How many Weddings?

[FamilyJules]

I thought it would be kinda neat to see how many weddings some of us do per year on here... and if 2010 will be a more lucrative year than '09. It lets us all know how everyone is doing in all parts of the world! ;)
SO, how many weddings did YOU cover last year, and how many do you have booked for '10? Please note: obviously a low number of weddings DOES NOT mean you're not as successful as one who has high... Some people do this as their career, and some people do this as a second job... I just want to make sure this is understood :)

Us: 36 weddings in '09

Booked for 2010 so far: 28

We had HALF this amount booked last year at this time, so 2010 is looking up this year!

[form]

From year 0 to year 1: More weddings than year 1 to year 2, which had more weddings than year 2 does and will. I'm shooting less, in part because I have less time.

[tim]

27 last year, about 30 the year before than, 20 or so the year before that, this year I expect less with the recession but the end of the year is already looking promising. Wedding here are generally light oct and nov, rare in Dec, Jan-Mar is usually busy, and almost all weddings are on Saturdays.

[PMCphotography]

I did 32 last calendar year, and have 24 booked for this calendar year.

I'd estimate i'll do 35 or so this year.

[Peacefield]

I do this only part time and it's my "day job" that feeds the kids and turns the lights on. That job is pretty demanding so I need to keep this wedding photography gig a little small. Last year was my first full year of shooting and I did 15. That feels like the max I can handle while stil working at my other job so I'm capping it there for this year which means I have 3 more slots to fill for 2010. I aspire to retire from my regular job about 5 years out at which time I'd like to do 25 or so a year.

[Maureen Souza]

My goal was to do less and last year (09) I kept it way down to 4. Perfect for me who already has a full time job and 2 grandkids to babysit :)

However, I have a couple for this year and this weekend I will be busy doing Winter Formal shoots.

[angryhampster]

Did one last year and have four lined up for this year already. Hope to get many more.

[PMCphotography]

Did one last year and have four lined up for this year already. Hope to get many more.


Nice job, you've quadrupled already :D

[bnlearle]

2008 I did about 20. Too much for me. 2009 I did somewhere around 10-15. Much better. This year, I'll probably stop at 10 :)

Bobby

[Svetlana]

2008 I did about 20. Too much for me. 2009 I did somewhere around 10-15. Much better. This year, I'll probably stop at 10 :)

Bobby

All destination?:)

[SuzyView]

Jim & I do about 5-8 a year. This year we have one in Jan and May for sure. Anything can happen, though. :) We don't get paid in money, but in really great food and friendships. :) Events, I shoot weekly. Weddings are tough, amazingly stressful and time consuming. So, I only shoot for people I know or someone has to really ask me to do it.

[Peacefield]

BTW, this year is shaping up very weird for me. I've got 5 weddings for this October but my June is completely wide open. Go figure.

[picturecrazy]

Usually around 20-24 considering our really short shooting season.

This year we're capping at 10 due to a new addition to our family. I want more family time. Some things are more important that making money! :) I'll probably ramp it up back up for next year.

[Joelene]

Like Lloyd I did just over 20 in 2009. I don't want to do more than 15-20 in 2010.

[FamilyJules]

I gotta cut back... I wish I could do only 10-20 a year.... but this is our only income... Kinda hard to turn away a bride with a check in hand when you you gotta pay the bills.
Hopefully by next year, our prices will be higher, and we can take on less... that's the goal.
How many did you all shoot in your first 2 years of shooting weddings? (I'm still in my first 2)

[viet]

I lost count.
Other than my own weddings, I also contract for 2 studios and 2nd shoot occasionally with people on the local board for fun.

[angryhampster]

Nice job, you've quadrupled already :D



It's true! :D With my spring weddings, I foresee many more calls and e-mails coming in. Tagging photos on facebook has been marketing magic for my business.

[Dream Weddings Hawaii]

I do over 200 weddings per year... But 90% of them are small, in and out weddings, ceremony and formal weddings. No more big weddings for me anymore!

[Peacefield]

It's true! :D With my spring weddings, I foresee many more calls and e-mails coming in. Tagging photos on facebook has been marketing magic for my business.

This is something I'd like to begin doing, but my hangup is the issue of friending. To tag someone, don't you need to have them as a friend? Aren't brides reluctant to therefore open up all of their personal discussions? Is there a way to tag them without friending?

[tim]

This is something I'd like to begin doing, but my hangup is the issue of friending. To tag someone, don't you need to have them as a friend? Aren't brides reluctant to therefore open up all of their personal discussions? Is there a way to tag them without friending?

You can't tag without friending, but they can tag the images even if they're not your friend, so long as the images is publicly viewable. You can also use limited profiles, for example I don't let customers see my status updates or a few other personal bits and pieces.