We are so lucky at Here Comes The Guide to have not one but TWO wedding photographers on our staff. Jenny Rogers and Jontell Parham are both incredibly talented wedding photographers with tons of experience shooting at all kinds of wedding venues. In this module, you'll learn about not just why great photography is important, but how to connect with photographers to get the best shots of your venue and how to choose which shots are the right ones for your marketing.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN WHEN YOU DIVE INTO THIS MODULE:

HOW TO USE PHOTOS TO TELL YOUR STORY

2023 VBBC • MODULE 4

Refer to the time-stamped show notes below when you want to revisit any particular portions of the episode.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

SHOW NOTES:

1:16 Introducing the TWO professional wedding photographers on our staff
1:58 Photography is more than just marketing
2:14 This is what venues need to do with their photography.
2:55 Why do venues need to tell their story?
3:50 The biggest thing Jenny noticed that was missing from galleries.
4:32 The importance of showcasing your “vibe”.
5:25 How to communicate the story of your venue
5:47 Curation is the word of the day. Why is that important?
6:44 Having a story for your venue will help couples imagine themselves getting married there
7:21 Make sure that all kinds of couples can picture getting married at your venue
8:05 Being strategic and mindful of this thing can make a huge difference!
8:42 Venues with great photos are the ones who get booked out further and faster
9:28 Overcoming the disconnect between hosting great weddings but not getting the photos afterwards
10:03 An experience Jenny had with a Malibu venue that made a huge difference
11:17 Encouraging photographers to be excited about your venue is key
11:54 Part 2 of Jenny’s experience led to capturing a better story of the venue
13:00 What you can do with a photographer post event
14:32 Don’t want to pay for a styled shoot? Talk to the key holder of the events…
14:54 One little step that can help keep the photography ball rolling
16:06 The #1 reason we would tell a venue that HCTG isn’t the right fit for them right now
16:47 A checklist of the places you need to capture your story
17:37 What is an establishing shot of your venue?
18:01 Think about how a wedding unfolds while collecting your images
19:30 One of the biggest things to try and capture well
20:13 A suggestion for what you can do to establish the story of your venue
20:51 Does it have to be the same couple/wedding in order to tell a cohesive story?
22:11 Telling the story of the venue vs. telling the story of a specific wedding
22:39 Let’s talk about what brand new venues can do
23:44 An example of what a trade could look like between a photographer and a venue
24:18 Definitely hear us when we say: don’t wait!!
24:46 The issue of the Styled Shoot. (that doesn’t necessarily have to be an issue)
25:46 One way you can network with photographers that can benefit you
27:30 Something to be wary about when thinking about Styled Shoots
27:53 Perfection is not welcoming
28:34 Let’s talk about how to be photo ready!
30:19 Touching on how important video is for venues
31:37 Video’s can be the bow to top off the whole package
32:45 Venues that can wrap up the whole package are the venues that are winning these days

There has to be time carved out to chase those wedding photos down...because at the end of the day, that's all that's left.

The photographer is your key holder.

How to Connect with Photographers

In an image-driven industry like weddings and events, professional photography is a crucial part of your marketing. And it goes without saying that wedding photographers are your best source. But what's the best approach when asking photographers to share their images with you, the venue? Check out our best tips for building a reciprocal relationship with photographers.

WORKSHEET

We all know the importance of high-quality, professional images, but did you know it's equally as important that your photography is backed by a curation strategy and storytelling approach? This worksheet provides a curation checklist for your inventory of images, as well as tips for building up your photo inventory (do you really need to do a styled shoot?) and tips for getting the best shots of your venue possible.

How to Curate a Standout Wedding Gallery

WORKSHEET

YOUR TOOLS FOR THIS MODULE

Jenny is an established portrait artist with delicate visual sensibilities and an innate timing. She has been featured numerous times by VSCO, Artifact Uprising, Apple, and Profoto. Over the last 15 years, Jenny has spent her time trekking across California documenting countless weddings. During this time, she discovered what works well for venues when it comes to documenting their space. She is delighted to be able to utilize this knowledge when revamping HCTG venue profiles.

JENNY ROGERS

Jontell joined Here Comes The Guide as a Client Success Manager in 2021, and also has 8 years of experience as a wedding photographer—celebrating alongside couples and capturing all of their special moments. Today her focus has shifted to brand photography, as she loves helping small businesses craft marketing imagery that speaks to their ideal audience! When she's not hard at work, you'll probably find her reading a good book with a latte in hand.

JONTELL PARHAM

Meredith Monday Schwartz started at Here Comes The Guide in 1997 (we didn't even have a website back then—there might also have been dinosaurs running around!) and was a wedding venue specialist for 10 years before taking over as Chief Bossypants in 2007. In the years since she joined HCTG, she's learned a lot about wedding couples, wedding venues, and running a company profitably—and well.