all in like a sponge and start a great new year."
Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I bought your styled shoot guide and just got a wedding dress vendor that I NEVER thought I’d get to say yes! Thanks for such a thoughtful and straight forward/no b.s. guide. It was totally worth the investment!
"It was totally worth the investment!"
Thanks so much for this amazing styled shoot guide. Thanks for sharing your ideas, you experience and your love to your work with the whole world.
