Especially when you are first starting out as a wedding photographer and still building your business, it can seem like you will never get the type of brides that create those truly special memorable details that you are longing to shoot.

There are, however, ways that you can encourage even the self-proclaimed “un-creative” bride to dig in and explore her creativity.

First, show what you want to shoot.

The images that your client sees on your website will determine the types of clients who call you.  If you want detail oriented brides with lots of details, show gorgeously shot and styled details prominently on your website.  What if you don’t have any of those images to show?  We’ll be covering that later this week so stay tuned.  Brides spend a good deal of time, effort, and money on the special details of their wedding day and they want to be sure that you will be able to capture them with style.  Don’t be shy to show them what you’ve got!

Second, Educate your clients.

Client Education is so important on every level of your business.  It can be hard for your average bride to envision her wedding day down to the smallest detail.  Some people’s brains just don’t work that way on their own.  This is most likely the first time that your bride has been married and the planning is new and foreign to her.   Depending on the level of involvment from family or a wedding planner, she may have never even attended a wedding before.  Don’t assume that just because she is getting married that she knows all there is to know!

Be sure to schedule some time to sit down with your bride early on in the wedding planning process and educate her about the importance of personalized details for the final look and feel of her wedding photography and the importance that these images serve in her album to help tell the full story of her wedding day.  Don’t get to fire and brimstone on her, she’s nervous enough already, but do try to convey the importance.

Create resources for your brides.

There are so many great resources out there nowadays when it comes to wedding planning.  Many of the online inspiration services allow you to make “boards” or collage together images a la Pinterest or Lover.ly.  Use these services to create inspiration for your brides if they are feeling stumped.  Also be suer to give them a gentle nudge to make the ideas their own.  You will not get published sharing the exact same details that editors have already seen.  Encourage brides to narrow down what it is about the image that they love and then find a way to tie that idea into something that is unique to them as a couple.  It is the story behind the details that will make them really special.  For example, if a bride sees a photo of stones that guests wrote wishes on for a guest book concept don’t just go to Michaels and buy rocks, make a trip to the beach where you had you first date and collect them from there and then make a framed note that explains this to the guests.  Those little touches will make their wedding that much more memorable.

How do you encourage your brides to be creative?

Share your ideas over on my Facebook page!