Blogging as a Wedding Photographer: Client Surveys

One of our goals here at Fotoskribe is to make blogging easier for you. We know that it can be hard to come up with new and exciting ways to describe your photo sessions, and watching that blinking cursor when you sit down to blog can be daunting. So, here is an idea that can help alleviate the pressure of knowing what to say, while also making sure the individual, unique stores are being told. Client surveys…

In this blog, we’ll look specifically at questions you can ask your clients through surveys to generate content for wedding blogs. Next week, we will look at baby and family photography.

Client Survey Questions: Before the Wedding

Many photographers leverage surveys before the wedding to stay organized through the wedding day. Common questions regarding the venues, addresses, contact numbers and times are common questions. But here are some questions that can do double duty on your form. Not only can they help you get to know more about your clients and their vision for the day, but these questions can help you get the outline for your blog before you’ve even shot the event! Ask these questions of your clients.

“How Did You Meet?”

Every couple is different, and every love story has its own flare. Obviously, this is the easiest question for your bride and groom, since they have probably told the story a hundred times over as they prepare for their big day.

A brief overview of your couple’s love story can spice up a wedding blog. Moreover, it can even provide details that are echoed in the wedding itself. For example, maybe your couple had a Star Wars-themed wedding, because their first date was at a Star Wars movie! Or, their shared love for the outdoors influenced their choice to elope in the mountains.

The same is true of proposal stories. That moment when someone pops the question is exhilarating for everyone involved, but what led up to it? Was it a surprise? How did it all happen? In some cases, you might have even been there to capture the proposal. Be sure to tell those stories, too!

“Are You Writing Your Own Vows?”

You don’t have to include their vows in your blog post, and in many cases, you shouldn’t, because they are private. But knowing whether or not the vows were specially written can make a difference in whether or not you want to highlight that moment—and the emotions involved—in your blog.

And in some cases, you might be surprised. We have written blogs for couples who wrote inside jokes into their vows, who wrote each other letters, and even couples who had vows pledged to their new partner’s children to become a forever family. Those details are precious to your clients, so they are wonderful to include in the story of their wedding.

“Are You Doing a First Look?”

Obviously, a lot of the first look story is going to come from you, the photographer, as you tell us how it was set up and what you saw happen. But sometimes, a couple has things planned ahead of time. We’ve seen a bride dress up in a T-Rex costume to tease her husband, a groom who wore his military uniform to the first look, and so on. Let those memorable and intimate moments shine through!

“What Special Details Do You Want Us to Cover?”

Usually, the same details your clients want pictures of are the same details they’ll love seeing in the blog about their wedding. Did your couple make anything themselves? Did they do something different—like s’mores instead of a wedding cake? What about emotionally significant details like a mother’s veil or a father’s ring?

Including the stories of those details can enrich the story you tell on your blog. Remember, telling a new and unique story for every one of your sessions becomes easier when you can marry your stunning images with unique and compelling stories.

This is also a great way to add in local vendors. If your couple has amazing florals done by a local company or an amazing wedding planner, use that opportunity to link back to them.

“What Special Dances Will You Have?”

Weddings are about more than just the details of the day; they are also about two families coming together to become one. The mother/son and daddy/daughter dances are some of the most emotional moments at weddings, even though they are common. Is there a story behind the songs chosen? Were there any nontraditional dances? Not only do questions like this help you plan out your wedding timeline (because you might want to eat something) but they can be a wonderful way to tell a story on your blog.

Couples so often now include special choreography or fun surprises in their dances. Maybe the bride’s mom and dad are dancing for their fortieth wedding anniversary. Maybe the groom’s mother passed away and his first dance is with his baby sister. We’ve even seen dances where the bride danced with her little boy instead of her father. The stories are as unique as your couples. Sharing these stories with your beautiful images makes it easy to keep your blogs from sounding repetitive.

Here’s another related article on how to avoid saying the same thing again and again: “How Many Ways Can you Say Beautiful?”

Are You Doing Anything Unique on Your Wedding Day?

Don’t be afraid to ask a catch-all question like this one. There might be something that you didn’t think of or that simply doesn’t happen at other weddings. We’ve seen it all—from helicopter rides to surprise performances and everything in between.

Client Surveys: After the Wedding

Another way to get blog information is in a survey sent after the wedding. These surveys can help you in two ways. First, they give you more inspiration for your blog. But secondly, they are an easy way for you to stay front of mind. Did your couples make their print and album choices? What add on options might they be more excited about now that they have their images. Here are a few questions for after the big day.

• What was your favorite moment of the day?
• What surprised you about your wedding day?
• What advice would you offer to other couples planning a wedding?

If you choose to use client surveys for your wedding blogs, we think you’ll be surprised by how well they work! You can let your clients’ creativity shine and highlight their story without the stress of trying to remember all of those details yourself.

New England Wedding photographer Amma Rhea uses client surveys with her clients and has been very happy with her results:

I love using client questionnaires to streamline my blog workflow. Hearing from the clients directly about their love story- how they met, their engagement story and what they are looking forward to in the future- really helps showcase the couple and tell their story correctly. It’s also a lifesaver when combined with Fotoskribe!

Give it a try! And if you need help getting started, or figuring out how to turn these surveys into compelling content, make sure to contact us!