This was my first time participating in the Bloomington Bridal Show for wedding photography. With last year completely throwing off everyone’s wedding plans (91% of all weddings were postponed until this year according to weddingwire.com and theknot.com), this year was an adjustment back to a sense of normalcy from most of the returning vendors that I met. With that said, I really enjoyed the experience and met a lot of great brides, grooms, families, and a community of wedding professionals.
I tried to plan this year to be as simple and minimal as possible. While I printed out flyers to be added to the bridal bags, I didn’t bring much in terms of handouts (the show discouraged this due to Covid). I ordered a few prints from my favorite canvas website canvasdiscount.com and they looked great! I also used two local vendors to purchase some nice embroidered polos with the logo on it (I’m still getting used to seeing my name on everything), and a flower arrangement to serve as a centerpiece. Checkout 1818 Apparel for shirts, and Cathy Teeters for your floral needs!
The hardest part of the show for me was trying to talk through these masks that we still need to wear! I wanted to make sure they could hear me, but not be yelling at them lol. There’s a lot more focus on eye contact and the loss of being able to see if someone else is smiling (while making sure they know that YOU’RE smiling) is an interesting challenge. I never want to make a bride feel like I’m forcing a sale on her, so my strategy is to go with my instincts and leave people alone if their body language is indicating it, or engage them in a natural convo when they seem interested. Overall, I felt pretty good about the communication.
I am offering three packages for weddings this year on my site. The first is a “Micro” package which is intended for weddings with 10 people or less. Due to the nature of this past year, microweddings have been very popular and necessary. If you know anyone interested in a micro wedding in the Bloomington, Indiana region have them reach out to me!
The other two packages are similar. They are for any size wedding, and only differ in terms of length of wedding coverage. I always ask brides and grooms what portions of their weddings they would like professionally photographed. Some want the entire day, from getting ready in their rooms, all the way through the ceremony and all the way to the end of the reception, while others only want the ceremony and some additional shots before or after. I try to be flexible with what I offer so I can make sure everyone gets the service they want. If you or someone else you know is interested in my wedding photography services in or near Bloomington, Indiana have them reach out to Shawn Keller Photography and I’ll work with them to find a package they need!
I learned a lot at the bridal show, met a lot of great people, and am excited for all of the weddings I have already booked and have yet to book. Thanks to everyone for your support!
-Shawn
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