When I first started photographing weddings, I’m embarassed to admit that I’m not sure how much, if any, consulting was happening prior to booking. I just wanted to book, but didn’t necessarily care WHO I booked.

Let me explain: I am selective about who my clients are. I invest a lot of time, energy, and love into my clients. I can’t mentally and emotionally afford to put that all into a couple who has booked me simply because I fit into their budget or because I had the date open. By pre-screening my clients and meeting with them, I am taking steps to ensure that I am booking couples who are as excited about working with me as I am about working with them. If we’re both excited, great things will happen!! This also piggybacks into the notion that booking is not the win, booking the bride who will bring you 10 more just like her is the win.

I am a bit of a neat-freak in some areas of my life (for example: I don’t make the bed every day, but God forbid I go to bed without plumping all the pillows on the couch!) so when it comes to having guests over to my home, I like it to be clean and cozy.

Our main floor is laid out with the entryway, kitchen, and living room all opening into each other. Ever since we got our Dyson vacumm, I have suddenly become a 1950’s housewife who loves to spend her days vacumming. Never thought I’d see that day. We keep our house picked up and clean so the day before or day of a consult, I just dust and run the vacuum, but don’t need to do a lot more than that.

I make sure I’ve got the coffee and tea ready and bottled water in the fridge. I also like to have some snacks or cookies available.

I have client-specific price sheets and contracts that I prepare and print. I’m still fairly new to Apple TV so I always do a test run to make sure my iPad connects okay. (I run Pandora through my iPad so that I can keep the music running while I also use my iPad to show client +Sites or PASS galleries on the TV.)

Lastly, for the last 30 minutes before the consult, I prepare by reading over the email exchanges I’ve had with the bride & groom. I like to refresh and make notes if they’ve told me anything particularly unique to them. (I.e. he runs marathons; she teaches step class. They met at work. They were set up on a blind date. They love to travel. They have a dog. They like to cook dinner together every Friday night.)

Then the door bell rings and I get to meet my potential next wedding clients.

Coming up, the ending to the series: Client Consults Pt 5: Going Through the Consult