Arizona Bridal Show

[PaulaSmith]

Wow! I just came back from strolling thru the Arizona Bridal Show here in Phoenix. There was no shortage of wedding photographers. All of their work was displayed nicely and very professionally. I saw a wide range of budgets from $850.00 up to 6-7 thousand dollars. Most of the wedding books (coffee table books) were getting repetitious after a while. the only one book that stood out was the one where the hard bound pages unfolded to see more pictures inside some of the pages. The competition is all good. I would like to find out who does the fold out wedding books. I also think that at any level all photographers should try to visit one of the local wedding bridal shows. It really opens up your mind and gives you inspiration. Happy photo shooting everybody. Paula

[Peacefield]

Though foldout pages sound neat, you get locked in to your album providers a bit. There's a substantial sunk cost in samples, there's value in having a good understanding of how they work, who to speak to to get something done, etc. Adding too many providers only confuses the bride, raises your sample costs and makes all of the processing a little more varied and challenging.

I've been meaning to get out to a bridal show but have yet to make that happen. How did you go, as a bride in cognito? Did you talk to the other photographers or just look around?

[jonwhite]

Queensberry (http://www.queensberry.com/) do wedding albums that have the option of a wing or a flip which are basically extra pages that fold out.

Gorgeous albums and awesome company to deal with but very expensive if you aren't based in NZ.

Agree with the suggestion of togs visiting wedding fayres to see whats on offer (although I think for looking at albums then photography shows where all the album manufacturers exhibit at are better for this) from others but if you do this then at least have the decency to declare yourself a fellow photographer rather than pretending to be a potential client like some do.

Ive exhibited at a few wedding fayres and there's always a few togs there checking out what others are doing and I am personally happy to talk to them if I don't have any potential clients on the stand to speak to but when they pretend to be clients its very annoying and very obvious that they are not.

This March we are at the NEC for the big wedding show again and unfortunately this year it overlaps with the biggest photography show in the UK thats on at the same place so I really dread to imagine how many togs and wannabee togs will be wandering around the wedding fayre on the Sunday pretending to be potential wedding clients.:rolleyes:

[PaulaSmith]

all I did was look around, the photographers were pretty much busy speaking to prospective clients. I knew a few people there so I was able to chat a little. I just totally enjoyed being in that atmosphere. Something I hope everybody gets to do one time. Cheers! Paula

[bigrob]

This March we are at the NEC for the big wedding show again and unfortunately this year it overlaps with the biggest photography show in the UK thats on at the same place so I really dread to imagine how many togs and wannabee togs will be wandering around the wedding fayre on the Sunday pretending to be potential wedding clients.:rolleyes:

It's a shame we don't live in a hot country Jon or you'd be able to spot the ones who had taken off their weddings rings and left a nice white mark. :D

[jonwhite]

It's a shame we don't live in a hot country Jon or you'd be able to spot the ones who had taken off their weddings rings and left a nice white mark. :D

Aye true enough, but you can still spot the shiny mark on their finger if they have been married a while, not to mention the thumb print on the their forehead :)

[bigrob]

not to mention the thumb print on the their forehead :)

Forgotten about that one, as mine has gone away now :lol: