Wedding Capture Co

It’s now been just over a week since we hosted our (very first!) workshop, so we wanted to use this week’s episode as an opportunity to reflect on how that incredible day went, but also give a more general thank you to you guys; our amazing Wedding Capture Co audience at the same time ❤️ We’re also over a year into doing this podcast now and realised that we’ve never really stopped to look back at how far we’ve come; to celebrate our community and share our gratitude for what we’ve both gained, just by having these recorded conversations every couple of weeks. The workshop itself couldn’t have gone better, so we share some insight into how it came about, the lengths we went too in making the content and also our joy in the response we got from the attendees on the day. We also muse about the prospect of doing another workshop and using any feedback from our first rodeo, to make the next one even better! We also drop some news about the very cool guest we have on our next episode of the WCC, so be sure to listen to the end to find out who that is….

Does anyone actually like admin?? If you’re struggling to stay on top of email enquiries, sending contracts, missing invoices and knowing whose wedding you’re supposed to be attending next, then this episode is definitely for you!! After a brief catchup, we dive into the life changing world of using a CRM and how it’s transformed the efficiency of our business. As creatives, we want to spend as much time doing the fun part of our job (shooting & editing) and not tackling a huge pile of admin that comes with the job. Well, we no longer worry about organising new leads, finding questionnaires or getting double booked as we basically have a robot that does it for us! Full disclaimer, this episode is pretty much based around Studio Ninja, as that’s the CRM we both use. We talk through some of the features we use most, what we like and dislike about it as well as manifest them becoming the first sponsor of the WCC! If you do want to give Studio Ninja a try, you get a free month, then use this code to get 20% off!! AXVC7G27359RH2 (This is Tom’s personal referral code and is in no way an endorsement or paid advertisement)

I’m not sure there is really any accurate title for this week’s episode, as we dive into so many things in this one! When we sat down to record, we wanted to talk about a few recent purchases that we’ve both made, now that things are picking up with our 2024 wedding seasons. We recently shot another wedding together too, so we talk about the fun of that day and touch briefly (again) on our ideal clients and share the success that our upcoming workshop has now sold out! From there on in, it all gets a little bit techy (but in the loosest sense of the word) and we talk about the wonders of Apple’s M chip, both buying iPad minis, shooting Polaroids and debate whether or not the Rayban Metas are the best tool for capturing BTS content at weddings in 2024. This one is a wild ride, so be sure to buckle up before pressing play and we hope you enjoy!

Another episode, another milestone and an exciting announcement for the WCC! We both can’t believe we’re 25 episodes (and pretty much a year) into this already. We can’t thank you enough for all the love and support you’ve shown this podcast and spurred on by some messages you’ve sent us, WE’RE HOSTING OUR VEY FIRST WORKSHOP!! On May 1st, we’ll be hosting a marketing & branding workshop to a really small group at a cool location in Guildford. We’ll be giving away so much knowledge on one of our favourite topics and fill your minds with real, actionable advice that you can implement in your business and help you attract your dream couples. For more info about the workshop and how to get tickets, click here: https://www.spiceweddingfilms.com/weddingcaptureco It’s not always been plain sailing for us though; in this episode we look back over our years in the industry and talk over the biggest mistakes that we’ve made and how they slowed up our growth and held us back from levelling up. We discuss everything from knowing when to go full-time, to second shooting, education and how so many of these changes come from within and a simple adjustment in mindset. As always, be sure to like, subscribe and leave us a comment if you enjoyed the episode!

Any talk of money or pricing to British people can sometimes seem like a taboo subject, so in this episode we throw it wide open and talk all things money, pricing and package strategies.We both definitely feel that our businesses would have grown quicker if these conversations around money and what to charge were more common place, but at the same time want to make it clear that money is a hugely personal thing and everybody’s circumstances are different. In this episode we discuss: - How we priced our work when we first began. - Different ways of presenting your pricing - The Pros & Cons of each method and how we price ourselves - Whether to show your prices on your website or not. - Knowing when to raise your prices There’s so much value in this episode and hopefully some real lightbulb moments that will resonate with your pricing journey. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to like, subscribe and comment wherever you listen and also give us a follow on Instagram: @weddingcaptureco

We’re both back from our trip to Disney World; full of joy, enthusiasm and inspiration, so we spend the first few minutes catching up on our adventures and what’s been going on whilst we’ve been away. We also discuss the benefits of taking a break at the start of the season and how it differs from our other trips we’ve done. Since we’ve been home, Chris has also attended his first ever workshop, which he thoroughly enjoyed and sparked the conversation around investing in education. Whilst there is plenty of choice in the wedding world, from photographers & videographers offering workshops & mentoring to fancy styled shoots and even huge conferences abroad. In this episode we jump into why it’s good to invest in education, picking the right workshop/educator for you and how education has been huge for us to level up our businesses.

It’s definitely that time of year isn’t it? Booking season is upon us, we’ve just delivered the last of our 2023 edits and are now looking at using that new work to update our marketing material for the year ahead. Whilst it’s a wonderful thing to have a wealth of content to use; this episode is all about realigning your brand, recognising the values of your ‘dream client’ and using them as a filter when curating the work you want to share.In this episode we discuss: - Why we think it’s important to have an ‘ideal client’ in the first place. - Recognising the habits of your ideal client so you can efficiently market to them - Why curating your own work can be hard, but important in defining your brand - Why it’s okay to realign your brand year-on-year and evolve as your tastes and ideals change. - Sometimes the ‘less is more’ approach can be best when building a portfolio This is a topic that Tom & Chris are both hugely passionate about and also currently working on in their own businesses’ which was the driving force behind us having this chat. We’ll both also be in Disney World in Florida when this episode goes out, so be sue to hear all about that in the next episode of the Wedding Capture Co.

This week we’re back with a cheeky bonus episode, the second half and continuation of last week’s topic… In part one last week, we spoke all about how we capture the ceremony part of the day and this time around we’re chatting all things about capturing the speeches. Again, there’s a little more to this for the videographers, so we dive into the challenges of tripod placement, mic-ing up wedding guests and have a big discussion around the best time of the day to host the speeches. Can you really tell a couple NOT to have their speeches before the meal?? We also talk about the lens choice, the best angles and overall approach to what can sometimes be a pretty challenging part of a wedding. Hopefully you’ll walk away with some new ideas to try as well as being reassured about some thoughts you already have around these parts of the day. Be sure to subscribe to be notified about future episodes and next time, we'll be talking about Ideal clients and curating your portfolio accordingly.

Tom & Chris are back with another practical episode for you, and this time it’s all about capturing the all important wedding ceremony & speeches… For videography in particular, these 2 events are the absolute cornerstones of a wedding day and we dive into how we approach capturing these important moments. After all, it’s the ceremony that even makes it a wedding in the first place, right!? We discuss the importance of beginning the conversation in your contract before the couple even book, then in more detail on the pre-wedding call.If you feel that your contract is lacking these features, then definitely check out the template that Chris uses in his business; it’s super detailed, covers every eventuality of these events and is currently available at a discounted rate to all our amazing listeners: (https://www.spiceweddingfilms.com/definitivecontract) We also dive into where we position ourselves, the lenses we use and our creative processes in capturing these moments. We don’t always agree, but that’s what makes it a true well rounded discussion. In fact, we spoke for so long on this topic that once we’d finished recording, we decided it needed to be cut in half so you could truly take it all in. Because of that, we’ll be dropping part two of this episode NEXT WEEK when we cover the speeches section of the day. We really hope you enjoy this episode and be sure to hit subscribe, so you get the notification for when Part Two drops!!

That's right, we're back with our first episode of 2024 and it's also our very first episode where it's not just Chris & Tom! We're joined by the incredible Kirsty Mackenzie; an awesome wedding photographer based in Hampshire and also and absolute tour de force when it comes to everything styled shoots. Kirsty has been shooting weddings for over a decade and is known for her colourful and care-free style. She has hosted several styled workshops of her own, hosted shoots for industry events like SNAP and also photographed the latest editorial for the cover of Rock N Roll Bride. In this episode we dive deep on how styled shoots can help elevate your business, help you get the weddings you dream of and Kirsty leaves no stone unturned in sharing her immense knowledge. Don't think this is just a photography episode either; we also discuss the lack of videography on styled workshops and how they could play and equal important role in building your brand. Huge thanks to Kirsty for taking the time and if you want to find out more about her work & education, you can find her here: Website: https://kirstymackenziephotography.co.uk/ Instagram: @kirstymackenziephotography Tiktok: @kirstymackenziephoto

As this is our final episode of 2023, we have abit of a catch up over the events of the past few weeks as well as look back at the past 12 months. We talk candidly about the struggles this year has brought as well as our many successes too. We also reveal something very exciting about our first episode of 2024, so make sure to listen until the end!! Lastly we both want to thank you for all the support you’ve shown this podcast and wish you a very Merry Christmas!

As this is our final episode of 2023, we have abit of a catch up over the events of the past few weeks as well as look back at the past 12 months. We talk candidly about the struggles this year has brought as well as our many successes too. We also reveal something very exciting about our first episode of 2024, so make sure to listen until the end!! Lastly we both want to thank you for all the support you’ve shown this podcast and wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Now that the busy summer has passed and your focus is fully set on reducing that edit pile, hopefully this episode will serve as much as a reminder as it will offer some useful tips. Did you know that nearly half of the engagements that happen every year are between November & February? That means a whole lot of couples are going to be planning their weddings and looking to book your services for their weddings. That’s why this week’s episode is all about marketing your services to those newly engaged couples and the outlets of advertising we use ourselves. Now, whilst keeping your website updated and posting to Instagram may seem like a real chore (don’t even ask when we lasted blogged either!) It’s all these little steps that help you stand out above the crowd and find the couples that’ll fill your diary for next year. In this episode we brush across; social media, SEO, blogging, ads and even some easy wins that don’t cost money too. Join us! Then tell your friends about the Wedding Capture Co by hitting share whoever you listen…

This week it’s an absolute bumper episode and we’re also in a brand new location as Tom has builders in his house and we couldn’t risk the noise! The use of AI software has been a hot topic amongst wedding photographers this year as many are adopting these new tools to help with culling, editing and admin tasks. In this episode we do a deep dive into AI for wedding creatives; the tools on the market (or lack of, for video right now!) how we use them in our businesses and the kind of time that using these tools can save you. We also discuss the morals behind using AI, whether your clients will even care and the shift that these tools could potentially cause in our industry. As well as the AI talk; Chris was nominated as a finalist in the ‘best videographer’ category of the ‘The Wedding Industry Awards’ so we have an in-depth discussion about being an award-winning business, the legitimacy of industry awards and how they can be a good tool in marketing to new couples. Come along on the ride of our longest episode yet and make sure to leave a comment, review or even hit subscribe!!

For more info on the contract head here: https://www.spiceweddingfilms.com/definitivecontract This week’s episode is all about preparing yourself for shooting those winter weddings! With the evenings drawing darker, the temperatures dropping and the rain showing no sign of letting up; it’s pretty fair to say that weddings in the darker months can be pretty challenging, but in a whole different way to the heat and brightness of the summer. We actually did an episode on surviving summer weddings (back at Episode 008) so we thought it was only right to talk about the winter too and how to prepare for a wedding day in these months. In this episode Tom & Chris delve into how they approach and shoot winter weddings in comparison to summer as well as offer a few tips and tricks they’ve learnt to make the most of these weddings and still deliver a great product to your couple. Chris also talks about his awesome wedding videography contract, that is now available for you to purchase! It was custom-built by a legal professional and covers everything you could ever need to keep you safe in your business. As always, we love to hear from everyone who listens to this podcast and appreciate all of your likes, shares and subscriptions. Feel free to leave us comments and reviews too!

It’s been 6 weeks and 3 holidays since we last recorded, so in this episode we basically have an epic catch up about our trips, as well as diving into a whole array of little subjects that have been on our minds since we last spoke. Topics include: - Are you really showing the content you love on Instagram, or just showing what you know will get likes? - Will content creators really change the landscape of our jobs and how we shoot in 2024? - Even though we both own ‘holiday cameras’ are they really worth the hassle over just using your phone? Tom also drops the news of The Wedding CoActive’s Christmas Party for wedding suppliers called ‘A Very CoActive Christmas’. It’s a really great event aimed at suppliers of the wedding industry, so we all get chance to have a ‘work’ xmas party like all our 9-5 counterparts.It takes place in Portsmouth on Tuesday 12th December and tickets can be bought here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-very-coactive-christmas-tickets-731847935877?aff=oddtdtcreator

Wedding Video Contract (50% off for a limited time after this episode drops!) : https://www.spiceweddingfilms.com/definitivecontract Wedding Capture Co is back with a more ‘practical’ episode this week, where Tom & Chris dive into their thoughts and processes around capturing the morning preparations of a wedding day leading up to right before the ceremony itself. In this episode we discuss: - How long before the ceremony should you arrive to shoot prep? - Are the details and dress shots really necessary for video? - The pros and cons of prep at a house over a hotel or wedding venue. Plus a whole load of tips, tricks and advice that we use ourselves to make the best photos & videos we can in that environment. Chris also drops the exciting news that his own wedding video contract is now online and available to be purchased. It was custom made by a legal professional and covers everything you could ever need and so much more to keep you safe in business. For more info on the contract head here: https://www.spiceweddingfilms.com/definitivecontract As always, we love hearing from everyone who listens to this podcast and appreciate all of your likes, shares and subscriptions.

After praising it’s long service in the last episode, Tom’s beloved Sony camera died whilst at a wedding (RIP) , so he was forced to look around and choose a replacement for that body in super quick time. Because of this, it inspired us to both to look back across our entire camera journeys; from the humble beginnings of our business’ to the kit we use in the present day. In this episode we discuss how we both started with different brands to the one we use now, the short comings in our older cameras and also muse about what we’d like to see in the future when the next generation of cameras are released. This is a slightly more ‘tech based’ episode, but with all the usual fun and informal chat you know and love from the Capture Co.

We’re definitely hitting the peak of the wedding season now; the editing list is starting to pile up, the imposter syndrome is creeping in and you’ve ended up pulling a few late nights at your desk just to feel like you’re staying on top of it all. You’re definitely not alone in these thoughts, so this episode is all about how to manage that mammoth workload and avoid the dreaded B-word in the busiest weeks of the season. In this episode we cover: -Using a CRM to help stay on top of the admin side of your business -Setting expectations with your couples to avoid them chasing you for their photo/video. - Making sure you still practise self-care amongst the workload to stay in good physical & mental health. As always, we welcome all your comments, likes and make sure to hit subscribe so you’ll be the first to know when a new episode drops!

Is Videography just a game of gear? Do you really need 3 camera angles during the speeches? Are photographers always in the way of your shot, or is it just in their heads? This is just some of the myths and questions that Tom poses to Chris in this weeks episode. This episode is also a follow-up to 009, where Chris put Tom in the hot-seat to answer these the questions the other way around. If you’re a photographer who finds themselves working with videographers more and more at weddings, then this is the perfect chat for you! All those questions, myths and thoughts you’ve had about wedding videography is covered in here and Chris holds nothing back in his honestly about how we should all work nicely together.