Today we’re diving into the ever-popular question about how to get booked for destination weddings without having a destination wedding portfolio. In this Hot Seat episode with fellow-photographer, Juliana Cole, I’m giving you the ultimate action plan that will have you waking up to a view of the Eiffel Tower in no time. Hit play to hear all the details!

About Juliana Cole:

Juliana Cole is a NY-based photographer, documenting weddings and portraits for couples in love.  Juliana has a BA of creative writing, and uses that as a tool to tell better stories for the people she photographs. She lives in Upstate NY with her husband and dog-child, Whiskey, and spends her free time throwing clay on her outdoor wheel, exploring Upstate NY, and dreaming up future travel plans. 

Juliana’s Question:

How do I move my business from being a mid-level local photographer to being a sought after destination photographer?

If your dream business takes you to some of the most beautiful cities in the world to serve couples for their destination weddings, then it’s time to reverse engineer your business to find those clients.

Think of it this way… If you were planning a destination wedding and looking for a photographer (or other wedding vendor) to hire, what would you look for?

What Luxury Destination Wedding Clients Look For In Their Vendor Team:

• Expertise of the area
• Knowing the best locations for photos
• Portfolio of beautiful photos in that area
• Testimonials from people who have worked with them there and had a great experience

How To Build Your Destination Wedding Portfolio & Expertise:

Now if you don’t have the expertise in the area, the portfolio, or the testimonials, then it’s time to get them! How do you do that? Let me tell you!

• Fly to the specific areas you want to be hired to shoot in.
• Shoot there!
• Get to know the area well so that you can become an expert and create blog posts about those areas for your SEO.
• Find a team of vendors who all want to create a body of work in the same area and create a collaboration over there.
• Do workshops in those areas!
• Hire someone you want to be to review your photoshoot plans to make sure you’re creating something outstanding.

A few final thoughts to remember…

Don’t discount the budget weddings you’re currently shooting!

Every wedding you photograph gives you that much more opportunity to craft beautiful images. It just takes 3-4 beautiful images from each wedding to create an outstanding portfolio.

One thing we often forget about in the luxury wedding industry is that t’s not about the labels, it’s about the love. Don’t forget that.

For more ways to listen to this episode – CLICK HERE!

Check It Out! 

• Follow Juliana Cole on Instagram
• Visit Juliana Cole’s Website
• Learn More About The French Chateau 1-day Workshop