5 Must Have Items to Include in Your Wedding Photography Investment Guides

Have you ever wondered what information you should include in your investment guide? You know, the guide you send to potential clients or wedding planners who are interested in working with you?

Yep, I've been there too!

Each time a new request would come in, I would start sweating at my desk trying to figure out what information I should or should not include. That was until I finally figured it out!

I know it can seem a bit overwhelming to create these types of information documents on your own so I wanted to share my top 5 tips with you on how to make a great first impression every time!

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What to Include in Your Wedding Photography Investment Guide

No. 1 - About You - This is the perfect time to share a bit about you, your unique value, and any accolades/press features you have recently received.⁠ I also suggest putting a photo of yourself in there too. They want to know who they are working with!

No. 2 - Your Best Work - You have your potential client's undivided attention so be sure to include only your BEST work when you are creating your investment guide. Wow them from the very beginning and get them extremely excited to work with you.⁠

No. 3 - Clear Offers - When you are sending your offerings to your potential clients, make them easy and clear to understand. Take away the back and forth with creating easy offers that everyone comprehends. 

No. 4 - Venue Images - One way to connect with clients without even speaking a word is to intentionally include imagery of their venue or if you haven't worked there, similar locations. For example, if it's a beach wedding, include images from beach weddings. Help paint a picture of what it will be like working with you!⁠

No. 5 - Next Steps - Tell your viewer the next steps they need to follow to book you for their wedding or event. Do they have to email you within 7 days? Do they have to simply reply with a “we're in!”? Whatever your process is, make it easy for your clients to hire you!

I hope that is helpful but if you don't want to do it alone, I can help! I offer two beautifully designed Investment and Service Guide Templates in our online shop. Visit www.teawithjaine.com/shop for more information about our easy-to-use, plug and play templates.


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Winter Accessories for Wedding Photographers

Oh my goodness, it’s COLD out there, right? We are in the THICK of winter so I wanted to share some of my recent good finds on how to stay warm if and when you have to go outside and photograph a wedding or event.

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L.L. Bean Midweight & Heavy Base layer Leggings - I’m so happy I found this super warm, thick, base layer leggings from L.L. Bean. They are warm enough to keep you toasty when you are outside braving the snow and wind but thin enough that you can still pull and zip your jeans. I purchased the Heavy Base Layer (which is now currently sold out) but the mid-weight pants are a great option.

Fleece Tights - Where have you been all my life? I picked a pair from Target that my friend recommended and I’m in heaven. They are so crazy cozy it’s amazing. They are thicker than normal tights but not thick enough that you look bulky in your skirt or dress. I wore these when I had to travel around new york city in a skirt and was very warm when walking around town. I was worried I might be too “hot” when I was inside and working but oddly enough, I was cool and forgot I was even wearing them. These are a MUST HAVE for me and you can certainly wear them under your jeans/pants if you wanted too.

Fleece Lined Gloves - Fleece again, are we sensing a theme? I picked up a pair of these fleece lined tech gloves so I could use my phone while I was outside on a job. The best thing about fleece is that they keep all the wind out which I always find is one of the worst parts about shooting outside. I can handle the cold temps but I can’t handle the wind and now, I don’t have too!

Fleece Lined Hat - I always am searching for the cutest pom-pom hat each and every winter (ammiiiright??). This year I picked up a j.crew hat that looks just like this one BUT it’s not lined, so I’m not wearing it anymore. This hat is so warm and adorable (if I do say so myself!) so it keeps my head warm while I’m outside. Thank goodness for fleece, right??


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Podcast Interview with Lauren Fair Photography

Our latest podcast interview just went LIVE on our channel and I’m so excited to be chatting with Lauren Fair of Lauren Fair Photography about how to Break into the luxury wedding market for wedding photographers. Lauren & Tim Fair have been named on of the 100 most inspiring and influential people in the wedding industry and one of the 75 best wedding photographers in the WORLD by BRIDES in 2018. Lauren is the sweetest person and is sharing some really valuable and tangible advice for wedding photographers looking to break into the luxury wedding market.

You can listen to Tea with Jainé on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and all other major podcasting platforms. We’d love for you to leave us a review to help other listeners find out about us. Want to support Tea with Jainé? You can make a monthly contribution by using the Support this Podcast button in our profile. Thank you so much for all of your kind support!! xo

Lauren Fair Photography

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How to Handle a Client Who Wants Their Photos Off Social Media

I was recently asked by a member of our Tea with Jainé Facebook Group how to respond to a potential couples request to keep their wedding images offline and off social media. This is such a great question that I wanted to answer because this question comes up rather frequently.

So, how to do you handle a clients request to keeping their wedding photos offline and off social media prior to hiring you to photograph their wedding? Well, I have a few helpful tips to help you navigate their request.

No. 1 - Ask Why? I find it’s best to be direct and ask them exactly why they want to keep their photos offline. Do they not want their names mentioned? Do they work in a field that requires them to be completely off social media (therapists for example)? Are they a super celebrity couple that intends on selling the images to a magazine? Are they worried about their privacy? Are children involved? Asking them exactly WHY they want their photos offline will help you come up with a solution that makes you both happy.

No. 2 - Explain Why You Need to Show Your Work Online and on Social Media. So this might come off a bit dumb but they probably saw your work on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, maybe an advertisement, or vendor listing, and of course mostly from your website, riggghhtttt? Well, you need to be able to showcase your photography work across all your social media outlets to book THE NEXT CLIENT. It’s how it works! If you aren’t able to show your work online, how are you going to show that 1 - you are a working photographer 2 - have shot in a specific venue 3 - have the style that your clients are looking for? You have to explain to your potential couple that in order for you to maintain your business and continue to be in business year after year, you need to be able to share and publish your work appropriately.

No. 3 - Compromise - Once you’ve found out their why, and explained why you need to share your work, now you can come up with a compromise that makes you both side happy. Here are a few scenarios that I have worked out in the past with some of my own clients.

1 - I can share their wedding on my website, blog, and social media but I cannot use their names only initials (I NEVER use last names, only first names only - just FYI) so that they aren’t searchable on google.

2 - I can only share images that have been pre-approved by my couple. I will send my favorite images for review via PDF and the client has up to 5 business days to get back to me with any objections or omissions. I then, can submit a substitution for any image they want to remove. If I do NOT hear back from the client within the 5 business days, I will assume that there are no objections and I can share as I like.

3 - If any images were to be using in advertisements or sold for stock photography, I am to get written permission from the clients. (I do this out of courtesy even thought I own the copyrights to my images because I want my couples to trust me and know that respect their privacy.)

No. 4 - Charge For It - If the couple is adamant about NOT having any images what so ever online and does not want to compromise, and still wants to use your services and you want to work them, you have to charge them to keep the photos offline. Why? For the potential loss of income because you cannot use the images online to showcase your work, get new clients, share with vendors or the venue to get referrals, etc…. This is definitely a drastic measure but some couples are willing to pay a big price to keeping their photos offline.

If they are unwilling to negotiate, unwilling to pay your privacy fee (my friend calls it her Black Label Option) then it might be time to part ways and wish everyone the best. Hey, you can’t be everybody’s cup of tea so don’t try to be (a little Kacey Musgrave’s lyric in there for ya!!) Do what is right for you and your business!

No. 5 - The Final Step - Once you have explained how the images may or may not be used (I personally do not share images from every event I photograph) and worked out any image usage issues, or added a fee to their wedding collection, next you have to add this in writing into your contract and have everyone sign to move forward. Transparency is BEST and keeping your client top of mind is very important to gaining and keeping their trust and hopefully, a lot of referrals.

So what about you? What are your thoughts on this topic? I would LOVE for you to leave a comment below and let me know if you were ever in this type of situation and how did you handle it! xo


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What I'm NOT doing in 2019 - New Tea with Jainé Podcast is LIVE!

Ok you guys, I recorded my very first SOLO podcast (big gulp!) in an effort to merge my IGTV stories with my podcast. I'm a little nervous going out on my own and would LOVE your honest (be gentle!) feedback. In this brand new episode, I’m talking about what I’m NOT doing in 2019. It’s a bit of an anti-goal list but later on I do list what I am doing for myself in this podcast episode. Personally, I think it’s important to reflect on the previous year to know where you want to go in the new one. Enjoy!! xo

You can listen to Tea with Jainé on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and all other major podcasting platforms. We’d love for you to leave us a review to help other listeners find out about us. Want to support Tea with Jainé? You can make a monthly contribution by using the Support this Podcast button in our profile. It’s like you’re buying me a new cup of tea each month - Thank You!!

Jaine Kershner of Brklyn View Photography

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Wedding Photographer Detail Styling Kit Accessories - Updated!!

Over the course of the past wedding season, I streamlined my gear (finally!!), bought some new shoes, and cleaned up my styling kit! In doing so, I fell in love with a few new items that I couldn’t wait to share with you! I’ve listed my new faves below and even a few less expensive alternatives to help you update your styling kit too. I hope you find it helpful - enjoy!!

Wedding Photographer Detail Styling Kit Accessories

Styling Surfaces

Locust Collection’s rollable, double sided linen and/or velvet styling surfaces have quickly replaced my Heirloom Bindery styling boards. I absolutely LOVE how portable they are and how I can carry them easily from the Brides getting location, to the ceremony, and finally to the wedding venue without having to worry about it taking up too much space, getting ruined, and bumping into people. It comes in a clear, round, pvc tube canister that fits snugly in my existing camera bag.

However, my only issue was that since they are double sided (yay, two color choices!!) I was constantly worried about the floor side getting dirty. I didn’t have a protective sheet to carry with me and honestly, I didn’t want too! Well, they thought of a solution and released a vinyl protector cover to keep your surfaces clean while styling - GENIUS!! Seriously, it’s so worth the investment and I hope Kate comes out with new colors each season.

Clear Travel Organizer

This is definitely one of my biggest pet-peeves for several years now because I could never SEE all of my styling items in one place. My ring boxes, ribbons, vintage stamps, and all my extras were stored in a few different bags so if I didn’t have that bag with me, I wouldn’t end up using the items. UGH! So one day I woke up and headed over to the Container Store and browsed all of the aisles till I found my perfect box!! Their Clear Large Infinite Divider box is my savior - literally! I can fit ALL of my ring boxes, silk and velvet ribbons, tiny plates, floral frogs, dental wax, small clear acrylic blocks, cute scissors and vintage stamps. Once it was all organized, I could FINALLY see all my styling props in ONE place - YAY!! Oh, and it’s 100% portable so I can just carry it with me from room to room and it keeps me from over buying and purchasing duplicates which I discovered after I took everything out (Oops!!) - a bonus I didn’t even think about till afterwards. Here is another option here with three sections.

Ring Boxes

I purchased two new velvet ring boxes from Voeu Du Cour and they are so so lovely! I like the octagon shape and pretty velvet colors (I have a pink and blue). They run sales every few months so I would sign up for their mailing and follow them on Instagram to stay in the know!

Large Acrylic Styling Blocks

So, I was really hoping I wasn’t going to like this styling block set from Heirloom Bindery, but I do :( I really really do but gosh, they are expensive AF but you can totally score a less expensive set right here and here - I researched it for you! The reason I like them is because the styling blocks are bigger and the invitations can lay flat on them without needed a second block for balance. I bought them when I had some money in my paypal account and they were on sale, SOOOOO it wasn’t too bad on my wallet but pick up the replicas, it’s the exact same thing - promise!!

Vintage Inspired Gold Scissors

These vintage inspired Florentine gold scissors from Studio Carta are so so pretty! They are the perfect bit of gold in your wedding detail flat lay AND they come in handy when you actually need to cut ribbon or stray strings off of your brides dress (#truestory) so I’m happy to have them in my new travel organizer at the ready. I also have these stork scissors which are just as adorable and great for styling!

Small Gold Styling Dishes

Ok, I’ll admit it. Late at night I will search Anthropologie website to see what is new and (more likely!) what is on sale. I love browsing their home section because they have a great team of buyers and you can find some gems in there. When I found these gold trinket dishes from Anthro, I put them in my cart and immediately checked out - BOOM!! I think they are so cute and perfect for styling!! I will be using this dish often and I can always just photoshop out the New York latitude information in post production.

A Behind The Scenes Look at me Styling on a Wedding day!

Ok, so here’s a photo of me in all my styling glory on an actual wedding day from this past season - messy hair and ALL!! Once you get past that, you’ll see that I have my new travel organizer by my side, my iphone layed out with my pre-styled wedding invitation layout that I’ve done a few days prior to the wedding to save me time on the actual wedding day (awesome tip!!), and my Contax 645 film camera ready to take the photo. It’s always exciting when it comes together!!

So what’s in your kit? I would love to hear your comments and finds in the comments below!! xo - Jainé

Behind the Scenes Photo of Styling a Wedding Invitation

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Weddings For Real Podcast - 5 Tips for Wedding Submissions

OMG! I’m SOOOOOOO excited to share that I’m featured on one of my FAVORITE podcasts Weddings For Real with Megan Gillikin from A Southern Soiree. I chat with Megan about my 5 tips how to submit your wedding photography to be published online or in print. Megan is a wedding planner in North Carolina and started her podcast Weddings For Real earlier this year. It was a blast and we laughed a lot!!

If you don’t subscribe, you should! I’ve picked up so many great tips from so many of her podcasts already. Tyler J. McCall and Allen Berg are my favorites so far! Also, Mikkel Paige was also a guest and that’s how I was introduced to Megan. Small world, right?? I’m SO honored and thrilled to be included in her stellar line up of guests. Thank you so much for having me!

You can listen on major platforms including Apple Podcasts, Google Music and Spotify. I hope you enjoy and can’t wait to hear your thoughts and comments. Please leave me a note below after you’ve listened to the show!! xo

Weddings For Real Podcast Interview

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Podcast Interview with Rebecca Shenkman of Pink Bowtie Events

The latest podcast episode of Tea with Jainé just went LIVE on our channel. I’m chatting with luxury wedding planner Rebecca Shenkman of Pink Bowtie Events. We chat about she helps her clients find the perfect vendors, including wedding photographers, for their wedding day. I cannot wait for you to listen! xo

You can listen to Tea with Jainé on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and all other major podcasting platforms. We’d love for you to leave us a review to help other listeners find out about us. Want to support Tea with Jainé? You can make a monthly contribution by using the Support this Podcast button in our profile. It’s like you’re buying me a new cup of tea each month - Thank You!!

InstagramStories-Rebecca.jpg

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